Ruth Wasserman Lande: We tend to focus constantly on the Israel–Palestine conflict — the Muslim-Jewish, Arab-Israeli dynamic. But I want to offer a different lens. If we take a step back and look globally, the core struggle is actually between Shiite and Sunni Muslim extremists. Within that larger battle, we are caught in the middle. Both sides are striving to establish an extreme global caliphate based on Sharia law — one according to Shiite principles, the other Sunni. And what lies at the center of their ambitions? Jerusalem. That’s what makes us a target — not just Israel, but also America, Europe, Canada, and Australia. Understanding this broader context helps us better analyze events like October 7, the aftermath, and the recent 12-day Iranian-Israeli war.
The full conversation took place before student representatives in Washington, USA.