Oh, come on—you’re going against the narrative! The WaPo ends an article about Israel’s view of the Egyptian protests with this:
To Israeli officials, the unrest across the region, with Israel on the sidelines, proves an assertion that has been a point of contention with the Obama administration.
“For us it is very clear,” Yaalon said, “the core of this instability in the Middle East is not the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Let’s get serious. If Israel and the Palestinians had made peace, there would be no protests in Egypt, Yemen, or Tunisia. Jordan’s King Abdullah wouldn’t be shaking in his boots right now. (Oh, look. Protests in Jordan too, today.) This is all because there is no Palestinian state. Get with the narrative, Joel Greenberg. Your Journolist pals are going to excommunicate you.
Wow. Southern Sudan hearts Israel: Ha’aretz profiles Israel’s ties with southern Sudan going back to Levi Eshkol. Read it all. But this is the heart of the matter:
“When we are independent, we will forge relations with whomever we want to,” Lagu says. “And we still remember who our old friends are.”
It’s that common enemy thing, though they were betrayed by Ariel Sharon (according to this article), who was in turn betrayed by the northern Islamists.
Iran: It’s all about us. Shyeah. A “senior Iranian cleric” (don’t you love that title? Me, I’m a senior American blogger) says that the current unrest in the Mideast is because Arabs were inspired by the Iranian revolution. Because it’s not like they’re demanding freedom and democracy. Nope. Not at all. Cedar Revolution? Never happened. (Unfortunately, if the Muslim Brotherhood gets its way in Egypt, he’s going to wind up being right.)
Abdullah is the King of Jordan. Hussein was his father.
Gerry: Fixed.
I notice that Mr. Senior cleric isn’t recalling last year’s protests in Iran as inspiration. They’ve not nearly as remote as the 1979 revolution and many more of today’s protesters would remember them. But it wouldn’t be politic to bring them up.
The protests in Jordan look different, based on the article posted- they appear more organized (by “Jordan’s main Islamist opposition group, trade unions and leftist organizations”) and are aimed at the Prime Minister and Parliament, not King Hussein. They’re also relatively small – 3500 or so, and focused entirely on economic matters, not human rights or the structure of the government. Makes me think this is a tame opposition following orders.
If I turn my cynicism up around 8 or 9, I’d guess this was organized by Hussein to make himself look threatened to get some money out of Barak or the EU, who may soon be desperate to make sure that somebody, anybody they have a relationship with is in charge in the Middle East.(If it works, and unrest continues elsewhere, look for the UAE to pull the same trick in a few weeks.)
Soccer Dad, I thought about that, but didn’t write it in the post. Attuned, I tell you.
Let’s hope Southern Sudan is friendly with Israel, but keep your fingers crossed. Lots of African countries were friendly with Israel when they were newly independent, and during the 50s and 60s Israel had a thriving foreign aid program that sent young Israeli experts to African coutnries to help develop agriculture, industry and health services there. Then all those countries provided the votes to push the “Zionism is racism” motion through the UN General Assembly, and many of their representatives there danced for joy in the aisles when it passed. Soviet directions and Arab oil money spoke louder than any help given by Israel. African gratitude for help given to them and a buck fifty will get you a cup of coffee at my local coffee shop.
“Makes me think this is a tame opposition following orders.”
Good, if true. Jordan is probably the least bad Arab country, both from the POV of the USA and that of Israel. Besides, I hope nothing happens to Queen Rania; she’s awfully pretty.
Regarding Jordan, if this is for real, and continues to spread, I wonder if Abdullah is willing to crush an uprising like his father Hussein did to the Palestinians during “Black September” 1970, when 10,000 were killed?