Israel has begun its' move
to "punish" Palestine for the vote it won last week.
Israel has announced plans to build 3,000 homes on settlements with
an additional planning to begin the planning process in the so-called
E1 area that would link existing settlements with East Jerusalem.
This violates the Oslo Accords. What Israel has done has
basically killed the remnants of a peace process that has been at
best under life support. Beyond its' construction plans, it has
said that it will not transfer 120 Million Dollars in Tax Revenue to
the Palestine National Authority. It claims that the money will be
used to pay the debt the Palestine National Authority owes to an
Israeli Power Company.
Israel will not go down the
path of negotiation without a fight. Because this symbolic win by
Palestine allows it to leverage International Organizations as never
before, it has caused fear in Israeli Government circles. The moves
made by Israel to "respond" to the move is basically to
tell the World that it is not interested in a two-state solution at
all and that all the pronouncements about its' commitment to Peace
are at best, hollow. It clearly shows that the Israeli Prime
Minister believes that it can ride out the latest challenge while it
looks to securing re-election to another term in January. The
Israeli Prime Minister talked about Israel's Strategic Map. He went
on to note that it rejected the International Community's
Determination. What is startling is how they have basically told
the World that they simply do not care. The question is whether
their policy of going it alone and continuing to be "Fortress
Israel" will serve them well.
As long as the United States
continues to blindly support Israel while totally disregarding the
rest of the Middle East will not serve it well. Furthermore, the
stance the United States took by being one of 9 nations to vote
against Palestine's bid underscored the isolation it had in the World
and how out of touch it was. isolation was evident when one of the
first World Leaders to embrace Mahmoud Abbas was the Foreign Minister
of Turkey. The standing ovation and the startled look of the
Israeli Ambassador to the UN was quite a scene. The US leverage is
not there anymore--and that is the absolute reality on the ground.
The United States came out against the plans for additional
settlements. But the lip service given to such transgressions by
Israel is very known to the Arab Street which underscores the
continued erosion of the United States as an honest broker.
When the historic vote
occurred, key Israeli Papers noted their views on the "future"
as noted by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs: :
********************************************************************
Summary of Editorials from
the Hebrew Press
(Israel Government Press
Office)
Three papers discuss various
issues ahead of today's UN General Assembly vote on granting the
Palestinians non-member, observer status:
Ma'ariv discusses the
reported moderation in the Government's projected response. The
author asserts: "Netanyahu and Liberman preferred to go against
their DNA and show restraint in the face of the Palestinian
provocation," and notes their similar restrained response in and
following Operation Pillar of Defence. The paper speculates that
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants "to reserve his
political capital in the international community for the coming storm
over Iran's enriched uranium."
Yisrael Hayom avers that
Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen is "using the demand to
recognize Palestine in order to bolster his shaky image at home,"
especially in light of his marginalization during and following the
recent conflict in Hamas-controlled Gaza. The author recalls how Abu
Mazen rejected then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's far-reaching
proposals in 2009.
Haaretz believes that “there
is more to the Palestinians' move than mere symbolism. A recognized
Palestinian state will give Israel a responsible partner with
international backing - one that will represent the entire
Palestinian people and be able to make decisions in its name.” The
editor asserts: “Recognition of a Palestinian state is not an
obstacle to peace,” and concludes: “It isn't just the
Palestinians who deserve a diplomatic horizon. The Israelis deserve
one too.”
=======================================
Yediot Aharonot commends the
Obama administration's Iran policy of pursuing both heightened
sanctions and negotiations. The author notes the widespread Israeli
belief that "The Iranians are not seriously considering giving
up their nuclear project and are only trying to play for time,"
especially since "In the past, Iran has consistently and
unashamedly lied and played for time in order to secretly advance its
nuclear project." However, the paper believes that "If
Netanyahu makes it known, even secretly, that he does not oppose the
existence of a secret channel between the US and Iran, a channel that
has no red lines at the outset, he would see an improvement in his
strained personal relations with Obama while also being portrayed as
someone who is not trigger-happy and who prefers a diplomatic
solution." The author cautions that "Such negotiations
cannot go on forever, neither can they end on any condition. The US
needs to! make it clear to Iran that it must dismantle a considerable
part of its nuclear project and do so with full transparency in the
very near future. Even if the move fails, Israel will gain: Obama
will have to prove that he stands by his word that Iran will not have
a nuclear bomb and that he will use all options to realize this
promise."
The Jerusalem Post opines
that “while the Likud’s move to the Right is a democratic
reflection of the will of a majority of Israelis, we must be wary of
undermining other aspects of Israel’s democratic character,” and
warns: “we must be careful of a situation in which there is a
‘tyranny of the majority.’” The editor points out that “The
rule of the majority is just one aspect of a healthy democracy,”
and adds: “Careful protection of minority rights, freedom of
expression for all and a strong, independent judiciary are no less
important.”
[Eli Bardenstein, Dan
Margalit and Ronen Bergman wrote today’s articles in Ma'ariv,
Yisrael Hayom and Yediot Aharonot respectively.]
