When it comes to the decades-old Middle East conflict, consensus is exceedingly hard to come by, but one thing upon which all and sundry currently seem to agree is that the region is immersed in a struggle between two opposing camps, who have been labeled by some as "moderates" and "extremists." The latter group might as well start including Benjamin Netanyahu on their payrolls, since the Israeli premier is proving himself to be one of the best allies of their cause.
The "extremists" have been warning us for years that the state of Israel has no interest in peace, but rather seeks only to carry out a campaign of ethnic cleansing and spread - like cancer, we're told - its illegal occupation and control over Arab lands. The "moderates" counter this argument by saying that peace is indeed possible, if only the Arabs would get their own houses in order and show more willingness to adopt a more accommodating stance.
We have now reached a juncture at which the Arabs are showing an unprecedented agility in their effort to reach out to Tel Aviv. All members of the Arab League have unanimously endorsed a peace offer that would mark the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the start of normalizing relations. Some Arab states are reportedly even considering offering "incentives" to Israel in advance of a peace deal, by agreeing to start granting visas to Israeli citizens and allowing the Israeli airline El Al to fly unhindered through their airspace.
But Netanyahu's response to these enticing offers appear to have been taken from the extremists' script book. Not only does he refuse to talk of halting settlement expansion, the premier will not even utter the words "Palestinian state," although he forcefully demands that Arabs recognize the "Jewish state" as a precondition for peace. In fact, Netanyahu is so adamant in his opposition to peace that he appears willing to go so far as to endanger Israel's special relationship with the United States - as well as the very future of the nation of Israel.
Netanyahu's uncompromising position makes the "extremist" narrative all the more convincing to ordinary people in the Middle East: Israel doesn't really want peace, it just wants to stave off the demands of the international community while it continues to kill and conquer at will.
The "extremists" version of "truth" will only grow all the more compelling as the ramifications of the current global economic crisis begin to wreck havoc on this region. As is the case in times of crisis around the globe, people will start look to look for a scapegoat to blame for all of their woes. They will want to rally around a cause and identify a common "enemy" who appears to be a threat. They will need look no further than Netanyahu's Israel.
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