Richard Kemp, the former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, argues that the decline of traditional morality has undermined the West in its war on terror and contributed to the vilification of Israel:

Throughout most of the West, certainly in Europe, Judeo-Christian principles, honesty, family values, respect for the state, honor, and loyalty have all been eroded, often beyond recognition. Negative values, such as the acceptance of betrayal, duplicity, and deceit, have flourished. Defining values including patriotism and religious faith have been undermined. . . .

It is impossible to avoid a connection between the shift in public opinion on Israel and the change in Western morality. . . . War is no longer a matter of the good guy fighting the bad with the good expected to win. Political correctness encourages individuals to say what they think is seen as acceptable and will not offend the majority rather than what they actually believe. . . . The destruction of defining values mean that people will now accept physical acts that would before have been utterly abhorrent to them. . . .

The target is Western values themselves, most often represented by the United States, the most powerful country in the world. But Israel has increasingly become a proxy for the United States.

Considering the current state of Israel-Arab relations, Ghaith al-Omari writes

First and foremost, no ceasefire will be possible without the release of Israeli hostages and commitments to disarm Hamas and remove it from power. The final say on these matters rests with Hamas commanders on the ground in Gaza, who have been largely impervious to foreign pressure so far. At minimum, however, the United States should insist that Qatari and Egyptian mediators push Hamas’s external leadership to accept these conditions publicly, which could increase pressure on the group’s Gaza leadership.

Washington should also demand a clear, public position from key Arab states regarding disarmament. The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas endorsed this position in a June letter to Saudi Arabia and France, giving Arab states Palestinian cover for endorsing it themselves.

Some Arab states have already indicated a willingness to play a significant role, but they will have little incentive to commit resources and personnel to Gaza unless Israel (1) provides guarantees that it will not occupy the Strip indefinitely, and (2) removes its veto on a PA role in Gaza’s future, even if only symbolic at first. Arab officials are also seeking assurances that any role they play in Gaza will be in the context of a wider effort to reach a two-state solution.

On the other hand, Washington must remain mindful that current conditions between Israel and the Palestinians are not remotely conducive to . . . implementing a two-state solution.