7, April 2011 ISRAEL’s Stranglehold
As undemocratic
regimes in the Arab world collapse under
the weight of authentic grassroots democratic movements, Israel's
stranglehold over the Palestinians appears increasingly tenuous. It continues
to ignore international law with its announced plans to build 942 new housing
units in Gila on the outskirts of Jerusalem. By doing so, it has turned a deaf
ear to the Obama administration’s vigorous opposition to these illegal
settlements which are a major obstacle to peace, stability and a viable
Palestinian state. It seems likely that the new emerging Arab states will adopt
a far more hostile attitude towards Israel once they have successfully ousted
their tyrannical rulers.
The US influence
in the Middle East has also plummeted with the growing realization that
successive US administrations have propped up these corrupt and dictatorial
Arab regimes for decades. It would behoove Israel to launch an aggressive and
far reaching peace agreement with the Palestinians. Failure to do so will lead
to its further isolation with the impending UN vote to grant statehood to
Palestine which will include all of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.
Ehud Barak, the
Israeli Defense Minister, expressed his concern stating that “Israel is facing
a diplomatic and political tsunami which will deepen its isolation.” In the
meantime the US should withhold further military and economic aid to Israel
making it conditional on reaching a peaceful accommodation with its Palestinian
neighbors.
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