how do Israel's neighbors understand his speech? Israel assumes responsibility

Submitted by myth (Germany), Jul 3, 2014 at 05:55

How do Israel's neighbors understand his speech? When Netanyahu declares "in any future settlement with the Palestinians, Israel will have to maintain long-term security control of the territory along the Jordan River." I see two possible readings. One is for the PA to complain about restricted sovereignty. The other would be to welcome protection from ISIS and other jihadist forces by means of the IDF.

Does "enhanced regional cooperation" include Lebanon? Private contacts tell me, that Lebanese increasingly see the benefit of having Israel as a neighbor for they see all these Syrian refugees pouring in and they know Lebanon is quite safe from ISIS. The question here is, will Hezbollah refrain from violence against Israel and transform into an entirely politcal organisation that at least for all practical purposes would contribute to Israel's security?

As for the Kurds it is a big question whether an Israeli endorsement of the Kurds would weaken the Kurds or strengthen them in terms of support in the region for a Kurdish state. In any event, the Jewish and the Kurdish people have something common - at least so long as it is unspoken of.

The common denominator of Netanjahu's points is the obligation for Israel to assume responsibility for the fate of the entire region. This new perspective turns around the idea cultivated in the West that Israel was the cause of all problems in the Middle East.

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