AS MORE AND MORE OF ISRAEL’S ARAB neighbors recognize Israel or at least the reality of Israel, Abu Mazen and the PA are telling everyone the PA will no longer recognize Israel. (http://tinyurl.com/yaw2ckye ) Hamas – another story altogether.
In the UAE, Israeli judo wrestlers won two firsts in two events and, in a first, Israel’s national anthem was played as they stood on the podium. (http://tinyurl.com/y996kr4g )
On the same day, an Israeli gymnastics delegation was in Qatar for the beginning of the world championships being held in Doha.
Now, Oman calls for recognition of Israel. (http://tinyurl.com/y9c53nkj )
On Monday (10/29) Communications Minister Ayoub Kara was to travel to Dubai to represent Israel at an international internet security conference.
Out of the closet
Israel has for many years had quiet commercial relations with a number of its Arab neighbors.
At one point, Israeli made two-way radios were assembled in Iran and a Farsi label attached to the finished product.
Pragmatic Saudis installed air conditioners made in Israel, ignoring the manufacturer’s label.
But to hear HaTikvah played in any Muslim country other than Egypt or Jordan – never . . . until Abu Dabi.
When Israelis won medals at the Abu Dhabi last year, the Israeli stood on the podium, sans Israeli badge and HaTikvah was not heard.
To be fair, credit must go to the International Judo Federation which warned UAE organizers the competition would be canceled unless all athletes were allowed to participate on an equal footing.
Israelis are welcomed as visitors to a few Muslim countries, notably Morocco Yet there are so far no direct flights between Lod and Rabat, Casa Blanca or Marrakech on either El Al, Arkia, or Royal Air Maroc.
While Israel and its neighbors are “normalizing” relations, the PA’s Abu Mazen decided on Monday to end all commitments in the agreements the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has signed with Israel, to end security coordination and to revoke the Paris Economic Protocols which govern the economic cooperation with Israel.
Such moves mean the end of all peace protocols with Israel.
The Palestinian Central Council (PCC) alleged that “in view of Israel’s continued denial of the signed agreements,” it again recommends eliminating end all of the PLO and PA’s commitments under their agreements with Israel, as well as suspending their recognition of the state of Israel until it recognizes the state of Palestine on the June 1967 borders with the eastern portion of Jerusalem as its capital.
Although there has been cooperation in some areas, most formal agreements were abrogated by Abu Mazen and the PA before the ink was dry; the “Oslo Accords” signed by a Labor government as an example.
The PA is increasingly ignored by other Muslim countries and may find itself an island in a sea of Arab states and Israel. As far as Hamas is concerned, no one WANTS Gaza; Israel could eliminate Hamas at any time, but its absence would leave a political vacuum that could be disastrous for the people in the Strip.
With the exceptions of Iran, Hezbollah's Lebanon, and perhaps Syria, HaTikvah soon may be heard throughout the Arab world.
Nes gadol.
PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.
Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.
