After World War II, the world built a new order on the ruins of the deadliest conflict in human history. The United States became the leading superpower; international systems such as the United Nations, NATO, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were established, and doctrines of liberty, democracy, and free trade drove the global economy to unprecedented prosperity.
But something has changed.
In recent years – particularly since the advent of the third decade of the 21st century – increasing signs indicate that the old order is weakening, and we may be standing on the threshold of a new era: polarized and at times chaotic.
One cannot ignore the fatigue that has gripped the United States and the entire West after decades of deep involvement in wars, political crises, and interventions across the globe. The Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan wars left a bitter taste. Recent US presidents – from Barack Obama to Donald Trump to Joe Biden and now Trump again – have all shown a clear tendency to reduce involvement in global conflicts.
Europe is grappling with internal crises: mass migration, political polarization, a shaky economy, and ideological erosion. Populist movements threaten to dismantle the European Union from within, while its strongest members – chief among them Germany and France – have failed to lead a unified line on the international stage.
New threat to the West
A newly emerging axis threatens the free world.
China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea no longer accept Western hegemony and have formed a powerful bloc challenging the West economically and militarily.
China seeks to break dollar dominance through its “Belt and Road Initiative,” using it to gain influence in Africa, Asia, and even South America. Its technology sector, coupled with near-exclusive control over critical supply chains for key metals such as germanium – used primarily in military technologies – gives it an unprecedented advantage.
Russia, for its part, has returned to open imperial ambitions with its invasion of Ukraine. Despite relative isolation from the West, Moscow – while damaged in global public opinion – has deepened its ties with Beijing and Tehran.
Iran, despite suffering heavy blows and openly defying the West, continues to extend its reach through terror organizations such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, militias in Iraq, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), forming the backbone of the balance of terror in the Middle East.
North Korea has become a technological testing ground for nuclear missile launches.
During WWII, the world united to fight the threat of German Nazism. Today, it is moving in a different direction.
There is no longer a single superpower dictating global order, nor is there universal agreement on shared values. Each country acts to advance its own interests, often sanctifying its ideology even at the cost of military friction.
In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is moving closer to China. India is maneuvering between Russia and the US. Turkey, a NATO member, cooperates with Moscow and Tehran while at the same time selling weapons to Ukraine. Africa is torn between the crumbling influence of France and the embrace of China, Russia, and Iran. China is working to expand its presence, investing vast sums in Pacific nations.
Meanwhile, the West is undergoing a process of self-dismantling – harsh internal criticism of democracy’s core principles, attacks on free speech, polarization along gender, racial, and religious lines, and anti-colonial movements that question the very legitimacy of Western culture.
The result is a West struggling to defend its values. How can the US stand against Russian or Chinese propaganda if its own universities echo messages of self-hatred?
Israel, too, finds itself in the eye of the storm. Its classic alliance with the United States, Europe, and the Jewish Diaspora is fraying. Unwavering American public support for Israel can no longer be taken for granted. Global public opinion is fickle, and Israel must navigate between its commitment to Western values and a hostile regional reality.
In a Muslim Middle East, where a radical minority wields influence, Israel faces a significant challenge. It still depends on the old world order but must prepare for a future in which there may be no one to back it; not at the UN, not in the White House, and not on the streets of Paris or London.
The world is moving toward a new order in which alliances, economic interests, and non-Western powers set the pace. In such a reality, strategic flexibility, military strength, and moral resolve will be essential.
The new world order will be different. The ability of nations to survive, prosper, and exert influence will be reserved for those who know how to act wisely amid changes that could shake the old world beyond recognition.
The writer is CEO of Radios 100FM, an honorary consul, vice dean of the Consular Diplomatic Corps, and president of the Israeli Association of Regional Radio. He is also a former NBC television correspondent.