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Tue, Nov 25th 2008, 11:49

Christia Flourentzou, Cyprus Embassy Berlin, Silver Contributor (67)

I agree that the US should continue with the efforts to find a viable solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. However, sheer optimism might be disappointed given the role of the US Israeli lobby and its influence over American foreign policy. As it did many times in the past, the lobby can use its power to force the US to prioritise its friendship to Israel over the benefits of a more balanced Middle Eastern policy. The strong grip of the US Israeli lobby over US foreign policy is a factor that needs to be accounted for in any analysis of attempts to address the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

Tue, Nov 25th 2008, 13:54

Member deleted

Dear Christina,

Observing the conflict for years this time a shift in strategies of the main global and regional players can be witnessed:

1. Palestinian Authority (Fatah)
- No more relies on backing by Russia as a decline of communist influence among
Palestinian factions as PLO or PFLP did.
- Links up with major western powers such Europe and the US.
- Faces a conflict with Iranian backed Hamas.
- Keeps West Bank calm in order to fulfill the first point of the road map (Clinton
Administration).

2. Israel
- Faces existential thread by Iran that searches to spread its regional influence by the use
of Shiite Islam and brutal force and takes Palestinian cause hostage for its hegemonic
cause. Supports Hamas/Hezbollah.
- Started to acknowledge the negative impact of ongoing occupation in the West Bank on
its civil society/military as way to severe and much too expensive.
- Golan as a strategic military object reduced its importance to the water issue. So a payout
for Hezbollah retreat is logical.

3. US
- Middle East strategy under GWB killed the opportunity of promoting democracy among the
Arab states.
- Mideast Conflict fuels terrorist insurgency.
- Mideast Conflict empowers Iran.

4. EU
- Club Med existentially harassed by Arab-Israeli Conflict, i.s players don’t want to
cooperate with Israel because of conflict.
- Large Muslim minorities and increasing voter share by Arab population.
- Mideast Conflict fuels terrorist insurgency.
- Mideast Conflict empowers Iran.

5. Arab States
- Increasingly loose their credibility among their citizens because of ongoing conflict.

So solving the Mideast conflict, or to accept the Arab Peace Offer would substantially support short, mid and log term strategies of all major players. And as Israel started to accept the benefits of a 67 border withdrawal, as a new paper by their MI witnesses, the Israel Lobby should not be that pestered by Obamas policy as mentioned above, as long he is capable in controlling Iran, aren’t they?

Tue, Dec 30th 2008, 00:44

segja qepolina

how to resolv this conflict?
we, the out side world can't do a thing, the problem lies inside palesinian people, just look at them what kind of muslims they are, they have fractions,partys,organisations and so one....
if they did follow the sunnah of the profet muhamad s.a.w.s and the sunnah of the first generation of the muslims Salaf-us-Salih this confilct will be resolved rightaway or wouldent be existed.