When a senior Hamas operative was assassinated in a Dubai hotel, a murder that the UAE authorities have now said bears all the hallmarks of a Mossad operation, it is to be expected that something will happen in return.
Already, other Palestinian factions tried to smuggle a bomb into Israel by way of seeking vengeance. The attempt failed, but more will likely be made again. Hamas, meanwhile, announced an end to prisoner-swap negotiations, at least for the time being, citing not only negative interference from Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, but also the murder in Dubai.
Ideally, of course, none of this would have to happen. Ideally, an investigation would find those responsible who would thereafter be sought and tried. Israel, however, believes itself above the law. It thinks itself a moral country, but, as has been proved again and again, that only means that in its own eyes it never does anything wrong.
The country is a danger to regional stability. It bears remembering these days, as all eyes focus on Iran, that the real threat to regional security, the country that wages war at will, against civilians, armies or whoever dares resist its illegal land grabs and theft, is Israel.
It bears remembering because rather than risk so many military adventures, the US could end them all if only its foreign policy reflected what everyone knows: Israel is a liability to America. And, certainly, without unquestioning US support, it would not take long for Israel to come calling to see what that Arab Peace Initiative is all about.
That way lies salvation. The current policy of appeasement of Israel - in case the country throws another violent tantrum, and in the face of blanket US support - brings nothing but constant fear of future conflict or law breaking.
The UAE, which so far has been fairly blessed in avoiding Israeli crimes, is now the latest Arab country to be violated in an illegal and criminal manner. It seems that the Arab Peace Initiative is moribund and as such, it is maybe time to withdraw it.
It is time Israel realised that its actions have consequences.
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