Impact of Arab Revolutions on Israel

[bigross86]

A good couple thousand? Earlier you were pessimistic discussing the plight of the IDF because they were outnumbered by 900k. A couple thousand is a drop in the bucket.

Having however many there are is better than not having them, no?

It's one thing to donate 10 dollars to a cause. It's another to ask someone to shoot a gun and potentially die for it. The traditional notion of volunteering is completely absurd to most of the people that make up modern western civilization.

You need to be immersed in the Jewish American mind frame to understand this concept, but plenty teenagers that were on Birthright Israel will come. Almost every single Jewish American kid that came to study in Israel for a year will come. They don't need to carry rifles, they can volunteer and do other stuff and free more riflemen up. In the IDF every single soldiers qualifies with a rifle, even the lowest clerk and cook.

Undecideds that are capable of being swayed are moderates and moderates in modern politics are always overwhelmed by the extremes.

And there are also moderates that become extremes when given a cause, especially teenagers, as we can see all over the Middle Eastern world. Another voice in favor of Israel never hurts. If we subscribe to the methodology of "it's useless, better give up before we even try", then there truly is no point

[Dreadnought]

Am hoping that many countries around the world are watching Egypt. The days of rulers forced upon the people are coming to an end. Hoping the Iranian youth are watching Eqypt closely. Its readily apparent their government is.

[Mihais]

Which Iranian youth?The ones that revolted?Or the ones that stood for the regime?I can guarantee you that you won't find many elders in the Pasdaran and Basij.Nor for that matter in the rural areas that had nothing to do with the revolt.

[Mihais]

One thing that to a degree surprises me is that there were no US and Israeli flag burning.For that to happen during ME riots means only that there is a great hunger.Thus only the next target matters.
They'll remember,though.To be fair I can understand them and sympathize with them.To a point.

[astralis]

BR,

i've been hearing noises about netanyahu striking now while everyone's "distracted" by the egypt crisis. man, if that happens...

[Ironduke]

BR,

i've been hearing noises about netanyahu striking now while everyone's "distracted" by the egypt crisis. man, if that happens...

That would be a very bad move -- extremely destablizing to the entire world.

Netanyahu sees the crisis as it is - a "dangerous opportunity". He can effectively prevent the advancement of the ultimate resolution of the Palestinian issue in a fair and amicable manner, so that Israel can retain control over the West Bank.

But there's a catch-22 in the Israeli-Palestinian issue -- if the Israelis cede on the West Bank, will it embolden the Arabs on making further concessions on Israeli territories and the Golan Heights?

I believe he needs to pursue a strategy that is favorable to Arab democratic moderates (in Egypt, Yemen, etc.) who are at the frontline in this revolutionary movement - undertake decisive in the West Bank with regards to resolving the issue once and for all, bunker down in Golan, and undercut the Iran-Syria nexis and undercut their influence on the Arab revolutionary movement.

I think Israel has a card to play - if what you've posted is Netanyahu's strategy, he is as deluded as Mubarak.

[bigross86]

I actually read something slightly different, that if the Palestinians in Jordan end up kicking out the King, then in effect the Palestinians will have a homeland (Jordan) and whoever has a problem with Israel can just up and move to their brand new homeland.

I don't know how realistic that is, but it's still an interesting twist on things

[Bigfella]

I actually read something slightly different, that if the Palestinians in Jordan end up kicking out the King, then in effect the Palestinians will have a homeland (Jordan) and whoever has a problem with Israel can just up and move to their brand new homeland.

I don't know how realistic that is, but it's still an interesting twist on things

I seem to recall that was Likud's de facto policy for years anyway. It is an even more stupid & shortsighted an idea than whatever Likud's current policy is. Israel can create a small, realitvely weak & effectively disarmed Palestinean state. Why on earth would any Israeli want them to take by force a much better armed & more dangerous nation?

[denizkuvetleri]

BR,

i've been hearing noises about netanyahu striking now while everyone's "distracted" by the egypt crisis. man, if that happens...

This would be the most stupid thing that Israel can do! Unilateral action which disregards P5+1 efforts or the Brazilian-Turkish sponsored talks would only unite the OIC member countries and cause further uprising among the Arab countries. Terrorism would increase due to the high number of recruits and the whole world would be in turmoil. Does it have the potential for WWIII? Yes, Is WWIII likely? No However, there would be far reaching economic (oil prices etc) and strategic implications (shift in the balace of power). Not to mention the total immediate irreversible isolation of Israel.

[Persey]

Saboteurs attacked the Egypt-Israel gas pipeline on Friday.
There are some out there that want to include Israel into this mess.

Saboteurs attack Egypt-Israel gas pipeline-TV | Reuters