Recently, Israel too has enjoyed its own version of popular revolt. The most vivid representation of this unrest are the tents set up by the mainly middle class youngsters in Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard to demonstrate the lack of affordable housing in the country.
The continued occupation of the West Bank and the building of Jewish settlements by Israel sadly only produces occasional one-off demonstrations and has no chance of turning out a rebellion with similar stamina.
In the last few days, terror attacks that killed 8 Israelis have brought about Israeli retaliation as well as threatening declarations by Israeli politicians competing with each other in their bravado. Former Labour leader and Bibi Netanyahu’s Minister of Defence, Ehud Barak, informed us that those who act against Israel “will have their heads separated from their bodies.” Nice language Mr. Barak.
It may be that deterioration into another round of slaughter will be avoided this time. However, politicians of the extreme right in Israel and their brothers on the Palestinian side will do their utmost to prevent any agreement or compromise. This is the real purpose behind their actions. This time there is an added bonus: the recent round of fire may conveniently get the social demonstrators off Bibi’s back. Instead of sending the air force, he should really have sent the Hamas leaders a thank you note. Flowers perhaps?
Of course, if I were an Iranian, Palestian, Egyptian or Syrian propagandist I would indulge in some of the usual conspiracy theories:
ReplyDeleteIt was Israeli agents, Mossad of course, who smuggled themselves into Gaza for no other purpose than to shoot rockets into Israel to deflect from any Israeli discontent.
It`s obvious, isn`t it?