From Libya to Isratine

Jeffrey Goldberg says that now that Muammar Qaddafi has lost power, his proposal for a one-state solution should be dumped. I'm all for the horrible "Isratine" solution going out of circulation, but thinking that the Libyan revolution will lead to widespread adoption of the two-state solution in the Arab world is wishful thinking.

Opposition to Israel's existence and the continued dream of return goes much deeper than Qaddafi. In fact, Africa's self-proclaimed King of Kings didn't even invent the concept, only gave it a new name, Isratine, instead of just Palestine. It would seem Qaddafi's version is more moderate, because part of Israel is still in the name, but the truth is that it is even more deceptive than those who call for one state called Palestine from the River Jordan to the sea. The "Isra" would lose all power to the "tine", with Jews becoming a persecuted minority.

On the bright side, Goldberg may not be entirely wrong. Isratine will not die out, but Qaddafi will not be able to send millions to those who would work toward the one-state solution. One less source of funds means less power. At least there's that.

Military Intervention in Syria?

It now seems like Bashar Assad's war crimes are equal to, if not greater than, those committed by Muammar Gadhafi. It is logical to ask, then, why is the world intervening in Libya but not in Syria. I heard one analyst say that the answer is that nobody knows who will win in Syria, while in Libya, it seemed clear that Gadhafi was a gonner. I'm not satisfied by that answer. After all, the Brotherly Leader is still holding on. Maybe the answer is oil? I just don't know.

There is one more factor that should be taken into consideration, and is probably on the minds of NATO leaders. If NATO attacks Syria, Assad could retaliate by attacking Israel. Hezbollah, which has reportedly sent thugs to help the Alawites suppress the demonstrations, could also launch missiles at Israel, hoping such an action would help secure the regime of one of their two patrons. After all, nothing can unite an Arab nation more than hatred for Israel.

For this admittedly self-centered reason, I oppose military intervention in Syria. I support other kinds of sanctions against the regime.

Farewell to the Brotherly Leader of Libya

The ruthless ruler of Libya, His Insane Highness Muammar al-Gadhafi,  the African King of Kings, is sticking to his guns, quite literally. In this situation, where the Libyan people and much of the security apparatus have turned against him, I don't see how this does not end with Gadhafi's death. He is a crazy son of a bitch who will fight to the bitter end.

Now, the big question is not so much whether he'll be killed by his opponents, but whether or not we'll see him die on television. There's a vindictive side of me that wants to see the life come out of him on a live broadcast. I have a feeling that won't be the case. His body might be shown after the fact, but his life will end chaotically, in a situation where cameras cannot be brought in easily. He will not undergo a trial, like Saddam Hussein. Rather, he'll be lynched or shot the moment his opponents get the opportunity. Perhaps one of his guards will decide the unrest is bad for Libya, and will decide to take him out herself (Gaddafi has an all-female bodyguard unit).

Unlike the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, the end of Gadhafi's rule can only be a good thing. Even if the Islamists take over Libya, they can't be worse than Col. Crazy. Sure, oil prices may slightly rise and Libya's cooperation in stopping African refugees from reaching Europe's shores might end, but those are risks worth taking.

Palestinian Israelis, the Arab World and Gadhafi

I usually don't understand it when Israeli authorities deny Palestinian citizens of Israel the right to travel to Arab countries. They are part of the Arab world, and should be able to interact with their fellow Arabs. This is especially true when it comes to cultural interaction. When the government recently denied author Ala Hlehel the right to travel to Lebanon to accept a reward at an Arab literary festival, the Supreme Court rightly stepped in and allowed him to go to Lebanon.

There should be certain limits to the right to travel to Arab countries, though. Meeting with leaders and terrorist groups to plot against Israel should not be tolerated.

That's not exactly what the delegation of Arab Knesset Members did when it visited Muammar Gadhafi in Libya this week. It was just bizzare. Why suck up to such an eccentric, ruthless leader? I don't think the MK's should be punished for this trip. It doesn't seem anything threatening to Israel came out of it. The only thing that was threatened was these particular MK's reputations.

Salman Masalha, an Israeli Arab, expressed his own frustration in yesterday's Haaretz. It's an interesting read. Here it is in English, and here it is in Hebrew.