Kesher Talk

Let's be clear: it is not that Israel is behaving worse than before. Indeed, to date the offensive is quite limited compared to many previous bloody conflicts in the region. Nor is it that the American authorities, which demonstrated their contempt for civilian life in Afghanistan, are suddenly concerned about the suffering of the Palestinians. It is more that the Israelis are now being condemned for actions that would previously have been condoned by the White House. The USA remains closely involved with the Israeli state: without American arms and aid, Israel would have been unable to maintain its offensive against the Palestinians. But the responsibility for the violence in the Middle East is being increasingly shifted on to Israel's shoulders.

... The accelerating shift in US/Western thinking is not determined by events on the ground in the Middle East. It is shaped more by a mood developing within the West. The discomfort with Israel is a symptom of the West's loss of conviction in itself - something which has become increasingly evident in the aftermath of 11 September.

... In the eyes of many today, Israel's crime is to be the most forceful expression of Western values. The Israeli state is seen as a beachhead of Western civilisation in a hostile world. That used to be its greatest asset in winning international support. In the downbeat atmosphere of our times, however, Western civilisation has fallen into disrepute even within its own heartlands, and Israel's image has suffered accordingly.

(Mick Hume, Spiked)

posted by Howard @ 4/15/2002 03:26:18 PM