Bangladesh, June 14 -- For decades, discussions about the Middle East have been framed by a familiar phrase: "geography is destiny." Often attributed to the 14th-century scholar Ibn Khaldun, the expression suggests that a nation's location profoundly shapes its political fortunes, economic prospects and strategic behavior. In the Middle East, however, this phrase has frequently carried a pessimistic undertone. Geography has been viewed not as an asset, but as a burden - a source of endless rivalry, contested borders and geopolitical competition.

Yet a different interpretation is beginning to emerge. Geography, while immutable, does not predetermine perpetual conflict. The same strategic position that has fueled competition can also faci...