Israel isolated and under threat

The regional deck has been reshuffled and is no longer in Israel's favor, causing serious consternation in Tel Aviv.

A country that was considered all-powerful a mere month ago now finds itself out in the cold for a variety of reasons at a time when it is governed by, arguably, the most intransigent and short-sighted prime minister in its history; a man who puts right-wing ideology before real politic.

In the first place, Israel has lost the unconditional support of the international community - with the exception of the US. The world recently witnessed this when the Palestinian Authority presented a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council, reiterating that Jewish settlements on the West Bank and East Jerusalem were “illegal” and calling for such expansionist activity to stop. Although the draft was in line with President Obama’s public statements on settlements and was sponsored by 130 UN member states, Washington unsuccessfully heaped pressure on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to withdraw it before wielding its veto.

The Obama White House was cornered into flouting the wishes of the other 14 member UN Security Council members — including its closest allies Britain, France and Germany — else face the wrath of the pro-Israel lobby and its Congressional sycophants. Senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath says the US decision proves “that Israel is isolated internationally and is only protected by the American veto.” Such unashamed hypocrisy on the part of the US combined with Ambassador Susan Rice's mealy-mouthed excuses that the resolution would have harmed the peace process — as though one exists — has only served to increase anti-US and anti-Israeli sentiments throughout a region in the midst of unprecedented upheaval.

Abbas has reacted by refusing to resume peace talks with Israel, calling for a “Day of Rage” on Friday in protest and says he intends to put the issue before the UN General Assembly, a move that is likely to cause the Obama administration greater embarrassment.

Secondly, the entire Middle East paradigm is in a state of flux with autocratic leadership dinosaurs under siege from educated youth seeking greater self-determination and better job prospects. Tunisia’s Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak have fallen. Muammar Qaddafi's 42-year-long grip on Libya looks tenuous and thousands of protesters are demanding reforms in Algeria, Morocco, Yemen and Bahrain.

Whatever happens, the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt serve as a wake-up call to all leaders in the region to reflect the wishes of the street, which may not bode well for Israeli interests. The fact that Egypt has given permission (rightly so under its treaty obligations) for two Iranian warships to pass through the Suez Canal for the first time in decades — apparently en route to Syria “for training” — speaks volumes as to diminishing US clout. Iran has tested the waters (no pun intended) and now that a precedent has been set it's likely that many more armed Iranian ships will be heading to the Mediterranean in the future increasing the potential for an incident that could spark an Israeli-Iranian conflict. A greater Iranian military presence on the high seas will also strengthen the hand of Damascus, the Hezbollah-dominated government in Lebanon and, of course, Hamas.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak would no doubt like to bite back his threat to Lebanon given prior to the Egyptian revolution that Israeli forces may cross into southern Lebanon to take on Hezbollah's military wing.

In response to Barak's reckless saber-rattling, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah declared that he will annex the Galilee. He also vowed revenge on Israel for the killing of Imad Mughnieh saying, “To the Zionist generals I say, anywhere you go in the world at any time, watch out, for the blood of Imad Mughnieh will not go to waste.”

Egypt's new military rulers allowed the hitherto exiled theologian Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi to preach to over a million gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square last Friday exemplifying this new mood. Besides praising the revolution and asking Egyptians to return to work, Al-Qaradawi called upon the massive crowd to march to Rafah to tear down the border with Gaza and prayed for an Arab conquest of Jerusalem. It should further be noted, too, that while Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, that was banned and persecuted by President Mubarak, has announced it will not field a presidential candidate in the next election, it will now be recognized as a legitimate political party.

Adding to Israel's woes, its relationship with its ally Turkey has never been as strained. Ankara is still demanding that Israel apologizes for its attack on the Turkish vessel the Mavi Marmara that was attempting to break the blockade on Gaza and wants compensation for the nine Turkish victims.

Amnesty International has called Israel's report on the incident “a whitewash” and Turkey expects a UN panel to bless its own report based on passenger testimonies and the opinions of international law experts.

In an interview with CNN, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu didn't pull any punches on that topic. He further condemned the Jewish state for its self-interested support of Hosni Mubarak, saying “Israel prides itself on being a democracy but does not want any other country to be a democracy,” adding, “that if Israel feels threatened at this time, it must first check itself.” He also blasted Israel for its settlement building policy and control over conquered territories “that do not point to a peace-inducing attitude.” Then, last week, Turkish President Abdullah Gul traveled to Iran for the first time to meet with its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While there, he told Iran's Press TV that his country will not permit Washington to use NATO bases on Turkish soil to wage war on other nations.

