The margin of interpreting President Donald Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is very narrow. In record time, the U.S. moved its ambassador's office to the counselor building. Over the next few years, the embassy will get its new building. This means the end an era of doubt over the U.S. role when the question loomed: is it operating as Israel’s agent in the negotiations or is it a neutral mediator between the two. Declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moving the U.S. to it is the last nail in the coffin of neutrality.
This new reality on the ground advances Israel’s goals in this vehemently contested Middle East conflict. The U.S. has the right to position itself to advance its own national interest within this conflict, yet it must adhere to the strict rules of balancing both sides of the equation to ensure the validity of the proclaimed goal of all parties; i.e., a sustainable and lasting peace.
Unpacking the peace assumption will show how this conflict will never be resolved and peace will never be an outcome of any negotiations. There is an exception to that, when and if the parties start negotiating over issues and not positions. The declared position of pursuing peace becomes a rhetorical exercise as actions are contrary to that goal. Because Israel has the upper hand, it behooves us to examine the reality it operates within. The key factor is to ask what would a sustainable and lasting peace look for the Israelis? We need to look no further than the definition of “Jewish and Democratic State.” an oxymoron definition in and of itself, as democracy is never exclusionary operating only within the domain of religious affiliation. Democracy is equality and rights for all citizens of a nation. Once a litmus test is imposed to qualify for equal rights, be it religious, ethnic, linguistic, class, age, color etc a nation ceases to be democratic. Democracy is inalienable. Israel will have to choose whether its a Jewish state or a democratic one, it can not have both for they are mutually exclusive.
Americans must stop saying that Israel is a democracy unless they want to qualify it as an occupying force with an institutionalized apartheid-like system relegating 20% of its non-Jewish population to second-class citizens with diminished rights. Indeed, Israel is the closest ally to the U.S. due to a special bond. A bond that is religiously forged and one that is sustained by the ability of pro-Israeli lobbyist to entice candidates in U.S. national elections.
It is a sad state of affairs when the U.S. foreign affair policies is concocted with religious biases and corrupt political intent. The entrenched religious brainwashing, not unlike the Jihadi belief that caused so much destruction, believes in a biblical interpretation whereby a sequence of events must take place for the end of days. It's noteworthy that Islam shares the same allegory with minor differences in details. Luckily, the biblical prophecy in its Islamic iteration is not leading the politics of the day. Unfortunately, it is influencing political decisions in the U.S. in no undetermined fashion. Lobbying and political activism is prevalent. More importantly, some politicians believe it's their religious duty to help the Jewish people establish their presence in current day Israel regardless of the price the Palestinians have to pay - how convenient.
But that is only one of the main two influencers, the other being the unparalleled effectiveness of the Israeli lobby. Politicians lineup to pledge their allegiance to the Jewishness of the Israeli state. It is shameful that no one questions the patriotism of these Americans yet they find it necessary to declare and then prove in action their loyalty to Israel. The annual AIPAC is very impressive to watch. It's a troubling situation when America's national interest doesn’t align completely with Israel’s. Alas, the U.S. takes it upon itself to advance the Israeli position causing the American people to end up footing the bill. As a result, America’s decisions don’t reflect a nation’s quest to advance its national interest, which is what the casual international observer would be satisfied with. This festering conflict has lead to so many frustrated Muslim youths to don on Superman’s cape to effect change. Unfortunately, most have ended up being used by evil charismatic leaders to induce terror.
The steady stream of terrorists hypnotized by the calls to liberate Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem has been fueling violence throughout the Middle East. The Al-Aqsa is the strategic goal while the fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and against western target is merely tactical to get closer to the goal. Even the concept of the Caliphate; i.e., Islamic based system of governance, is only a means to that end in their minds.
Many analysts try to add layers of complexity to camouflage the direct causation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and they have succeeded over the years. But the reality remains that resolving this conflict is the singular most important issue to be addressed if the U.S. is interested in laying the groundwork for a stable Mideast, which should advance U.S. interests. These three example of this conflict’s catastrophic effects are worth reflecting on: the 1973 oil crisis as it created a new energy reality and higher fuel costs, the 9-11 terrorist attacks making American’s trigger-happy relying on military might to address political problems, and depleting national treasure in the tune of trillions of dollars spent on fighting Jihadi activities over the past few decades.
The reality remains, Israel engaged in wars over the decades and won. There is no denying it, and it should be able to enjoy the spoils. The Arab world as a whole conceded to Israel by offering the 2002 Arab Peace Plan (the Saudi initiative), which was adopted and then re-endorsed in 2007 by the Arab League. Yet, this does not absolve Israel from finding a way to fulfill its responsibilities toward the original people of the land.
The disconnect between words and actions, between position and issues, leaves us to arrive at the only “practical” conclusion: the One-State solution is the only way to move forward. This is supported by the reality on the ground, which Israel, with the support of the U.S., has created. Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem is the latest example. Those who insist on a two-state solution are either naive, delusional, or using it as a tactic to keep the status quo. This unacceptable situation whereby the Palestinian people live their lives under occupation in the West Bank. Even worse, barely surviving in a confined space trapped within walls guarded by the Israeli military in Gaza is tantamount to imprisonment of a people based on their ethnicity. Many are numb to the killing of over 50 Palestinian demonstrators within the Gaza prison, on the day the U.S. embassy was opened in Jerusalem. This reality goes against human decency, justice, and fairness and should not exist, let alone be allowed to persist for generations. It is time for Israel to step up to the reality of what it won; the land and the people.
No comments:
Post a Comment