Journal: Journal of Liberty and International Affairs Institute for Research and European Studies - Bitola
Year: 2026

This paper analyzes the security dilemma through a comparative qualitative study of three conflicts: Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, and Thailand-Cambodia.Despite differences in geography, scale, and actors, all three cases show how mistrust, misperceptions, and defensive actions perceived as offensive drive cycles of escalation.The Russia-Ukraine conflict illustrates a systemic dilemma, shaped by identity, sovereignty, spheres of influence, and NATO expansion.The Israeli-Palestinian case high