In short, Israel is being ringed-in by hostile or unsympathetic regional states and elements while support from the international community is hemorrhaging fast. When will the Israelis be willing to embrace the only cure for what ails them, a broad-based peace hinging on a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital? If there is anywhere that is in urgent need of a revolution, at least in government thinking and policies, Israel tops the list.

— sierra12th@yahoo.co.uk

Comments

38 Comments
Post your comment
Read all

ALEX

Feb 21, 2011 23:41

Report abuse

Demonstration and revolution in the Mideast !
Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, maybe more to come. Oh and which democratic country is stable and prosperous, hold on let me think for a moment......ISRAEL

RAJ

Feb 22, 2011 11:04

i am american of asian background. I consider myself somewhat visionary and whatever is going on in the ME might reach us in NY. There is a big Israeli/jewish community here. It controls and runs NY. As a revenge and precaution Israel might try to break NY state from the rest of the US and to achieve that it would have to create misunderstanding and then a lot of bloodshed as a result ... things the Jews are good at. My concern here is...there are a lot of Naturalized American from different backgrounds who love and have been living in US for longtime. What the then in power, the Jewish would do to them. Would they kill indiscriminately and what right one would have under Israeli occupation of NY state ? and what the White House esp Ms Clinton's reaction would be ? As she is know to speak from both sides of the mouth as the other american politicians, would she interfere and stop us getting killed in NY or would she 'veto' as it is a matter between 'killer/occupier and those are getting killed' ?. I think Ms Clinton would be a great PM for the new Israeli occupied NY state but there would be none other than Jews in the state of NY. Is this possible ? Anything is possible.

@ALEX

Feb 22, 2011 11:05

ISRAEL = Democracy :D :D
...just a US-Zionist dream creation, isolated from rest of the region :( :(
...what's come UP must go DOWN

JOSH

Feb 22, 2011 11:07

good article, but you fail to realize, as the world does, that Israel in its eye's have done more then enough in terms of concessions to go to the negotiation table, it was evident that these so called illegal settlements have already been acknowledged that they will remain under Israeli sovereignty in the negotations anyways, as was exposed in the leaks from wikileaks, so why would they strangle parts of Israel, well PA dwell's on the idea of statehood.

let us also not forget that while you feel as though a freeze in order, Israel has offered to continue the freeze in recognition from the PA that Israel is a jewish state, which was denied. how can you expect a country to enter into a negotiation where its identity is on the negotiation table.

what im leading to is the answer for Israel's problems is to cave in to Palestinian demands, or world demands who feel as if throwing Israel under the bus will solve the worlds election problems for the current governments, but rather make Israel feel more vulnerable, and like there back is against the wall, in which case Israel is more likely to take more extreme matters in regards to its PA problem, basically if you continue to demonize a country, and treat as such, your only encourage in to act in that manner, and given international support of this demonization, your only green lighting Israel to do so,

Word of advice, your not gonna tare Jerusalem out of the jewish people's arms, regardless of what 3rd world state you impose on them, the only way anything like that will happen is if Israel accepts its divisions, something that can only happen in negotiations.

NISHTHAR IDROOS

An asset acquired under filthy and disreputable cicumstances cannot be kept in your custody for long, the owners coupled with supporters will soom close in Insha Allah,the days are numbered.

ACE

the only result out of this thing would be if , democracy is to come it would be disaster for all these nations, as pakistan is prime example of it, secondly the act by america clearly show\s it's interest for isreal to prosper as the next power it has laid its foundations... if u think im speaking gibrish do some research .... my only hope would be the people dont accept another puppet after such struggle....

Feb 22, 2011 11:08

Yes my dearest brothers,we never will forget Jeruselem,all in good time Insha Allah.

ROB

Feb 22, 2011 13:19

will abbas use the pressure on israel to actually try to forge a peace with Israel? likely not, he doesnt have the guts or the desire. It takes two to tango -- it isnt just israel's fault, and the palileaks that everyone says "prove" abbas willingness to cut a deal with Israel left several major unresolved issues by abbas that should have been able to be worked out, if he really wanted it for his people. But then he'd stop getting all the western aid, so.....

GUYRENE

Feb 22, 2011 13:25

Alex,yes, Israel is doing great. They are the most successful beggars to the American taxpayers. The Israelis probably receive about a 100 times more aid per capita from American taxpayers than any other country in the world. Any country in the world would be doing great with that kind of help.

