Imagined threat: How Europe learned to manufacture enemies from Israel

The rhetoric of “existential threat” has become the dominant currency of political legitimacy in both Israel and Europe. In Israel, this rhetoric is deeply entrenched—a well-documented doctrine of “permanent war” that frames every adversary as an existential danger requiring eradication rather than negotiation or a possible settlement. In recent years, Europe appeared to have adopted the same Israeli playbook, with leaders warning of an imminent Russian attack on NATO territory despite their own intelligence agencies admitting they see no evidence of such a threat. This is not paranoia; it is a calculated rhetoric, deliberately cultivated by warmongering politicians who benefit from sustaining a permanent threat – real or imagined – whether in Israel, Europe, or anywhere else. The most striking […]