********************************************************************
This sampling of the
prevailing view in Israel reflects that there is no consensus on what
happens next. What is more crucial is to underscore the precarious
state of the seize fire between Gaza and Israel. It is so far
holding--although a number of Palestinians were killed late last week
during an Israeli incursion. Egypt has been designated the
guarantor of the Peace Process--and the Country is in the midst of a
major upheaval right now. Mohammad Morsi' Decree granting him
Super-Presidential Powers has thrown Egypt into another round of
uncertainty. The Judges have stopped working and have announced
they will not oversee the vote on the upcoming elections.
Beyond Israel and Palestine,
there is the Syrian Civil War. The Syrian Civil War continues
onward with no end in sight. The Israeli-Gaza War and the turmoil
in Egypt has thrown it off the headlines. But the daily killing
continues. The fighting continue to rage on in Damascus, Alepo and
other major cities. I have reviewed reports of Syrian Government
Jets having been shut down by rebels. I was frankly hopeful for
some major developments after Egypt air and Emirates stopped their
service to Damascus and Alepo. They decided to restart service
within the past 24 hours. I was also hopeful as major defections
occurred (including the former Prime Minister and key commanders of
the Armed Forces). Yet, somehow, the Syrian Regime continues onward
with its' fight for survival. I continue to be amazed as to how
the Syrian Government continues to sustain a campaign of carnage as
it has. The only explanation I have for it is continued Russian and
Iranian support. Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, is going
to Turkey to discuss the situation with the Turkish Prime Minister.
In the meantime, the people of Syria continue to suffer.
Iran, in the meantime,
continues with its' own challenges. As it is trying to assert its'
continued regional position, it continues to have internal strife.
The daughter of the Former President, Hashemi Rafsanjani, continues
to remain in jail. The two leading internal opposition figures,
Mousavi and Karboui, continue to be under house arrest. Their
families continue to be harassed. The latest move has been against
Mousavi's daughter for having had the audacity to discuss the
conditions of his father. They have made moves to deny her the
right to to teach. The defacto military government in power in
Iran is in full force. The World must understand that Iran has
adopted a modified version of North Korea's Military First Policy to
allow the military (and more specifically the Revolutionary Guard
Corp) to be in the ascendancy. This is, for instance, exemplified by
the cabinet positions. The ministers of Oil and Defence in the
current Cabinet are Guardsmen in addition to the Minister of
Interior.
Beyond Israel, Palestine and
Iran there is Kuwait. I have been assessing the situation in
Kuwait with concern. It has been in the midst of a political
turmoil that has seen its' second parliamentary elections. The
opposition has been up in arms by boycotting the new elections.
It has stalled the Country with no apparent end in sight. Kuwait
has had a semblance of Democracy--although the Emir is still an
absolute ruler and ultimately will not tolerate dissent because the
Prime Minister and most of the top ministers are members of the
ruling Royal Family. The Emir has the right to dissolve
Parliament as he pleases with no accountability. The Emir has
dissolved Parliament twice and has changed the voting laws.
Tunisia has also been in the
midst of a major upheaval because the people have been up in arms
because they still cannot find jobs and continue to be in a state of
desperation even after a year that saw the dictator Ben Ali leave the
Country.
Beyond the Middle East,
Africa has been in the midst of turmoil on its' own. Nigeria has been
dealing with a violent insurgency that has pitted Christians against
Muslims. The Democratic Republic of Congo has been dealing with
the M23 insurgency for quite some time. The M23 group broke away
from the Congolese Army as it began its' quest to assert itself to
force the Government to change. What is the tragedy is how all
the funds spent by the International Community to bring back Congo
has been in vain. There was an election that was marred with
irregularities. The UN troops in the Congo stood aside as M23
marched into Goma virtually unopposed as Congolese Army soldiers ran
away. It is probably the most strategic country in Africa. It
has some of the most crucial minerals the World needs. Yet, it has
not had the ability to govern itself ever since the former Dictator
Mobutu was deposed. I was also amused by the recent alliance
between Kenyatta and Rutu in Kenya. Kenyatta, the Son of Kenya's
founder, is the richest man in the Country and thinks that he is
entitled. The two are under indictment by the International
Criminal Court.
As I survey the World this
week, I continue to assess what is going on in Washington. The
so-called fiscal cliff negotiations in Washington have begun in
earnest. The Speaker of the House has been on a Public Relations
Campaign to underscore how he and the House Republican Conference is
looking for the President to lead and to propose the necessary cuts.
This is as the Republicans have continued their campaign for cuts in
social services and balk at tax increases. There were reports of
Mitch McConnell "laughing" and the Speaker disappointed at
the offers. What The President apparently did was to basically
stick to his campaign promises as the opening "bid".
The Congress, though, will apparently enhance its' reputation as the
"do-nothing" Congress in the meantime by meeting in one of
the least number of legislative days ever as it finishes off one of
its' worst productive years ever in terms of legislation being
passed.
I had a chance to catch
glimpses of a program on Bloomberg with the CEO's of Blackrock,
Honeywell & UPS. I was struck by the CEO of Honeywell's view
that "adults need to take charge". What is critical to
note is that the World is watching. The CEO of Blackrock noted this
as he noted how the IMF meetings in Tokyo focused on the United
States. As Europe continues to struggle with a double dip
recession and other countries around the World continue to look
inward, the need to figure out a way to finish this fiscal cliff
negotiation and achieve a sense of fiscal stability to avoid
uncertainty is critical in the World right now.
It will certainly be a very
interesting week indeed.
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