Obama caught in tangle of Israeli tactics

Obama caught in tangle of Israeli tactics Hassan Tahsin | Hassan_tahsin@hotmail.com

A number of senior American diplomats have been visiting the Middle East signaling President Barack Obama's determination to end the Arab-Israeli conflict.Obama demanded leading Arab countries to establish closer ties with Israel as a token of confidence building between the two sides. However, the Arab countries refused to comply with the demand made by Obama telling him in unequivocal terms that Arabs had made plenty of concessions to the Jewish state in the past but its response was frustrating. "We know that you are earnest in your efforts but don't expect us to make any more concessions until you rein in Israel," the Arab leaders told Obama. The Arab response, undoubtedly, is fair and convincing besides serving as a counterbalance to the Israeli posture of rejecting any serious effort for peace in the region. Obama administration, obviously, wants to follow the so-called "road map" for peace while calling for a freeze on Israeli settlements in the Occupied West Bank and the East Jerusalem. However, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insolent response to the US demand to stop settlement projects signals his plan to go ahead with the Judaization of Arab lands after evicting native Arab population with scant regard for international agreements and the world public opinion. There are, however, some naïve people in the Arab world who perceive Obama as the most sympathetic US president to the Arabs in general and to the Palestinians in particular. They believe what US officials say about the president that he is determined to bring about real and comprehensive peace in the region. However, they do not notice the US administration's lack of response to the ongoing attempts to drive out Palestinian natives from their homes in East Jerusalem and other parts of the West Bank and create there new Jewish settlements. According to a recent report of the Israeli Haaretz newspaper, about 200 Jewish extremists arrived near the town of Tulkarm in the West Bank and started establishing a new outpost for illegal settlements, while the Israeli army was looking on and it, of course, did not do anything to prevent illegal activities. The paper said the outpost is one of 11 outposts created on 27th and 28th of July. The Arabs who perceive an Arab-friendly president in Obama have seemingly forgotten Obama's agreement for close military cooperation with Israel including test firing of Israeli missiles off California coast. It is not difficult to understand why there is no peace in the Middle East even though all the Arabs have been yearning for peace and the former US President Bush also wanted peace. It is Israel that did not want peace because the Jews never wanted peace. It is because if they agree to live in peace in the Arabs they will have to shelve their plan to establish a Greater Israel. The White House knows this, but, if only White House admitted as much.