Egyptian mobs assaulted the Israeli embassy in Cairo again, demolishing parts of the wall erected around the building by the Egyptian government to protect it after the last incident, when anti-Israel demonstrators attacked the building and removed the Israeli flag from the roof.
Today's activity was sparked by a Facebook call for Egyptians to gather and 'urinate against the wall of the embassy'. Predictably, it also occurred on Friday, after the mosques preached the expected sermons.
The huge crowd demolished the wall while policemen and soldiers stood by, according to eyewitnesses.
They then stormed the embassy premises and ripped down the flag from the building for the second time in less than a month. Eyewitnesses reported that the protesters threw the flag on the street and trampled it to loud cheers by the assembled mob.
According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, no embassy personnel were injured, but it wasn't for want of trying. The mob got in to the high rise building where the embassy is located, but were unable to get through the fortified door to the embassy itself.
In view of what's going on in Egypt ( and this is by no means an isolated incident), the Israelis need to face up to a few facts:
Given the inherent nature of Islam and its stance on Jews, real peace between Israel and any Arab nation is a fantasy, at least at this time. This latest demonstration of 'peace', taking place in a country Israel has supposedly had peaceful relations with for over forty years is a good indication of that.
Israel had better plan accordingly.So had the West.
But, but, but, what about the Arab Spring? Democracy?
ReplyDelete"Israel had better plan accordingly. So had the West" I agree. In fact, part of our problem if not all of our problem stems from a failure to properly "plan", however, I am a bit confused. Just who is the "West?"
ReplyDeleteBy the "West" do we mean countries such as Austrailia, Japan, and South Korea who we have generally been allied with even though geographically they are in the "East?" Also, geographically Israel is much closer to the "East" than it is the "West." Furthermore the Use of the term "the West" appears to imply that the West, if we mean the United States, Canada, Western European countries, and the countries mentioned above who are geographically located in the east, is some sort of monolithic entity. It is not. Each nation state member of the so called "West" has its own divergent interests and its own needs. As such, how it will be impacted and how it should prepare or if it should be concerned about the situation in Egypt is going to be radically different for each country in the so called "West."
Given this situation, it is unlikely we would have any unified response to Egypt and it might not even make sense to have such a response. Given the divergent nature of the interests of each nation, it is unlikely we or Israel could expect any assitance here from Western European nations. The US is viewed by them and their governments as a strategic competitor. Beyond their ability to utilize NATO/US forces to represent their interests, they view the US with disdain and would be happy if it met with calamity.
Now back to the failure to plan. The payments to Egypt over the last 40 years or so are best understood as a bribe/blackmail. Even if the Murbarak government had not been over thrown, the Egyptians would have eventually cut us and the Israelis loose any way. We should have been preparing for that eventuality for at least the last twenty years. It seems to me that Israel could have given its security expense a greater priority than it was given. Had this been done perhaps the last terrorist attacks could have been thwarted.
It was a very dumb move for Israel to give up the Sinai and it was a dumb move for American officials to encourage such a move. If Israel was somehow pressured by the US or others to do this, this was ill advised, to put it charitably. Oh how much better off both America and Israel would be today, if only America had simply stayed out of Israeli affairs in the entirety!!
Over all I'm not sure how Israel or any Western European country should respond to the situation in Egypt. They and their governments are best able to craft policies based upon their needs and their interests. As for America, I've already stated it here and elsewhere. Immediately begin withdrawing all US military personnel to the US borders and expand upgrade the nuclear arsenal. At least this way we have a fighting chance to defend our country.
I meant Israel should have given the security fence between it and Egypt a greater priority, not the security expense.
ReplyDeleteThere was nothing America or Israel could have done to save the Mubarak government. Any attempt to do so would have ended in failure and would have only made things worse.
The best action for America would have been to stay out of it entirely. While Mubarak's government still falls, it probably takes longer. This would have given other groups who might be able to act as a counterweight to the Muslim Brotherhood time to organize and gain strength and political power.
To Rosey : it is Spring for the Arabs only ; for everyone else, it is the Autumn, perhaps, maybe, the Fall.
ReplyDeleteTo BPoster : East is East, & West is West, & never the twain shall meet, till Earth & Sky stand presently at God's great judgement seat ; but there is neither East nor West, border, nor breed, nor birth, when two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the Earth ! ( Kipling ) ( Viz, we're in this together : South Korea, Japan, Taiwan ( Formosa ), Australia, New Zealand, unoccupied Europe, Canada, US, & other civilised countries & nations ).
--dragon/dinosaur