One thing that has surprised me about the Arab Spring is the seeming confidence of Israelis that this upheaval will leave them unscathed.
No matter what the particular circumstances of any given country, when one’s neighbors are experiencing long-lasting revolts, one cannot expect to remain unaffected. In the case of Israel, the odds of the Arab street, which has long sided with the occupied Palestinians, becoming more involved in their cause as their rulers are deposed, are overwhelming. As the September date for Palestinians to present their case for statehood to the UN general Assembly approaches, the its neighbors’ citizens can be expected to engage in massive, simultaneous demonstrations that could turn confrontational.
Israel has borders with Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. It has peace treaties with Jordan and Egypt. But the area known as the Sheba Farms in northern Israel is con-sidered as occupied territory by Syria, and Syria, backed by Iran, has long been considered as a ‘frontline state’ in Arab historical opposition to Israel.That is why the West is treading cautiously when it comes to the uprising against Bashar el-Assad.
Until the fall of President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt and Israel had been at peace for thirty years. When the uprising against Mubarak began, Israel defended him desperately, knowing that his ouster could allow ordinary Egyptians more say in the two countries’ relations. Today those fears have been confirmed: Egypt recalled its Ambassador to Tel Aviv after Israeli soldiers, in pursuit of Palestinian terrorists, crossed into Egypt, killing five policemen. A protester outside the Israeli Embassy in Cairo told the BBC today:
"Israel is only interested in a subservient Egypt, not a free Egypt. By protesting outside the embassy we're sending them a clear message. This is not Mubarak's Egypt anymore. If you kill our soldiers, there will be consequences."
The BBC story continues: “On Friday, in Egypt's second city, Alexandria, a protester managed to take down the Israeli flag from the consulate there and replaced it with Egyptian and Palestinian flags.”
The Egyptian incident is eerily similar to the one last year in which nine Turkish activists on a boat bound for Gaza were killed by Israeli soldiers rappelling onto the deck in international waters. Relations with Turkey, previously very close, have been tense ever since.
Read the BBC story at: /www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14600357.
