It is amazing how fast the news stream from the Middle East. Less than a day after the Arab league approved another round of indirect talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, the indirect talks that were at the behest of the U.S. mediator in the region. Israel snubs the world and declares it will build more settlements in East Jerusalem, East Jerusalem, The capital of a potential Palestinian state.
The U.S. vice president condemned the settlement plan as a hindrance to “building trust” between Israel and the PLO, trust that is badly needed. The PLO is scrambling to save face and not abort the talks before they commence. It asked Israel to renounce the plan. The Arab leaders are feeling embarrassed once again by their peace partner, Israel. And President Obama is probably asking himself an important question. Is there really any limit to what Israel can do, before we can exert any real pressure on it?
The latest action and Israel’s refusal to stop the construction of illegal settlements is not only undermining any hope of peace talks. But it is also undermining the so-called moderate Arab governments and their future, and the U.S. Foreign Policy in the region.
Israel is pursuing the politics of the reality on the ground. Israel is looking to change the demographics of the occupied territories to prevent the inception of any viable Palestinian state. What Israel will achieve is actually the unintended consequences of creating a mélange of Jews and Muslims living in scattered neighborhoods and cities that the only viable solutions to the conflict would be to ethnically cleanse Israel of the Palestinians or to live with and among them. The world will not allow the first option, so, I am betting on the latter.
