The war in Gaza has acted as a catalyst for global and regional trends, forcing Israel to reevaluate its traditional geopolitical frameworks. As long-standing partnerships reach points of stagnation, Israel must identify new opportunities beyond its conventional focal points.
The core premise is a fundamental shift: while the US remains the primary strategic anchor, Asia is becoming the “new Europe,” Africa is the “new Asia,” and Europe is increasingly resembling the “old Middle East.” This is not just a tactical adjustment but a necessary strategic pivot in a world where the global center of gravity is shifting.
The Middle East is at a historic crossroads. If regional initiatives like the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the expansion of the Abraham Accords move forward, Israel could transition from its self-perception as an isolated “villa in the jungle” to an integral regional component. This “Western-Arab” Israeli identity combines a Western technological essence with Middle Eastern strategic opportunities.
Reshaping the Middle East
The post-war Middle East could evolve through two primary models:
The European-Liberal Economic Model: This model envisions pragmatic regional integration driven by functional interests, cross-border capital, and infrastructure projects like IMEC and the Abraham Accords. Like the historical European Coal and Steel Community, where economic interdependency created a functional foundation for lasting stability, this “Middle Eastern peace” would be less ideological and more focused on shared economic and technological frameworks. Such cooperation could eventually serve as the infrastructure for a comprehensive Mediterranean partnership.
The Asian Tigers Model: In this scenario, the region does not necessarily unify into a single bloc but rather “splits forward.” Each nation capable of a breakthrough moves ahead independently or through partnerships that generate high added value. The combination of intense competition and selective cooperation becomes the primary engine of growth. Here, Israel integrates not as a “sister nation” but as a strategic-technological partner. This is a Middle East where full political integration may never materialize, but a dense network of performance-based, specific collaborations creates a de facto new regional reality.
Whether the Middle East shapes itself as a “Mediterranean economic Europe” or moves toward this “regional tigers” model, the current political fluidity allows Israel to redefine its role. No longer an anomaly or an outlier, Israel is becoming a key player that shapes the region’s future alongside its neighbors.
Issues facing Europe
In contrast to the Middle East’s potential fluidity, Europe is experiencing stagnation and internal fragmentation. Once an anchor and model of stability and liberalism, the continent is now plagued by polarized identity politics, immigration crises, and rising extremism. Paradoxically, Europe is beginning to resemble the “old Middle East” – a theater of clashing religious and ethnic identities.
Consequently, Europe has become a complex arena where Israel is often a polarizing domestic topic rather than a point of strategic consensus. While diplomatic dialogue continues, the “thaw” in relations will be slow. Internal friction within European societies means that foreign policy is increasingly dictated by domestic pressures rather than pure strategic interests. Israel must recognize that Europe can no longer be viewed as the “safe partner” or the primary emotional and strategic actor it once was.
Asia now embodies the growth engines, stability, and pragmatic openness that Europe previously represented for Israel. Beyond trade, Asia offers a culturally distinct but highly efficient partnership model based on mutual interests. Countries such as Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam view Israel not through a moralistic lens but as a high-value partner in technology, energy, and security.
Engaging with the Indo-Pacific framework allows Israel to diversify its strategic dependencies. In a world of shifting alliances, Asia provides a “cleaner” diplomatic slate, free from the historical and religious baggage of the West. This transition is essential for securing Israel’s place in the world’s shifting center of economic gravity, ensuring that the “Start-Up Nation” remains relevant to the fastest growing markets on earth.
The significance of Africa
Africa currently occupies the position Asia did decades ago – perceived as distant and disconnected, yet on the verge of a massive economic takeoff. With 11 of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies in 2025 located in sub-Saharan Africa – including Rwanda, Senegal, and Ethiopia – the continent represents a critical future demographic and economic hub.
Israel’s presence in Africa remains limited, leaving the field open to China, Russia, Iran, and Turkey. These powers are creating facts on the ground through infrastructure investment and long-term political alliances. Africa seeks loyal, long-term partners. If Israel fails to establish a permanent presence – boots on the ground – and move beyond outdated perceptions of the continent as a zone of instability, it risks losing strategic opportunities to actors that do not serve its interests.
Ultimately, this pivot toward the Middle East, Asia, and Africa is not just about finding new markets. It is about Israel’s ability to recognize that the global landscape is being redrawn by those who take initiative rather than those who wait for traditional alliances to recover.
The post-Gaza reality demands strategic flexibility: the ability to abandon old habits and read a changing map. This does not mean abandoning the West but supplementing it with new pillars of support. To secure its place in the 21st century, Israel must look east and south, ensuring that its geopolitical strategy evolves alongside the changing world. The new map is already here; it is time for Israel to start navigating by it.
The writer is a researcher of the Indo-Pacific region under the Great-Power Competition (GPC) program at Mind Israel.