Israel in Wonderland

August 7, 2012

Israel believes it a virtue to exert strength, but one thing she does not seem to understand is the amount of self-harm she causes when targeting Palestine. The world is watching the Israeli–Palestinian relationship with keen interest. In the past there was widespread sympathy for Israel as a plucky victim of persecution and terror doing what she needed to defend herself. But as this electronically informed generation is exposed to images of the occupation of Palestinian lands and the imprisonment of its people, a different view of Israel is gaining traction worldwide: that of an oppressor nation. 

Israel’s most recent folly, on August 5, was to set itself as Master of Entry in and out of the West Bank and bar foreign ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia (the world’s most populous Muslim nation with whom Israel has been upgrading ties), Bangladesh, Cuba and Algeria from travelling to Ramallah. Cuba and Algeria could be understood, but Malaysia and Indonesia? This was a clear affront to these important nations with large trading interests all over the world. Does Israel think that her specious excuse about lack of diplomatic relations with those countries carries any weight, considering the gravity of the international conflict they came to address? 

Israel, like Alice in Wonderland, has lost her sense of proportion. She seems to think that she is at war with the Palestinians, and because she is at war any tactics that bring short-term gain can be justified. The rest of the world is astonished, because it understands that resolving the Israeli–Palestinian problem requires diplomacy, not war. A diplomatic solution will require wisdom, perseverance, and even a keenness to be genuine. 

Juxtapose this incident with the further folly reportedly coming from the Prime Minister’s office: an Israeli offer to release 100 or so Palestinian prisoners and permit the development of gas fields off the coast of Gaza, but only on the condition that the Palestinian Authority withdraw its planned application at the UN General Assembly. If there were any seriousness about restarting peace talks, Israel would already be unconditionally releasing prisoners as a gesture of goodwill and then asking the PA what else it might do. That is what is needed to seed an impetus for trust, and even then Israel would have to continually show herself trustworthy. 

If Israel is actually going to release prisoners, the world would like to see it. Otherwise, the world will simply ignore such reports of Israeli offers as fabrications and attempts to gain traction, that is, tactics. The last time the world community saw Israel act genuinely towards the Palestinians was in the Shalit affair, when one Israeli released meant many more Palestinians released. One can understand Israel’s desire to protect her citizens, but genuineness is supposed go beyond tactics. 

This year Prime Minister Netanyahu showed himself to be fundamentally a man of tactics, in the short-lived tenure of Shaul Mofaz in the government. It ended up bringing more discredit to Netanyahu, so much so that even Israelis are taking to demonstrating. Netanyahu has proven he lives for the moment, and now his calculations seem entirely focused on the goal of living out his term in office. The world’s displeasure with him grows more by the day.

It is clear to all that the General Assembly would welcome Palestine as a non-member state. It has already discounted whatever moves those nations that stand in opposition might take. Why does Israel not understand that her countermeasures will have a cost? The next generation may not be so forgiving of Israel, if she is remembered primarily for her punitive actions. Potentially this can play further into the BDS movement and spreading boycotts of settlement-made products, even making all Israeli products suspect.

For the sake of keeping Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Algeria out of the West Bank, Israel has again played her hand poorly on the world stage, setting further distance between herself, her people, and the larger audience throughout the world.

While I recognize that most Israelis genuinely want peace, I also recognize that Israel is shooting herself in the foot. Unfortunately, this has become quite a regular thing, constantly reinforced by her financing and near-unconditional support of settlers. The world long ago caught on to the use of the term “Judea and Samaria” to speak of the same land referred to as the West Bank. It may well be that before the year is out those lands will be declared part of the state of Palestine at the UN. 

Even if Israel and the United States take punitive measures to restrict Palestinian trade and smother its budget, as they have threatened to do, it will not stop the world from granting statehood at the UN General Assembly. Once statehood is granted, there is no going back. Statehood will make a difference to the world. The world will not ignore what Israel does, even if the occupation goes on for decades. How long can Israel be indifferent to the world? Only as long as it has a rather small effect on her citizens, yet there is no guarantee that this will continue. 

