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ASIA TIMES


May 16, 2012


[Re Middle East calm
in the eye of a storm, May 16, 2012]
There has been much uninformed explanation and speculation by self-proclaimed
experts and commentators as to why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
decided to forgo a new election and form a workable coalition government.
Israel's real threat has always been a binational state. Either a two-state
solution, where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in security and
peace. Or, a binational state where eventually Israel loses its Jewish
character and majority.


Since he became prime minister, Netanyahu has
had that choice. Pursue a peace with the Palestinians or change the subject.
The prime minister's record on pursuing peace had been dismal at best. When he
was prime minister last, his government was known for its self-promotion and
was under a cloud of corruption charges. His record had been against a
two-state solution and he had to be dragged kicking and screaming in saying
those words as prime minister now. So far, he has changed the subject by
demonizing and threatening Iran and making it his "messianic
mission". The prime minister was cheered on by his neo-con supporters and
the Israel-can-do-no-wrong crowd in the US Congress and the media. Sensing the
danger of these policies to Israel, its military and intelligence service
members decided to speak out forcefully. Their job has always been to protect
the people of Israel, whereas the prime minister, whenever in office, had
seemed to be working to protect himself politically. Thomas Pardo, head of
Israeli Mossad intelligence agency, said Iran "is not an existential
threat." In fact, Army Chief Benny Gantz has described the Iranian
leadership as very rational and the former chief of the Mossad Meir Dagan has
said that it would be "stupid" to attack Iran. Finally, former
Israeli internal security chief Yuval Diskin confirmed the fact that all the
saber rattling about Iran was because the Israeli government "has no
interest in solving anything with the Palestinians ... ".


Now that the prime minister has formed a
coalition with Kadima, it will be interesting to see if he changes his tune.
The head of Kadima and a new vice prime minister, Shaul Mofaz, is on record
having said "the threat that Israel will become a bi-national state is far
more serious than the Iranian nuclear issue." The question now is, in
order to prevent the real threat to peace and stability in the Middle East, is
the prime minister willing to bring about a settlement with the Palestinians?


Fariborz S Fatemi

McLean, VA.