– ISRAELI-ARAB NORMALIZATION

 

 

In the current convention of the UN General Assembly the Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni is meeting, almost regularly, with Arab delegates such as the Egyptian foreign minister or, on 09/25/2007, with the Emir of Qatar – Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

On the agenda of these meetings is the conference, scheduled to 11/2007 in Washington, to promote a peace process between Israel and Palestinians. USA, as well as Israel, are seeking for Arab countries which, officially, don’t recognize Israel, to participate in this conference without any substantial pre conditions. 

If such a conference will take place with countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE – United Arab Emirates and Syria, regardless of direct political  consequences in reaching a lasting peace process, it will be a meaningful step of normalization of the political relations with Israel.

Indeed the Hamas authority in Gaza Strip issued on 09/25/2007, through their spokesman in Gaza, a call to Saudi Arabia, a Hamas supporter, to boycott the Washington conference and to refuse to any step of normalization with the Jewish state.

In the long run normalization of Israeli-Arab relations and solving the disagreement through negotiation is a failure not only to Hamas but also to the Global Jihad.  

From the long experience of the past we can, therefore, anticipate, that as the Washington conference is drawing near, an increase in violent attacks against Israel in order to disrupt any process and normalization with Israel.

* Israel, which has a deep Interest in any peace process, is very reluctant to aggressively respond to attacks on her whille the Arab countries, some of them openly support the Hamas, almost automatically, condemn Israel and cannot cooperate with Israel when, at the same time, Israel is attacking Arabs. Arab participation in a joint conference with Israel in this case is very problematic.

 * The public pressure in Israel to maintain its duty and to defend the civilian life is creating a dilemma to the Israeli government and undermines the legitimacy to proceed with the peace negotiation.

* In the current Palestinian situation more attacks on Israel make it obvious that a peace process is, if all goes well, possible only with half of the Palestinian people, while the other half, Hamastan, is committed to the destruction of Israel and will carry on with the armed struggle against Israel. Therefore what is the point in a peace process if the conflict with half of the Palestinians will continue.

Indeed there is an increase in attacks against Israel from Gaza Strip and a growing number of casulties. ( see – 8 MILITANTS KILLED )

To some extent the success of the Washington conference depends on sheer luck. If the Qassam rockets continue to cause mainly material damage – Israel will be able to restrain itself but, by chance, a Qassam rocket hits a kindergarten and causes fatalities Israel will have no choice but to respond. ( see – THE INEVITABLE )

* Related topics  – 

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