America's Spoiled Child
Shishen, China, September 21, 2011
Salaroche

 

OK. So most of us baby-boomers love Israel mainly for two reasons: 1) Because we reject in an absolute manner the way the great majority of Israel's population, the Jewish people, were persecuted between 1933 and 1945 and, 2) because, whether a good number of us are aware of it or not, the Christian tradition still reigning in the West subconsciously propels many of us to place our hopes of "eternal redemption" on the fate of Israel.

I couldn't care less about the second reason, but I have adhered to the first one in quite a fast manner for many years, as, in my view, embracing the side of the just underdog has often had many personal rewards all by itself.

It feels really good to see a nation spring up from the ashes of an ethnic cleansing of the magnitude the world witnessed in Europe over half a century ago, and then watch it go forward to become the most prosperous country in a region of the world where modern prosperity had never before been the salient characteristic.

Yes, for that reason alone, I have been a fan of Israel for a long time. But this doesn't mean that my pro-Israel enthusiasm blinds me to some obvious realities. In my view, for example, it has always been clear and plain to see that Israel's prosperity has been, since the inception of the country, largely dependent on the American people's financial generosity as well as on their moral and diplomatic support.

There's no two ways about this. Without American support Israel wouldn't have the International standing that it now has in the world. We could safely say that American good will has made Israel the nation that it is today.

Yet, lately it seems that such pro-Israeli American generosity has not been reciprocated by Israeli leaders. I guess such apparent Israeli "ungratefulness" has in large part been due to America's "unconditional" support for Israel. Give a friend of yours carte blanche in whatever it is they do and they may very likely end up overstepping the boundaries of your friendship, thereby embarrassing you or compromising you.

But, this time around, such carte blanche may end up having negative effetcts on both America's and Israel's relationship with the rest of the world, particularly with the Arab Street. When Israel's best friend, America, starts telling her she's right even when she's wrong, then perhaps the time has come to review the terms of the whole relationship and start looking for a new reality-based covenant between the two, lest the relationship turn sour for both.

The Obama administration should rethink its stance regarding the Palestinian people's quest for recognition at the United Nations as an Independent State. It's true that Palestine doesn't meet the fourth pre-requisite to be admitted as a nation at the UN (the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states, which is nullified by Hamas' control of the Gaza Strip and its inability to coordinate foreign policies with the Palestinian Authority) but that could easily be considered just a small technicality.

Yes, there are always Israel's fears that the more you give to the Palestinians the more they will want, but isn't it evident that the only way that Israel will ever have peace at its borders is when they finally accept the existence of a Palestinian State right beside them? Why are we waiting for Palestine to become an Independent State tomorrow when we could start making it come true today?

Israel: Stop the settlements and learn to live alongside your Palestinian cousins. And find a fair solution to the repatriation issue so that you can finally see your nation flourish in peace and prosperity as billions of people in the world would love to see you do.

And drop any tinges of arrogance that might still be plaguing your foreign policy. You killed a few Turkish people last year when you boarded the Mavi Marmara, which was bound for Gaza, and you owe an apology to the Turkish nation for such unfortunate deed.

You want to isolate yourself even more? Go around acting arrogantly in defiance of the rest of the world. You continue acting that way because you know America is still behind you no matter what, but, will America always be there for you? And, America, can you afford to stand forever beside a friend who is increasingly falling out of step with events that are now changing the Middle East perhaps in an irreversible radical manner?

Israel, better start mending fences now, before there comes a day when America will no longer be able or willing to back you up in everything you do. Better start standing on your own two feet today. For your own good, better join ASAP the club of responsible nations that respect their neighbor's borders. Better stop acting up as America's Spoiled Child.

Salaroche