C. GERARD

Very excellent analysis from Linda Heard. One isn't getting this from mainstream US sources, mainstream western sources, nor the supposed academics. Bravo Arab News.

ROBERTO

Feb 22, 2011 13:26

I think that it is interesting that Linda Heard outlines a solution that requires Israel relinquishing control of the West Bank and Judaism's holiest city Jerusalem. But relinquish control to whom? And what sort of broad based peace is she referring to? When the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt is dangling by a thread, she takes no pains to remind us that the exiled theologian Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi called for the border with Gaza be torn down (I don't think that Israel would mind if Gaza was reunited with Egypt) and Jerusalem be conquered (In other words tear up the treaty with Israel). Then one has to ask does any agreement with any Arab government mean anything? Does Israel have to wait until real democracy takes hold in Syria too, before a peace treaty can be signed? If she is saying that the only true treaties are signed between democracies, then why are we wasting everyone's time?

ALBERT BELLO

Feb 22, 2011 13:29

All of the above it may be true, but how would affect on Israeli defense while Israel has been isolated most of the time?. The psychological impact of any political scenario is temporary and no one would dare to challenge Israel unless the challenger wants to commit suicide. If those haters of Israel try to undermined Jerusalem, peace will never happen and the haters will always be losers. The message to the writer of this column, and to those who seek to destroy the Jewish State: "Change your mind" or remain loser.

JOHN MEMBREY

Feb 22, 2011 13:31

I would be interested to know Alex's definition of "democracy" when applied to Israel. I believe the accepted definition is "by the people for the people" not by the party with whoever it can get support. I doubt if the election of an admitted killer of 2 bound prisoners by crushing their skulls with a rock before he went to have breakfast, would see him elected in a true democracy! If Alex doubts the veracity of this I suggest he checks Ehud Yatom in a search engine....John

SHAUKHAT

Feb 22, 2011 13:36

Next is Israel turn.........

ABUABDULLA

Feb 22, 2011 13:37

yes..if you think for them to be stable, they have to demolish other nations. wait israel your turn is not far away insha Allah

ISMAEEL MARIKAR

Feb 22, 2011 13:38

Alex, you are living in another world.Israel prosperous,at the expense of the
poor American Taxpayers. If you say stable. They are able to show they are stable, because of the happenings in the region.They are able.
There will soon come a time american vetoes are not going to help.
The CIA has given Israel, 20 years. as things are it might come faster.

HARDFACT101

Feb 22, 2011 16:37

The truth finally came to light when US vetoed a UN resolution backed by all arab nations to halt israeli settlements in the west bank.

The arabs or all mideast nations finally see the true color of us, unbreakable bond with israel. Us has been b**ls**t with arabs for decades !!!

The arabs called as allies by US are only for against their own muslim people in mideast as US's allies.
ISLAMOPHOBIA IS VERY SEVERE IN US

All mideast nations shall stop dealing with zionist US now, is the right thing to do !!!

That is why there are protesters across mideast nations, they all don't want their goverments to deal with zionist us anymore.
They don't want corrupted dictators supported by zionist US like shah iran and hosni mubarak to oppress their own people. They they demand reforms !!!

Obama with a muslim father is only a zionist puppet figure, a decoy to deceive the muslim world.

The draft said that israel -- "the occupying power" -- should immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied palestinian land.

The other four council's veto-wielding members -- china, russia, britain and france -- and the 10 elected members -- brazil, bosnia, colombia, gabon, germany, india, lebanon, nigeria, portugal and south africa -- voted in favor of the resolution on friday.

The resolution would have been approved but the single "no" vote by the united states cancelled out the "yes" vote by the other 14 members of the security council.
Iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad says the fact that some countries have a veto at the un security council is an insult to other nations and the world governing system must be reformed as well.
Source: al jazeera

For mideast nations, it doesn't need a rocket scientist to understand b**ls**t !

NAKIB

Feb 23, 2011 03:40

Your daddy (USA) is going down with all Financial Crisis, Middle East is no more a Kingdom of selfish dictators (who survived you for so long), Turkey is gone with their Muslim Buddys, Hezbullah is just Iching with Hamas and other Palestinians, Isolated from the world except US, how do you find yourself now, Israel?? Good luck with your packing!!

MOHAMED

Feb 23, 2011 03:43

Josh and Alex,
One thing you fail to mention, which Netanyahu knows too well is this: If Zionists make peace with Arabs, the internal civil war between secular and religious Jews will flare, first dividing the nation and then destroying the Zionist dream. History repeats, always;
Care to speculate how much longer before riots flare up in West Jerusalem and Tel Aviv?

