Dinosaurs of International Relations Still Looking for Israeli Sharks

Minister Ayalon makes a compelling argument in the Huffington Post this week. He urges readers to "wake up and face the very real problems affecting the Arab world", and to stop "quixotically searching for Israeli sharks and vultures in every Middle Eastern event".

One would think that the recent events in Tunisia, Cairo, Yemen and elsewhere would demand soul-searching and humility on the part of these talking-heads who pontificate from their comfortable think-tanks and self-appointed analyst positions in Washington, London and Brussels....Nevertheless, they cling to the tired and discredited claim that building a few of apartments in Ariel is what drives the so-called "Arab street" to distraction. For those who don't read Arabic, many of those demonstrating in their capital cities wrote slogans in English to give a voice to their frustrations that the rest of the world could understand. 

I didn't see any signs about settlements, the Palestinians or the stalemate in the peace process on the streets of Tunis, Sanaa or Cairo. The few signs that did mention Israel were so monstrously antisemitic that they can be dismissed as the rantings of those who can not tolerate a Jewish presence anywhere in the Middle East and are hardly interested in any sort of peace process.

Bravo, Mr. Ayalon. Let world leaders wake up to the real issues that face the Arab world and all of us.




~glass of shiraz~