Spring is turning to autumn and the hopes of Tunisians, Egyptians, Libyans, Syrians and Yemenis are waning. Emergency law is re-introduced in Egypt following the ransacking of the Israeli embassy, Gadaffi is still fighting, Syrians and Yemenis are still dying and Israel finds itself without its two ally ,Egypt and Turkey and the prospect of a Palestinian vote on statehood in the United Nations. In the latter, its only ally, America may risk the wrath of the Muslim world and veto such a move, but then the General Assembly will surely vote in favor of "special status" for the Palestinians. The times, they are a-changing.
The past week has not been good for Israel. First, Turkey, an ally, expelled Israel's ambassador, over Israel's continued refusal to apologise for the death of 9 Turks on the raid on the aid ship. Later the Turkish prime minister threatened to use its navy to accompany aid flotillas to the Gaza Strip and also to challenge Israel's plans for gas exploration and export in the eastern Mediterranean. Erdogan told al Jazeera that he would use his warships to prevent Israeli commandos from again boarding Gaza bound ships and from letting Israeli exploit natural gas resources at sea. Dan Meridor, Israel's intelligence minister called the threats "grave and serious" Of course it is. ( Israel and Cyprus had reached agreement dividing the water between the two of them for gas drilling. Turkey call the division illegal and Lebanon also reject it. Turkey will support Lebanon and things could escalate. Turkey has had clashes with Greece over drilling and demarcations.) Israel in the meantime, led by foreign minister Lieberman, is seeking closer relations with Armenia, Turkey's historical rival, and with the minority Kurds in Turkey. This can get out of hand, very quickly.
Next, Egyptians, angered over the death of 3 soldiers, killed by Israel along the border, while pursuing terrorists, ransacked the Israeli embassy in Cairo and tore down its flag, the symbol of 31 years of peace between the two countries. Pressured by the Americans, who were callled upon by the Israelis for help, the military-led govt. re-imposed the hated emergency laws. It must be noted that the Islamic Brotherhood was not involved in the sacking of the embassy. It was done by the secularists, the ones who led the charge against Mubarak. Those who want democracy and human rights for themselves in Egypt and eleswhere are more and more demanding the same for the Palestinians. No longer are the "tyrants" there to thwart their objectives and no more are they turning a blind eye to the sufferings of the Palestinians. As Benyamin Ben Eliezer, Labor MP and former defense minister noted "The world is tired of this conflict and angry at us because we are viewed as conquerors ruling over another people. If I were Bibi Netanyahu, I would recognise a Palestinian state. We would then negotiate borders and security.Instead nothing is happening.We are left with one ally, America and that relationship is strained too" .
The Palestinians will ask for statehood (Israel was created by the UN. as Abba Eban once noted " the UN has our birth certificate"). Israel will oppose it. The Americans will use its veto (injudiciously, but one must be aware of upcoming presidential elections and AIPAC and its "amen lobby, wield a lot of power). The Palestinians will then go to the General Assembly and it will with a huge majority, vote in favor of "special status", allowing Palestine to speak directly for its self.
Israel will be even more isolated and not just in the Muslim world, and having lost its two Muslim "friends", Egypt and especially Turkey, in greater danger.. Netanyahu will no longer be able to play his favorite game of "dissing" the American President.
The past week has not been good for Israel. First, Turkey, an ally, expelled Israel's ambassador, over Israel's continued refusal to apologise for the death of 9 Turks on the raid on the aid ship. Later the Turkish prime minister threatened to use its navy to accompany aid flotillas to the Gaza Strip and also to challenge Israel's plans for gas exploration and export in the eastern Mediterranean. Erdogan told al Jazeera that he would use his warships to prevent Israeli commandos from again boarding Gaza bound ships and from letting Israeli exploit natural gas resources at sea. Dan Meridor, Israel's intelligence minister called the threats "grave and serious" Of course it is. ( Israel and Cyprus had reached agreement dividing the water between the two of them for gas drilling. Turkey call the division illegal and Lebanon also reject it. Turkey will support Lebanon and things could escalate. Turkey has had clashes with Greece over drilling and demarcations.) Israel in the meantime, led by foreign minister Lieberman, is seeking closer relations with Armenia, Turkey's historical rival, and with the minority Kurds in Turkey. This can get out of hand, very quickly.
Next, Egyptians, angered over the death of 3 soldiers, killed by Israel along the border, while pursuing terrorists, ransacked the Israeli embassy in Cairo and tore down its flag, the symbol of 31 years of peace between the two countries. Pressured by the Americans, who were callled upon by the Israelis for help, the military-led govt. re-imposed the hated emergency laws. It must be noted that the Islamic Brotherhood was not involved in the sacking of the embassy. It was done by the secularists, the ones who led the charge against Mubarak. Those who want democracy and human rights for themselves in Egypt and eleswhere are more and more demanding the same for the Palestinians. No longer are the "tyrants" there to thwart their objectives and no more are they turning a blind eye to the sufferings of the Palestinians. As Benyamin Ben Eliezer, Labor MP and former defense minister noted "The world is tired of this conflict and angry at us because we are viewed as conquerors ruling over another people. If I were Bibi Netanyahu, I would recognise a Palestinian state. We would then negotiate borders and security.Instead nothing is happening.We are left with one ally, America and that relationship is strained too" .
The Palestinians will ask for statehood (Israel was created by the UN. as Abba Eban once noted " the UN has our birth certificate"). Israel will oppose it. The Americans will use its veto (injudiciously, but one must be aware of upcoming presidential elections and AIPAC and its "amen lobby, wield a lot of power). The Palestinians will then go to the General Assembly and it will with a huge majority, vote in favor of "special status", allowing Palestine to speak directly for its self.
Israel will be even more isolated and not just in the Muslim world, and having lost its two Muslim "friends", Egypt and especially Turkey, in greater danger.. Netanyahu will no longer be able to play his favorite game of "dissing" the American President.
