Egypt's uprising and its implications for Palestine

[Catherina]

Egypt's uprising and its implications for Palestine


We are in the middle of a political earthquake in the Arab world and the ground has still not stopped shaking. To make predictions when events are so fluid is risky, but there is no doubt that the uprising in Egypt -- however it ends -- will have a dramatic impact across the region and within Palestine.

If the Mubarak regime falls, and is replaced by one less tied to Israel and the United States, Israel will be a big loser. As Aluf Benn commented in the Israeli daily Haaretz, "The fading power of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's government leaves Israel in a state of strategic distress. Without Mubarak, Israel is left with almost no friends in the Middle East; last year, Israel saw its alliance with Turkey collapse" ("Without Egypt, Israel will be left with no friends in Mideast," 29 January 2011).

Indeed, Benn observes, "Israel is left with two strategic allies in the region: Jordan and the Palestinian Authority." But what Benn does not say is that these two "allies" will not be immune either.

Over the past few weeks I was in Doha examining the Palestine Papers leaked to Al Jazeera. These documents underscore the extent to which the split between the US-backed Palestinian Authority in Ramallah headed by Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah faction, on the one hand, and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, on the other -- was a policy decision of regional powers: the United States, Egypt and Israel. This policy included Egypt's strict enforcement of the siege of Gaza.

...

Read the rest http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article11762.shtml

[tabatha]

1. Maybe Israel will be more inclined to come to the table

and stop being so recalcitrant.

[customerserviceguy]

6. Or maybe it will go the other way

When an animal is cornered, does it go submissive, or growl even louder?

I'm not trying to necessarily equate Israel with a wounded animal, but I'd bet Netanyahu's trigger finger is getting mighty itchy now.

[xchrom]

2. Maybe all of this has less to do with israel

Than the popular narrative would have everyone believe.

[Catherina]

4. We need this more than Israel does so we can continue using

Israel as a proxy to keep the region unstable. Without our interference I think Israel would have made a deal a long time ago. I hope I got my thoughts across while I listen to Crowley getting SLAMMED.


http://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/01/201112713644706462.html

[cascadiance]

3. And then Gaza WILL become a threat if the Egypt / Gaza border opens up!

The Gazan Palestinians I'm sure have a lot of sore memories of what happened has happened to them by Israel over the last couple of years, and if they can start getting weapons, etc. from Egyptian border, fighting might erupt again. I wonder if Israel will send troops to reoccupy the border on the Gaza side of the Egyptian border soon...

[tavalon]

5. Great article,but

nothing was mentioned about the giant nuclear elephant in the room. No, not Iran's possible nuclear program but Isreal's well known USA supplied Nuclear armament. If things got really unstable in Palistine, would Isreal use their nukes?

[Turborama]

7. Maybe the people in Gaza will finally be able to get chocolate and fruit juice?

GOODS ALLOWED INTO GAZA
Canned meat and tuna, but not canned fruit
Mineral water, but not fruit juice
Sesame paste (tahini) but not jam
Tea and coffee but not chocolate

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7545636.stm