Israel Update for June 2009

On the thorny settlement issue, the Israeli Prime Minister reiterated earlier statements that he would not cave in to President Obama's demand that he halt construction in the contested Jewish communities. He added that until a final peace settlement is reached with the Palestinians, settlement residents "must be allowed to live normal lives" which he noted included having children, moving into bigger homes or adding onto existing ones, having relatives move closer to them, etc.

Responding to standard local and international media portrayals of the settlers as violent right wing extremists and bigots, Netanyahu insisted that most are peace loving and law abiding Israelis who "are not the enemies of the nation or the enemies of peace, but an integral part of our people, a principled, pioneering and Zionist public."

Like Obama's Cairo address, the PM's policy speech also dealt with the broader Islamic world. He insisted that it was not just Israel, but the entire world, including regional Arab states, which would be severely threatened if Muslim terror groups or radical nations like Iran acquired nuclear weapons.

Jimmy Carter

One surprise during the month was the visit of Jimmy Carter to the Gush Etzion settlement block south of Jerusalem. The visit itself was unanticipated, given the former US president's amply demonstrated hostility toward Jewish settlers. Even more astounding was the fact that he actually admitted out loud that the Palestinians will need to accept the reality that some large Jewish communities near Jerusalem will not be uprooted as part of any final peace accord. "This is part of the close settlements to the 1967 line that I think will be here forever," he said while visiting the home of the Gush Etzion regional council head in the Neve Daniel settlement near Efrat. Although Carter has no contemporary governmental or diplomatic role, the statement was deemed very important by various settler leaders.

While Carter was still in the Jerusalem area, Israel's Shin Bet security agency learned of a plot to assassinate him during a scheduled June 15 visit to the Gaza Strip. The information was quickly passed on to Palestinian Authority officials who contacted their Hamas counterparts that control the small coastal Palestinian zone. Palestinian sources said terrorists connected to Al Qaida had laid explosives along the road to be used by Carter's entourage which were uncovered and destroyed before the former American leader arrived in the Gaza Strip.

However a Hamas official denied that any explosives had been uncovered. Analysts said the Iranian-backed extremist group was apparently embarrassed that Israeli security forces had discovered the potentially disastrous plot that was hatched right under their noses. During his visit, Carter gladdened his radical Muslim hosts when he said the Palestinians in Gaza were being "treated like animals" by Israel. He also called upon America's current leaders to recognize Hamas as a legitimate political organization.

Carter's call was later seemingly endorsed by the European Union. In a statement issued in the name of the EU's 27 nations, the usual call for Hamas to renounce terrorism, formally recognize Israel's right to exist, and fully accept previous peace accords made between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, was left out. Instead, EU leaders called for "inter-Palestinian reconciliation behind President Mahmoud Abbas," in other words, bringing Hamas out of the political wilderness were it landed after its violent 2007 coup against PA forces in the Gaza Strip.

Proving once again that the small coastal zone remains a terrorist stronghold, ten Palestinian gunmen said to be backed by Al Qaida, some hiding inside trucks and others riding explosive laden horses, attempted to infiltrate into Israel from the Gaza Strip in early June. As they neared the Karni border crossing, the terrorists began shooing at Israeli soldiers stationed there. Troops returned fire, killing four of the gunmen. Army leaders later said they believed the men were planning to kidnap some of the soldiers.

Elections And Violence

Israeli officials were relieved when the pro-western Lebanese political alliance known as the "March 14 Forces" retained a majority of parliamentary seats in national elections held on June 7. The anti-Syrian alliance, mostly comprised of Maronite Catholic and Sunni Muslim parties, captured over 70 seats to just 11 for Hizbullah's political wing. Parties allied with the radical Shiite movement won some 30 seats, which analysts said would help Hizbullah maintain its previous ability to block government attempts to disarm its militia. Opinion surveys in the run up to the parliamentary elections had suggested that Hizbullah might capture up to 20 seats.

Israeli leaders and the general public watched with keen interest as Hizbullah's masters in Iran declared a lopsided victory for notorious President Ahmadinejad, who regularly vows that Israel will soon be wiped off of the regional map. Many said the growing public protests which followed the June 12 vote was a hopeful sign that the theocratic regime might one day be overthrown. However experts warned that the regime's nuclear programme-which the UN's Atomic Energy Agency outgoing head admitted in June is designed to ultimately produce nuclear weapons-is a source of great national pride for most Iranians, even if some of Ahmadinejad's boisterous statements and actions are not so popular.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak pointed out on Army Radio that opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi played a pivotal role in starting Iran's nuclear programme. He also cautioned the Israeli public not to expect any real changes in the repressive country, noting that "this is an Ayatollah regime." He added that "We should not be confused about Mousavi; these people are all fundamentalist Muslims." But he did say that "the Ayatollah dictatorship" was weakened by its use of force to quell street demonstrations: "The more force is used against the dissidents, the more the regime loses its legitimacy."

Barak stated indirectly that Israel's military forces must remain on alert in case the turmoil in Iran produces an opportunity to attack its nuclear production sites or sparks any action from its regional allies, especially Hizbullah and/or Syria. "Iran is in the midst of a very dangerous process. Short-term plans must be made. We don't have too much time. We have decided to leave all courses of action open and we expect others to do the same," he said. Analysts said the Labor party leader was apparently referring to the United States when he spoke of "others" remaining vigilant or taking necessary action.

Israel's Mossad security force chief, Meir Dagan, echoed Barak when he told Knesset members that "What ultimately determines Iran's policies is the spiritual leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and that has not changed. This is an argument within the Iranian elite." He added that it might be to Israel's advantage in opposing Iran's nuclear programme if the more militant Ahmadinejad remains in power. Dagan also stated that the theocratic regime could possess operational nuclear bombs in around five year's time. Other Israeli and foreign nuclear weapons experts have said the Shiite nation might acquire such weapons from North Korea or other countries at any time, or may have already done so.

In these dramatic days, it is good to meditate on some of the many promises that the God of Abraham has made to the people of Israel, such as this one found in the book of Ezekiel: "I will put my spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord" (Ezek: 37-14).