Israel’s Bullying Power in Gaza: A Game Theory Perspective — and a Path Forward with Smartsettle Infinity
- Ernest Thiessen
- Sep 6
- 3 min read
Based on Siddiqui's Eurasia Review framework | Expanded with Smartsettle Insights
In his insightful Eurasia Review article published on September 2, 2025, Dr. Habib Siddiqui applies game theory to expose how dominance dynamics in Gaza have created a persistent equilibrium of coercion. A companion article, “Game Theory and the Weaponization of Hunger” (July 24, 2025), further explores how starvation itself becomes a strategic tool in this power calculus. These dynamics often produce an enduring status quo shaped by the logic of a Nash Equilibrium—a stable but harmful outcome from which no party can unilaterally escape. While Siddiqui hints at the theoretical possibility of escaping this “multipolar trap,” this blog post goes one step further: by proposing Smartsettle Infinity as a concrete, practical tool for moving beyond coercion and toward sustainable peace.
🎮 Game Theory and the Bully’s Advantage
In classic game theory, dynamics like the Ultimatum Game and Repeated Games show how one dominant player can:
Dictate unfair terms,
Enforce compliance through credible threats,
Sustain the imbalance indefinitely—even when it’s inefficient and unjust.
In the case of Gaza:
Israel, with military, economic, and diplomatic supremacy, acts as the dominant player.
Gaza, with little strategic leverage, faces constrained choices: either accept unfavorable terms or suffer worse consequences.
This imbalance becomes a Nash Equilibrium—a scenario where neither party can improve its outcome by changing strategies alone. The result: a power-locked deadlock that’s deeply unethical and unsustainable.
🧱 The Problem with Status Quo Equilibria
Even though these equilibria are technically “stable,” they are often:
Morally unacceptable: built on coercion, not consent.
Strategically short-sighted: ignoring long-term peace dividends.
Socially toxic: perpetuating cycles of violence, resentment, and trauma.
They persist because each party believes deviation would lead to even worse outcomes—until the entire structure of the game itself is challenged.
💡 A Way Out: Optimized Multi-Party Consensus with Smartsettle Infinity
Smartsettle Infinity is an AI-enhanced, multi-stakeholder negotiation platform purpose-built to reshape high-conflict scenarios into collaborative, constructive processes. Here's how it transforms the game:
🔄 Reframing the Problem
Smartsettle replaces zero-sum bargaining with collaborative optimization. Complex issues are broken down into structured Single Negotiating Frameworks (SNFs) that reveal interdependencies and clarify trade-offs.
🕵️ Protecting Confidentiality
Each party privately shares their true preferences and weights only with the neutral site—not with other parties or even a mediator—under state‑secret‑level encryption. Smartsettle’s patented algorithms protecting this sensitive data ensure that strategic posturing is no longer necessary. This allows for genuine, risk-free expression of interests, unlocking outcomes grounded in authentic needs rather than negotiation theatre.
🌱 Revealing Mutually Beneficial Solutions
Smartsettle’s patented algorithms uncover Pareto-optimal agreements—solutions that make everyone better off without making anyone worse off. These mutually beneficial outcomes are often missed in traditional negotiation formats riddled with mistrust.
⚖️ Revealing Shared Gains Across Asymmetries
Smartsettle creates a structured space where every party—regardless of power, size, or resources—can pursue what truly matters most to them. The platform doesn't impose equality of power; instead, it preserves each party’s sovereignty while helping them clarify and pursue their deepest long-term objectives. In this sense, it doesn't take power away—it redirects it toward more effective, values-based outcomes, ensuring that those with influence achieve what they most authentically desire, even when domination isn't the optimal path.
🎯 From Control to Fulfillment: Aligning with Core Values
For those accustomed to dominance as a strategic posture, the Smartsettle process invites a deeper reflection: control in the service of what? Our platform doesn't undermine control—it helps reveal whether it is aligned with each party’s deepest, truest values. Without disclosing strategic plans to anyone but the system, parties can privately declare what they want most—security, dignity, recognition—and allow the system to work toward outcomes that maximize those values across the board.
🕊️ Toward Sustainable Peace
This approach builds on our foundational piece, (Peace Through Rational Collaboration: A New Lens from Game Theory), which reframes conflict away from adversarial bargaining and toward joint optimization. That theoretical foundation powers Smartsettle Infinity’s ability to surface equitable outcomes even in high-stakes asymmetrical conflicts.
This vision isn’t merely theoretical. We've already demonstrated how Smartsettle Infinity can reframe even the most intractable conflicts.
🎥 See Smartsettle in Action: Watch our Gaza Marshall Plan simulation, where six stakeholder groups use the platform to negotiate transparently and equitably, aligning through optimized agreement rather than imposed compromise.
Peace, in this framework, is not merely the absence of conflict—it is the presence of intelligent structure:
A better game.
With better rules.
Leading to better outcomes.
Key Takeaways
Smartsettle ensures privacy by keeping preferences only in the encrypted system.
Sovereignty is respected while guiding parties toward their deepest values.
Simulations like the Gaza Marshall Plan make structural transformation tangible.
To explore how Smartsettle can reframe your negotiations—including peacebuilding, organizational conflict, or policy design—feel free to contact us for a demo or attend our AI-Mediated Peace Simulation Workshop.