Col. (res.) Shay Shabtai’s opinion piece examines the challenges faced by Israel, the U.S., and other actors in addressing poorly governed regions such as Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, and Libya. He highlights the tension between avoiding deep involvement in these regions and preventing security threats like terrorism, famine, and mass violence. A proposed solution is the concept of “Semi-Self Governance” (SSG), which empowers local actors to take responsibility while enabling external intervention under specific conditions, such as acts of terrorism, WMD stockpiling, or genocidal violence.

The SSG approach seeks to balance minimal foreign involvement with the necessity to prevent instability. It emphasizes accountability for local populations while offering assistance to develop governance and infrastructure. While aligned with international legal principles like self-defense and humanitarian intervention, it presents challenges, such as tolerating non-terrorist extremist groups and ensuring effective defense against security risks. Col. (res.) Shay Shabtai suggests that SSG could align with a broader international norm and U.S. policies under U.S. President Trump’s vision.

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