Over the past few weeks, if the World was glued to its TV screen following the events in Egypt unfold, none did it with more interest than the State of Israel. The entire nation’s media dedicated most of its air time and editorial space to Egypt’s uprising.
But, rather than marveled at the Egyptian’s courage and praised their legitimate yearning for a democratic society; Israel was watching drenched in fear. Would a new Egypt be so complaisant towards the State politics in the Region?
Israel realized that the developments in Egypt were inimical to its interests. However, it took a while for Israel to actually catch up with what was happening in the Middle East. It aligned itself with many so called “specialists” who claimed that Tunisia was quite different from Egypt and that drawing parallels between the two were ludicrous! Israel reassured its Public announcing that Mubarak had the loyalty of the Army and the Security Forces and that; in good “Pharaonic” style he would soon crush the opposition.
CHANGE OF TONE
After it became clear that the Opposition was not going anywhere but in Tahrir Square; and faced with Millions upon Millions of protesters marching against the Regime; the Israeli Media switched tone.
The Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu went as far as to criticize the United States for not supporting Husne Mubarak. Some within the government also expressed a longing for the “Bush old days”, when military invasion kept the Arabs in check. After having waved their clubs and batons for so long, Israel often confuses diplomacy for repression and democracy for autocracy.
However, as it seemed unlikely for the US to engage in another war against “terrorism” given the catastrophical results of the last one; Israel had to find another angle. And there you had it: Democracy. Journalists went on and on, on how Democracy is a complex concept which takes decades to internalize and understand, and that given the lack of sophistication of the Egyptian people it could only fail.
In other terms, Arabs could only be ruled by murderous Dictators because it helped Israel sleep at night; never mind Human Rights and Freedom of Expression; those rights were only for the “chosen one”.
This is what Mr. Amir Hazroni from the Israeli news website NRG had to say: “When we try to think how and why the United States and the West lost Egypt, Tunis, Yemen and perhaps other countries in the Middle East, people forget that. The original sin began right after WWII, when a wonderful form of government that protected security and peace in the Middle East (and in other parts of the Third Word) departed from this world following pressure from the United States and Soviet Union… More than sixty years have passed since the Arab states and the countries of Africa were liberated from the ‘colonial yoke,’ but there still isn’t an Arab university, an African scientist or a Middle Eastern consumer product that has made a mark on our world.”
FEAR OF ISLAMISM
If all this rhetoric did not convince you yet, Israel had one last card to play: Islam. Analysts went on to say that Egypt would turn out to be a second Iran and that the Muslim Brotherhood was waiting for the opportunist moment to swoop in and highjack the Revolution.
The fact that no religious leader had come forward and presented himself as an alternative to Mubarak bore no importance. Surely, it was a tactical move from the part of the Islamists; by staying away and not taking part in the Democratic movement, they could surely convinced the population of their political relevance. Even ElBaradei, who would burst into flames if he’d try to be more moderate, was according to the Israeli media, the Muslim Brotherhood’s pawn and secret weapon. So much machiavelism makes me shiver really!
NO DEMOCRACY FOR ISRAEL NEIGHBORS
Ben Eliezer, a well known Israeli politician made his position on the matter crystal clear. He said that if indeed, Democracy was an interested concept and might even be appropriate for some of the Arab nations; it was certainly not in Israel’s best interest to see it take hold within the Palestinian Territories and Egypt.
The fact that it took so long for the US and the European Union to react to the events unfolding in Egypt and their reluctance to recognize the need and inherent right of its people to chose their leader, shows that they share to some extent Israel’s opinion. In the light of recent events within the Arab World, it has become more difficult for the West to hide its hypocrisy and double standard politics.
