Was the War on Terror shaped by political and strategic interests that extended far beyond the attacks of September 11, 2001? In a new Neutrality Studies interview, Dutch political economist Professor Kees van der Pijl outlines his interpretation of the relationship between Zionism, Western ruling elites and decades of military intervention
In an interview published on 8 October 2026, Pascal Lottaz, host of the YouTube channel Neutrality Studies, speaks with Dutch political economist Kees van der Pijl about his book Israel and 9/11: The Rise of Atlantic Zionism.
The approximately 72-minute conversation explores the historical development of political Zionism, the formation of a transatlantic ruling class, the origins of the War on Terror and the consequences of Western military intervention in the Middle East.
Van der Pijl, formerly a professor at the University of Sussex, presents a controversial interpretation of modern geopolitical history in which political ideology, financial interests, intelligence organisations and military strategy increasingly operate across national boundaries.
The discussion also revisits the history of Khazaria and Jewish ancestry, subjects previously examined by eLocal Investigates.
Academic Freedom and the Origins of the Book
The interview begins with van der Pijl recounting his departure from his remaining academic association with the University of Sussex following controversy over statements he made about the September 11 attacks.
He explains that university authorities challenged his public comments and that he ultimately chose to relinquish his emeritus association rather than accept what he regarded as restrictions on his intellectual independence.
For van der Pijl, the experience reinforced his determination to investigate questions he believed had received insufficient attention in conventional academic and political debate.
He describes September 11 as the beginning of an era of prolonged warfare, with consequences extending well beyond Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Emergence of an Atlantic Ruling Class
A central theme of the interview is van der Pijl's longstanding research into transnational political and economic power.
He traces the development of an Atlantic ruling class to the late nineteenth century, when British financial and political interests began developing closer relationships with their American counterparts.
According to his interpretation, this process accelerated through the two world wars and the Cold War, bringing together political, financial and industrial interests across the United States and Western Europe.
Van der Pijl argues that another transformation occurred following the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the strategic importance of Western Europe changed and new networks of political and economic influence developed.
He describes what he calls "Atlantic Zionism" as an important feature of this later development.
His argument distinguishes political Zionism from Judaism as a religion and from Jewish identity, emphasising that Zionism has also attracted substantial support from Christian and secular political movements.
Khazaria and the Historical Origins of Zionism
The interview turns to the history of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe and the medieval Khazar kingdom.
Van der Pijl discusses the conversion of Khazar rulers to Judaism and advances his interpretation of how that history relates to later Jewish populations and the development of political Zionism.
He argues that modern Zionism emerged within a wider European historical setting, involving nationalism, religious ideas and the political circumstances of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe.
His broader claims about the ancestry of modern Jewish populations are disputed and should be understood as his interpretation rather than established historical consensus.
The conversation also explores Christian Zionism and the influence of Protestant religious traditions on Western support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland.
Lottaz raises the argument that Christian political and religious movements contributed to Zionist thinking before the emergence of modern organised political Zionism.
The War on Terror and Israeli Strategic Thinking
One of the interview's central arguments concerns the development of international counterterrorism policy before September 11.
Van der Pijl points to conferences held in Jerusalem in 1979 and Washington in 1984, where Israeli and American political figures discussed terrorism and the international response to it.
He argues that these meetings helped develop a strategic framework in which terrorism increasingly became a central concern of Western foreign policy.
In his account, the military difficulties Israel experienced during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War encouraged Israeli strategists to seek greater American involvement in regional security.
Van der Pijl contends that the subsequent War on Terror created circumstances in which the United States became directly involved in conflicts with several of Israel's regional adversaries.
He links this development to the wars and military interventions that followed September 11, including the invasion of Iraq and later confrontations across the Middle East.
September 11 and Disputed Allegations
The most contentious part of the discussion concerns van der Pijl's interpretation of the September 11 attacks.
He questions the accepted account of the attacks and advances allegations concerning intelligence activities, communications systems and possible Israeli involvement.
Van der Pijl acknowledges that much of this part of his argument relies on the investigations and publications of other writers rather than his own original field research.
These allegations remain unsubstantiated and conflict with the established findings of the major investigations into September 11.
Lottaz identifies the inside-job allegation as highly contested and redirects the conversation towards the political and strategic consequences of the attacks.
The discussion consequently distinguishes, at least in part, between allegations about responsibility for September 11 and the separate question of how governments used the attacks to justify subsequent military action.
Finance, Intelligence and Political Influence
Van der Pijl also discusses the relationship between financial institutions, information technology, intelligence operations and political influence.
He refers to the activities of Robert Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, as well as allegations involving surveillance technology and intelligence gathering.
In his interpretation, these subjects form part of a wider transformation in which financial, technological and intelligence networks increasingly operate across national borders.
The interview presents these connections as elements of van der Pijl's broader thesis. It does not independently establish the more serious allegations concerning intelligence operations or individual responsibility.
Western Decline and the Risk of Wider War
In the final part of the conversation, van der Pijl argues that Western capitalism is experiencing a period of structural decline.
He suggests that political and economic elites are increasingly disconnected from the populations they govern and that this separation contributes to instability and military confrontation.
The discussion moves to the growing importance of BRICS countries, the role of national sovereignty and the possibility that governments outside the Western alliance may pursue different economic and strategic priorities.
Van der Pijl expresses particular concern about the danger of wider war, including nuclear escalation, and the increasing speed of military decision-making through artificial intelligence.
He concludes by arguing that peace movements and wider social movements are both necessary to challenge the political and economic conditions he believes are driving international conflict.
An Interview That Revisits the Foundations of Western Foreign Policy
The conversation offers an extended introduction to van der Pijl's interpretation of the relationship between Zionism, transatlantic political power and the War on Terror.
His arguments range from historical and political analysis to highly disputed allegations about intelligence operations and September 11.
Throughout the interview, Lottaz gives his guest considerable opportunity to explain his reasoning while acknowledging the contested nature of some of his conclusions.
For readers interested in the history of Zionism, Western foreign policy and the political consequences of September 11, the original interview provides an opportunity to hear van der Pijl present his arguments in his own words.
Watch the Full Interview
Why Zionism Needed The 'War On Terror' | Prof. Kees v.d. Pijl | Neutrality Studies or stream below
Interview: Pascal Lottaz with Professor Kees van der Pijl
Publisher: Neutrality Studies
Published: 8 October 2026
Duration: Approximately 72 minutes
Source
Neutrality Studies, Why Zionism Needed The 'War On Terror' | Prof. Kees v.d. Pijl, YouTube, 8 October 2026
eLocal World | Interview Report
This report summarises the views expressed by the interview participants. Allegations and interpretations attributed to the speakers are not presented as independently verified findings.