October 7 will forever be etched in history as a transformative moment — not just for Israel, but for the entire Middle East. For Jews worldwide, it is already commemorated as the darkest day since the Holocaust. Yet, what began as the worst attack on Israel in decades has triggered a seismic shift in the region’s dynamics. This day, like Israel’s Independence Day when Arab nations attacked the Jewish state, marks the beginning of another transformative chapter. For Islamist forces, it may ultimately be remembered as the day their grand vision began to crumble.
Hamas likely believed that its assault on Israel would ignite an uprising and lead to the establishment of an Islamic caliphate with Jerusalem as its crown jewel. Instead, it set off a chain reaction that may dismantle the Islamist project imagined by the Muslim Brotherhood and its proxies. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade — the terror groups that held Palestinians hostage under their brutal rule — have been almost obliterated. Their recent leaders, Yahya Sinwar, Muhammad Abu Sakhil, and Issam al-Salaj, have all been eliminated. The message is clear: Israel will no longer tolerate terror in its midst.
The ripple effects extend beyond Gaza. Hezbollah, once lauded as the most powerful non-state militant group in the world, has faced unprecedented blows. Its infrastructure is in ruins, its once-unquestioned dominance shattered. The group’s infamous leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has met his demise, and his successors are no doubt aware that their lives, too, hang by a thread. The Houthis in Yemen, another Iranian proxy emboldened by their backers, have been shown the overwhelming superiority of Israeli military technology. Their attempts to threaten regional stability have been, to date, decisively countered, with only the stray fragments of an intercepted missile landing in Israel.
At the heart of this upheaval lies Iran, the architect of a “ring of fire” designed to encircle Israel. For years, Tehran poured resources into proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime in Syria. Now, that ring has been broken. Iran’s influence in the region is crumbling, its proxies defeated or severely weakened. Its long-standing goal of using terror networks to dominate the Middle East and threaten Israel has backfired spectacularly.
The impact of these events is also reverberating in Syria. The Assad regime, a linchpin in Iran’s axis of power, has fallen. For decades, Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez ruled Syria with an iron fist, participating in every major war against Israel and committing countless atrocities. The Assads’ regime was infamous for its public hanging of Eli Cohen, the legendary Israeli spy, and its harsh treatment of Israeli prisoners of war. The fall of this brutal regime marks the end of an era of hostility.
However, Syria’s conqueror is Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). With a $10 million bounty on his head, his roots are deeply embedded in Al-Qaeda and ISIS. So let us not fool ourselves for one second about his intentions. Until proven otherwise, Syria is set to become a Taliban-like Islamic state. Al-Jolani’s vision is not likely one of freedom or democracy but of a caliphate rooted in Islamist extremism. This reality underscores the necessity for vigilance and strategic foresight from Israel and the international community.
As Jews, because of our value for life, we’re vulnerable to being too trusting. Whether with Hamas, Hezbollah, or Iran, hope has often been met with betrayal. This same principle applies to the new realities in Syria. By preemptively dismantling Syria’s military infrastructure, Israel is ensuring that advanced weapons do not fall into the hands of extremists. Establishing a buffer zone within Syria may be essential to secure its northern border and deter emerging threats.
Despite its small size and population of about 10 million, Israel is proving to be a force of liberation for those who wish to be freed from Islamic militant groups. Its efforts may eventually help to free the Palestinian people from Hamas’s tyrannical grip, the Lebanese from Hezbollah’s stranglehold, the Syrians from Assad’s oppressive regime, and potentially, the Iranian people from their autocratic rulers. Israel’s actions are reshaping the Middle East, offering hope to those who yearn for freedom from tyranny.
Yet, challenges remain. The forces that have risen in the wake of Assad’s downfall present new dangers. These groups, cloaked in the language of liberation, do not likely seek democracy. Their interpretation of freedom is starkly different from that of the free world. For Israel, this moment demands vigilance. The fall of one tyrant does not guarantee peace; it often paves the way for another.
The road ahead will not be easy. Israel must continue to act decisively, not only to protect its people but to secure the region’s future. Its actions in recent weeks have demonstrated its resilience, resolve, and commitment to freedom. The Middle East is undergoing a historic transformation, and Israel, the great liberator, is leading the charge.
National Post
Avi Abraham Benlolo is the Founder and CEO of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative.