Can Israel become a "super-Sparta?"
October 08, 2025
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Ian Explains
On Ian Explains, host Ian Bremmer makes complex issues about global politics understandable. Ian Explains is a weekly segment on GZERO WORLD with Ian Bremmer, GZERO's weekly program about global news and current affairs.
Israel is stronger than ever militarily—and more isolated than ever diplomatically.
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubles down on the war in Gaza and rejects outside pressure, longtime allies are starting to walk away. Japan, Italy, and France have announced arms embargoes. The EU is proposing partial trade sanctions. Even Netanyahu himself admits Israel is entering a “kind of isolation” that could last for years.
His solution? Turn Israel into a “super-Sparta”—a self-reliant, hyper-militarized economy capable of standing alone. In the latest edition of Ian Explains, Bremmer breaks down whether that’s a viable strategy or just political defiance. With Israel’s economy slowing to its weakest growth rate in decades, global investment pulling back, and international condemnation mounting, the costs are starting to show.
And while US support remains strong for now, Trump’s pivot to Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar signals that even Washington’s patience may have limits. Can Israel afford to go it alone? Or will the pressure—economic, political, and strategic—force a shift in course? The coming months may decide just how much isolation Israel can sustain.
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