JULES

Feb 23, 2011 04:35

NISHTHAR IDROOS, why forgetting Jerusalem ? Since you are a Muslim, you are permitted to visit the Holy Al-Aqsa (Jews are not permitted to visit, according to Israeli laws) and pray. You will be surprised to see that the vast majority of people in Israel are helpful and friendly. Just be nice to people, as a true Muslim. There are 1.5 mln. Arabs in Israel, so happy to have education, medical care and social security there that they refuse to join Palestinian State.

Feb 23, 2011 12:11

It never amazes me to read the incredible amount of hatred towards a small country the size of El-Salvador.
Israel receives from the USA assistance of about 1% of the annual budget. It doesn't come as money but as weapons produced by the US companies.
Everyone who has a computer should know that at least half of its components (including the processor) were either invented or manufactured in Israel.

PAUL

Feb 23, 2011 12:18

Mark my WORD : NOBODY can put ISRAEL down...!

AUD B

Feb 23, 2011 12:24

NISHTHAR IDROOS, The USA was "acquired under filthy and disreputable cicumstances", but I don't hear anyone demanding that it be returned to the "Native Americans". Where is the HYPOCRICY now?

JIMMY

Feb 23, 2011 15:06

I dont think if Israel is isolated.As far as western countries wants to continue sucking oil of arab people Israel will continue to be best ever allies of US and Western countries until arab people wake up from deep sleep.All happening In Tunisia,Libya,Morocco,Egypt,Bahrain,Iran,Yemen is the work of CIA and Mosad. immy1999@yahoo.com

M.A. AZMI

Feb 23, 2011 16:02

VETO power is for unfair USE. One member scraps 14 members support. Abolish this VETO from UN and follow the majority must be granted rule. Israel cannot take advantage of this VETO for long time. Islamic nations turning against their rulers for continue making their heads down. One day Lion's life is better than hundred years of jackal's. Isareli must start thinking to settle in NY instead of in Palestine which was occupied with the aid of British and America in 1948. The days are ahead when Israels will beg for its survival.

NAJEEB

Feb 23, 2011 16:20

As long as US is behind them Israel has nothing to worry.

MANA

Turkey should not ask for apology and compensation. It should ask the heads of 9 israeli shoulders, then israel will come to apology and will give compensation with goodwill..

YUSSUF

Feb 23, 2011 16:26

This is an apology for Israel that can build wherever it wants in the Palestinian land with the support of the others... Extremism as was the case in Gaza has proved that it fights only between brothers...

Fragmenting the other Arab nation would alienate the cause for Palestine again... Israeli President has already talked about Libya without Gaddafi in Spain! Now for long Arabs will be concerned with their own local problems ...

AJIT

Feb 23, 2011 16:29

My dear NISHTHAR IDROOS, keep on dreaming of Jerusalem. That is all you can do.

GEORGE

Feb 23, 2011 17:12

yeah yeah yeah... you guys keep praying for the demise of that small little country but the only thing we keep seeing is that you guys keep shooting yourself in the foot - every country around israel is in trouble and all you keep doing is pray for its destruction. Keep doing that because you need a miracle if you want israel to badly hurt.

Feb 23, 2011 17:14

ISMAEEL MARIKAR / GUYRENE - Israeli foreign minister himself has said that the Israel should no longer accept loans (yes, loans - you pay them back) from the US since Israel is self sufficient. And you guys over hear, who know absolutely nothing about US loans to other countries. GUYRENE claiming Israel gets "100 times more than any other country and would have been far better than Israel" is hogwash, nonsense, utter rubbish and disgraceful to the average intelligence of man kind. Egypt recieved about the same amount and see what happened to them? It's leaders burned it for their own lusts while watching their people suffer unemployement and starvation. Well, guess what happened to Israel? It's the world's leading technological super power exporting techologies which even include how to irrigate desert lands. So maybe you people, instead wasting life wanting Israel to get destroyed should learn a thing or two about it first. As we can see, all these Islamic countries under dictators are falling one by one .... and as Alex earlier said - hey, which country in the middle east is a democracy and stable? Yup - you guessed it - Israel. So till you guys clean up your own back yard and accept Israel as a jewish nation, no one is going to be having sympathies or support for you.

MOHAMMED

Feb 23, 2011 18:17

Time has come to stop israel baberic activities with the help USA and their allies in middleast. Mubarak best friend and protector gone now israel will be isolated and keep silence in the region. israel will be under threat from arabs and no more aggressions agaisnt palastinians or any other arab states keet all zionist and their supporters in mind.

