This past week has been quite eventful for the state of Israel, to say the least. The events of this week have shaken the Israeli economy, its government and its people in several ways.
First, Israel announced it has halted the building of settlements in East Jerusalem due to divestment and a loss of work force taking place within the current settlements. A law Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed earlier this week bans Palestinian laborers from working in East Jerusalem. The law states Palestinians are not to work in or purchase goods from Israeli settlements.
Also earlier this week, Egypt released a statement that warned against escalating tensions over allegations that Syria has been supplying Hezbollah — the Lebanese militant group — with Scud missiles.
According to Israel — who just the other day found a 122 mm Grad rocket off the coast of its beach city of Eilat — these missiles are capable of reaching much longer ranges and carrying a substantially bigger warhead than the rockets Hezbollah previously used.
Once again, there is no proof of this, which pushes one to question Israel’s need to assert itself somehow. As if the economic hit of losing a cheap labor force and millions of Palestinian consumers wasn’t enough to keep the state occupied, Israel chooses to yet again do what it does best and reach out to its neighbors in an offensive “defensive” manner.
Tensions have dramatically risen on the southern border of Lebanon and the northern border of Israel. Tensions have already been high with regards to the Iran-Israel nuclear issue. There is only one question that comes to mind at a time like this: Is Israel losing it? It would definitely appear so.
Israel may seem like it has some control over certain situations. However, in reality the state appears to be totally entranced in a mess it has created for itself. It is being overrun by its many enemies’ decision making. At this point in time, Israel has little to no control over its political and economic situation.
On a brighter note, Israel did lift the ban it had on the iPad. But seriously, what is going on here? Is this the backlash Israel was destined to face the moment it defied Obama,is it the wrath of Uncle Sam, or is it simply karma doing its job?
Whatever is going on in the Middle East right now, I can guarantee it will not be getting better any time soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if a war of some sort breaks out in the region in the coming months, just as it did in the summer of 2006.
Nothing, however, is more entertaining to me then the inevitability of Israel turning to our government to “diffuse tensions.” The state is in way over its head, and it is yet again, our responsibility to clean up its mess. Of course, we do it so willingly. I hate to say I told you so.
Dina Al-Hayek is a junior political science major and a columnist for the Daily 49er.
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