The power of external factors
It is tempting to yearn for the good old days of warfare, when the forces of one state fought against the forces of another, until those leading the governments decided that they had enough. Most fighters did what they were told, and few journalists or non-governmental organizations muddied the issues with their pictures and demands.
Current wars are complicated by so many players, and more confusion than clarity in the nature of the conflicts, and what it may take to end them.
Perhaps the geniuses directing American combat in Afghanistan or Iraq can figure out who they are fighting and how to end it.
Comments (1)Peace efforts: admirable or foolish?
A Palestinian official has complained that Israel is currently offering less than was offered in the last serious efforts at reaching an accord, in 2000-2001.
This seems like a ploy to get the sympathy of the world, and put some pressure on Israeli negotiators.
Not from me. If this is true, (and truth is a problem with one-sided reports about ongoing negotiations) then I applaud the Israeli posture. In response to the Palestinians, I ask if they expect a reward from the Israelis for seven and one half years of violence under the heading of intafada.
Prospects for Palestinian state gloomy
Two groups of Israelis should be celebrating the problems of their antagonists. There is not necessarily an overlap between them, but the coincidence warrants some discussion.
The largest group of Israelis that can celebrate is that which does not want a Palestinian state. The Palestinians have created two tiny enclaves, pretty much at war with one another.
The Gaza portion, under the control of Hamas, seems inclined to attach itself to Egypt for supplies, but the Egyptians are showing traditional coolness. They have erected one kind of barrier or another between themselves and the Palestinians of Gaza since 1948; and now the antipathy is made even greater by the Hamas regime and its affinity with the Muslim Brotherhood. It is those chaps we frequently see in courtroom cages while being tried for one or another kind of rebellion against the Egyptian government.
About this blog Window on Israel
Hebrew University Political Science professor evaluates the latest happenings in Israel.
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