As Israel continues to exploit the resources of Palestine, the “facts on the ground” will appear like a looking-glass world. As a UN-certified state, the Palestinians will have more power to fight these intrusions into their lives. If Israel fails to comply, there will be sanctions, even if the United States sits them out. The real question is, will the EU?

In time, the EU will not sit them out but be forced by public opinion to play her hand against Israel, and sanctions will occur. Only Israel’s willing participation to draw a border can change that. The Palestinians may refuse to come to the table as long as Israel expands settlements, but the world understands the Palestinians’ mistrust. Israel does not have an inherent right to the West Bank, not in the eyes of the world. Israel could stop all this madness by freezing settlements, but King Bibi has not been a good king. Ask Shaul Mofaz.

When the hammer drops on Israel in the form of sanctions, Israel will have no one but herself to blame. New foreign policy will be required. New domestic policy will be required, and who knows where the settlers will or will not be?

Future generations are not lining up to be as kind to Israel as those of the past. Those born today will not have much connection with World War II, which when they reach their twenties will be nearly 100 years past. By midcentury, even the Holocaust will be regarded by most of the world as ancient history.

Time will change Israel’s future, and she is hardly playing her cards well when there are millions of Palestinians who will not be forgotten. Imagine in the future what sanctions would befall Israel if she attempts to annex the West Bank! 

The world will not hold its breath at what Israel may or may not do to punish Palestine for going to the UN, but it will remember, and it may be less than forgiving. The next Israeli leader after Netanyahu will have a mess to clean up on the world stage, and this time the world will want proof that Israel is serious, not publicity stunts about releasing prisoners and self-righteous decisions to bar foreign ministers from the West Bank. 

Shame on you, Israel! Release prisoners first and then see if you win the hearts of the world. Israeli gestures could be a start for peace, but not if they are tied to demands. As it is, the gestures are there, but still Israel manages to do harm to herself.

It seems few in Israel have the guts to stand up to the king. So, how effective is Israeli democracy? Well, it can be very effective if there is real movement. Social protests may yet be the beginning of a new face for Israel. Just because Israeli governments are unstable coalitions does not mean that a rogue leader need be at the helm.

In the last several months Israel has managed to thoroughly destroy her image, Iran or not. It seems to me that if Israel wants support from the world on Iran, she should endeavor to maintain the world’s respect. Yet respect for Israel is increasingly a hard sell, especially to the next generation. Support for Israel will come when the world sees what she does as good.

I would hope that Israel will not continue to harm itself in the world’s eyes, but there is still a very insular reality about Israel when it comes to politics and views. The difference is that in years past, with her cozy relationship with Washington, Israel had the luxury of keeping her own views and acting as she liked. Now, that luxury is gone.

Sad as it is, many good-hearted Israelis want peace, but the bottom line is they have to work harder for it. The votes have to be found in Israel for internal change. The current social movements in Israel are attempts to take stock of the realities required for change, but, again, only hard work can bring about real change. 

If there is no internal change, will the world abandon Palestine? No. Regardless of what Israel does, once it is put to a vote at the UN, Palestine will become a state. That reality, sooner or later, will contribute to change on the ground. Especially, it will change the amount of money Israel can expect to earn from the world economy. No nation can afford the economic costs of a worldwide boycott, not without a benefactor. Perhaps American dollars can rescue Israel, for now, anyway. But what happens when, four years from now, Israel’s mistreatment of Palestine becomes a campaign issue and those funds are gone? Finally, Israel would have lost. It will have to submit to the weight of international opprobrium and bring forward the final withdrawal from the West Bank, with some settlers following the troops home.

This is the history that is likely to play out, a history written by world opinion. How, then, can Israel afford to be so callous on the world stage? Every day it remains within its insular looking-glass reality adds to the cost. What a pity, when Israel herself could avoid this. How? Freeze settlements, support the Palestinians’ bid at the UN, and get moving toward negotiations: Show the world where you think your border is, should be, or might be. Continuing to hold your tongue only plays against your hand.

Soon chickens will come home to roost, but perhaps the king will be out of office by then. There will, however, still be an outside world, with foreign ministers, watching the coop. One rooster and so many hens—a strange democracy indeed.