UBAID

Feb 23, 2011 21:19

Remember my words.Injustice and Barbarism has no life at all.Nobody can put Israel down because they have support of USA and they have Fighter Jets,Nuclear weapons,Missiles but you cannot compare this with the Power of Allah.An Earth Quake struck New Zealand,why it was not possible for them to use technology before Earth Quake?

AISHA C.

Feb 23, 2011 22:30

I agree 1000% with this article. The Zionist days are numbered. They are sitting lame ducks waiting to be struck. It will happen sooner than later. They have done so much dirt, evil, masacres and tortures. It's only natural that they will pay the price for decades of brutality that they put forth. The world is sick of them and are tired of supporting their masacres to innocent men,women and children. They pretended to support a 2 state solution but I knew it was all a lie and cover-up. I'm sure Obama feels hurt behind the fact that he had veto the resolution against his will--as this is what the zionist lobbyist and zionist influences wanted--not what the American majority. If I was him, I would rather resign than to be used, be labled as a hypocrite, lose internatonal relationships, support the Zionist massacres and put America at risk. Obama, do what colonel Powell did--by standing up to what was right and don't seek re-election. Save your honor, name, respect and values.

Feb 23, 2011 22:32

AUD B- Atleast you had the guts to acknowledge the history behind this nation called United States of America, bravo. Well if you ask me why this hypocrisy is not condemned, once upon a time it was, today, in an age of new values, stupendous technology advancement the whole ugly episode has got shrouded, so much so we are unable to identify the true terrorist. What I am trying to say is that the so called terrorist is not the bearded one with the turban. Most skilled terrorists thrive on confusion. My Lord is the ultimate disposer.

Feb 23, 2011 22:37

I know that there is no difference between hindus living in India and jews living in occupied Palestine.Same wicked thinking.What is BJP?
An anti Muslim Political Party of India.

ELIAS

Feb 24, 2011 21:29

On the other hand, it could be that the rest of the world (US, UK, China, Europe, etc) doesn't like the Jews OR the Arabs.

Both nations are angry to the point that neither is walking away from the inevitable fight alive. Both will happily die to see the other killed. The rest of the world is sitting around waiting for you to burn each others' land into glass, and they'll get back on with whatever it was they were doing before.

ANDREW

Feb 26, 2011 01:02

The author asks: ''When will the Israelis be willing to embrace the only cure for what ails them, a broad-based peace hinging on a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital?'' Why is it that irrespective of how many times the Arab world makes clear it seeks nothing less than Israel's desctruction, people like the author claim that all Israel has to do is go back to its 1967 borders and peace will automatically come, with everyone living happily ever after? After all, the Arabs hardly conceal their objective vis-a-vis Israel. Hamas' charter speaks of ''obliterating'' Israel. Hezbollah uses similar language. The Iranian leadership has said on numerous occasions that it would like to see Israel destroyed. More generally, the ''Arab Street'' prays for Israel's destruction. Indeed, the author quotes Al-Qaradawi as saying that he ''prayed for an Arab conquest of Jerusalem'' (no doubt the whole of Jerusalem and not just East Jerusalem!). While Israel may be far from perfect, only a) a complete idiot; or b) someone incredibly biased, can argue that peace would be achieved if Israel returned to its internationally recognised borders. I can understand Muslims' bias on this topic; their bias derives from there suppport for their fellow Muslims. In respect of non-Muslims, good old fashioned anti-semitism would appear to be the cause of the bias. Finally, did Israel not withdraw from Lebanon in 2000, and Gaza in 2005? And subsequent to these two withdrawals, did Hezbollah and Hamas respectively not use the land previously occupied to attack Israel? And does this not spell out a) why these lands were occupied in the first place; and b) why Israel is so reluctant to withdraw from the West Bank?

38 Comments
Read all

Israel isolated and under threat

Comments

Post your comment

Discussion guidelines

Blogs

More Columns news

Latest comments

Saudi student gets sentence reduced in maid abuse case

Grand welcome for King Abdullah

Saudi student gets sentence reduced in maid abuse case

Saudi student gets sentence reduced in maid abuse case

Israel isolated and under threat

Posted by

Comments

Comments

Post your comment

Discussion guidelines

Blogs

More Columns news

Latest comments

Saudi student gets sentence reduced in maid abuse case

Grand welcome for King Abdullah

Saudi student gets sentence reduced in maid abuse case

Saudi student gets sentence reduced in maid abuse case