With every passing day, the Arab unrest and political revolution confirms that a sea-change is going on in the Middle East. De facto dictators like Hosni Mubarak and Muammar el-Qaddafi are falling before the fearless surge of protesters’ discontent. Other leaders in the region like King Hussein II of Jordan are attempting to pre-empt protests by offering political reforms. What has happened in the last month has been utterly unexpected. What will happen in the next six to 12 months is impossible to predict.
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[/media-credit]Throughout this disorienting surge of new politics, Israel has been the one constant in the Middle East. With the exceptions of Egypt and Jordan, no Arab states have diplomatic relations with Israel. An optimist may contend that the expansion of democracy will brighten the prospects for positive foreign relations between Arab states and Israel. However, the public opinion of average Arabs demonstrates a dangerous divide on Israel between Arabs and their political elites. In Egypt, for example, 2006 polling found large majorities (92 percent) believed that Israel was their “enemy.” The increase in political representation in nations like Egypt, Bahrain, Tunisia and Libya does not equate to better prospect for peace. In fact, a more politically responsive Arab regime may find relations with Israel untenable or undesirable.
The authoritarian hand of Arab regimes has, historically, both suppressed politically participation and allowed for the possibility of diplomatic relations with Israel. The dangerous opposite of this duality is rising to the surface with the overturn of Arab regimes. The two leaders who signed peace treaties with Israel, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and King Hussein I of Jordan, were not popularly elected. The danger is that more politically responsive Arab regimes may be far less likely to strive towards recognition and maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel. That is why, now more than ever, America must maintain its friendship and support of Israel.
Mature relations between America and Israel should be a two-way street of clear honesty. America should not write a blank check in support of whatever Israel does. There are kernels of truth even within the exaggerated and distorted Arab prejudices against Israelis. Events like the May 2010 Israeli raid on the Gaza Flotilla are bad for Israeli’s reputation, regardless of whether the raid was justified. The media coverage of the Flotilla incident focused much more on black-and-white videos of the violence than the diplomatic repercussions of the raid.
All media outlets from Fox News to Al Jazeera must stop focusing on the violence in Gaza and the West Bank and start focusing more those individuals and organizations who are working towards a two-state solution for peace. This irresponsible media focus on violence obscures discussion of progress towards a peaceful solution between Israelis and Palestinians. It further minimizes public perception that a peaceful solution can even be reached through diplomacy. The media focus dumbs down the public’s, including this writer’s, knowledge of Middle East diplomacy. If we are ever to understand the importance of America’s alliance with Israel in this new tumultuous era, we must demand media coverage that presents us with political analysis, not solely a bloodbath.
The only way for the people of the Middle East (all of Islam for that matter) to experience true democracy is to free themselves from the shackles of Islam. Islam and democracy are incompatible and anyone who says Indonesia is an example they are simply showing just how dire Islamic democracies are. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Oman, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Mauritania, Niger, Algeria, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kirgizstan, etc… Name one country from this or any list of Islamic dominated countries where one can freely criticize Islam, convert from Islam, proselytize for any other religion, draw pictures of… Read more »
The following article is typical of the Muslim mind set, i.e., blame everyone but themselves for all their self-inflicted problems.
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Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Tuesday accused Israel and the United States of fomenting anti-regime revolts throughout the Arab world and attempting to destabilize his country.
“There is an operations rooms in Tel Aviv with the aim of destabilizing the Arab world,” Saleh said as he gave a speech at Sanaa University. He explained that the “operations room” is “run by the White House.”
The Nexus “left” columnist is now flacking for Israel?
Maybe next year the Nexus can just turn this column over to “Arafat” and be done with it already.
The American left does support Israel (just look at the Democratic party). David is a democratic strategist, he is smart enough not to isolate pro Israel groups because the fringe left is Anti Israel.
The Democratic party in its current corporatist configuration is somewhere to the right of Richard Nixon.
As in: up with profits, bonuses, and tax cuts for the rich; down with public education, social spending, wages, and benefits.
Klaus, I second your idea!
and very true, Castorp.
“All media outlets from Fox News to Al Jazeera must stop focusing on the violence in Gaza and the West Bank and start focusing more those individuals and organizations who are working towards a two-state solution for peace.”
Easy for you to say, David. You’re not on the receiving end of that violence.
Is David a strategist or street organizer like our president?
No one should be surprised by this article, support for Israel is one of the few non-partisan issues in this country. Israel will continue to receive support from both sides of the isle because simply put, a strong U.S.-Israel relationship is good for America on almost every level.
Yes–both major business parties will certainly continue to agree on this. As on the need to raise college tuition, attack teachers and public education, reduce social services, rollback wages and benefits for public employee, etc.
As they say: he who pays the piper calls the tune.
If you are implying that a strong U.S.-Israel relationship is bad for the American people you really have no argument. The many benefits Israel provides to the U.S. include inventing quality products for American businesses and consumers, contributing to the efficiency and quality of our healthcare system, creating tools which protect our soldiers on the ground, and constantly helping us improve our homeland security methods. There is absolutely no doubt here, U.S. support of Israel benefits the American people.
“Arafat.” As an Israel supporter, let me say that there is no room in modern Zionism for the type of vitriolic, bigoted slime that you’ve deposited upon this comment board. Jewish, Muslim, Christian, or Atheist, we are all people. True support for Israel means support for Israel as a modern, pluralistic society. A society for all its citizens, including its Muslim citizens. Ideas like yours move us farther from the dialogue we so desperately need with our Muslim and Arab brothers.
Daniel,
Whether you understnnad this or not, or are willing to acknowledge this or not, you would have written the same thing you just wrote about Hitler.
Like Hitler, Islam is a supremacist, fascistic cult and Jews are in its sights.
frontpagemag.com/2009/12/08/the-persistence-of-islamic-anti-semitism-by-robert-spencer/
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches+by+Israeli+leaders/2001/Statement+by+Dep+FM+Michael+Melchior+to+the+Durban.htm