In Israel, a tsunami warning

Noam Chomsky writes:

In May, in a closed meeting of many of Israel’s business leaders, Idan Ofer, a holding-company magnate, warned, “We are quickly turning into South Africa. The economic blow of sanctions will be felt by every family in Israel.”

The business leaders’ particular concern was the U.N. General Assembly session this September, where the Palestinian Authority is planning to call for recognition of a Palestinian state.

Dan Gillerman, Israel’s former ambassador to the United Nations, warned participants that “the morning after the anticipated announcement of recognition of a Palestinian state, a painful and dramatic process of Southafricanization will begin” – meaning that Israel would become a pariah state, subject to international sanctions.

In this and subsequent meetings, the oligarchs urged the government to initiate efforts modeled on the Saudi (Arab League) proposals and the unofficial Geneva Accord of 2003, in which high-level Palestinian and Israeli negotiators detailed a two-state settlement that was welcomed by most of the world, dismissed by Israel and ignored by Washington.

In March, Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned of the prospective U.N. action as a “tsunami.” The fear is that the world will condemn Israel not only for violating international law but also for carrying out its criminal acts in an occupied state recognized by the U.N.

The U.S. and Israel are waging intensive diplomatic campaigns to head off the tsunami. If they fail, recognition of a Palestinian state is likely.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Facebooktwittermail

2 thoughts on “In Israel, a tsunami warning

  1. Colm O' Toole

    Wow, that is some political dynamite right there. Great to here that the corporate rulers of Israel are beginning to sweat, can only be good news. Going into the Sept Vote and also into a Third Intifada its looking very much like Palestine is on the side of history and Israel is very much on the defensive.

  2. sowen

    Jerusalem and Israel as a whole is a heritage for the blood-line of Isaac not Ishmael. On this basis, it must be awarded to the Jewish people. This is a Biblical truth and because the world do not understand and accept such truth, trouble in the region regarding other Arab nations cannot be avoided. It simply have to haplpened and even if the Jewish may be a minority in Israel, Jesus will arrive in time to smite and complete the destruction of those opposing God’s chosen people

Comments are closed.