Beyond the Arab–Israeli Conflict Ecosystem

Abstract

In this chapter, Szekely explores the broader theoretical implications of the contrasts generated by the cases of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Amal, Hizbullah, and Hamas. The chapter engages with themes such as the unintended consequences of military proxyhood, the role of militant groups in shaping ethno-political divisions, and the overlap and interaction between the strategies discussed throughout the book. To explore the broader implications of the theory, Szekely then turns to the emerging Syrian–Iraqi conflict ecosystem, with a focus on the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, as a means of demonstrating its predictive and analytical power beyond the Arab–Israeli conflict.