ISRAEL: Utopia, Northern Ireland, Shanghai, or Jericho?

The Israel-Palestine issue has led to a serious rift between the US and its European allies. The New York Times (4/19/02) discussed a European poll conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. It showed that 71% of the French, 67% of the Italians, 64% of the Germans and 57% of the British disapprove of US policies in the Mideast. The Economist (4/20-26/02) had a banner headline on the cover reading "Friendly Fire: The rift between America and its allies over Israel", and its first leader dealt with the subject. The Europeans are closer to the problem and have a better feel for it, just as Americans understand Central America better than the Europeans. There is in Europe nothing like the Zionist lobby in the US.

Putting aside all the passions involved, what are the possible outcomes? There were two original utopias. One was a happy, democratic Israel bringing modernity to the backward countries surrounding it. That would have been the ideal solution. The other utopia would have been a greater Israel dominating the region. Neither utopia seems likely now. Former Senator George Mitchell, an eminently sane individual who led one Mideast mediation effort, said that, despite the desperate situation, he was reminded of Northern Ireland, where an impossible situation had given way to a peaceful solution. Unfortunately this interview coincided with the discovery of another IRA hit list, so it would not be a perfect solution. Another comparison might be made with Shanghai, which was once a prosperous Western enclave. Now, after many decades, it is once more a booming commercial center, China having absorbed it, and Westerners are again heartily welcome. The gloomiest comparison is with Jericho. When I went there, I was expecting to see an ancient city, but the walls had indeed come tumbling down. It was not even a ghost town. In his interview, Mitchell said that he was instructed not to discuss Jerusalem, but that is the nob of the problem. In the year 3,000, touring the Mideast, will a child, viewing something like Jericho, ask his father "Pop, what's that?" And will the father reply "That was Jerusalem"? Since Mohammed was the last of the prophets, I will make no prediction. What about the Book of Revelations or Nostradamus?

Ronald Hilton - 4/20/02