The complete idiot’s guide to Mideast peace – part 234

The new US-Israeli quarrel. How bad is it, really? | The Times of Israel  ‘The withholding of a missile shipment is nothing to worry about, an ex-defense minister says. Others call it a ‘very serious rupture’ ‘

The Israeli-Palestinian struggle has been ongoing for 66 years and more. This makes it the longest running conflict in all of modern history. Indeed, few other wars throughout the millennium seem able to rival it in terms of intensity or duration. Fewer still can ever have commanded such a wealth of media attention or had their every twist and turn scrutinised and commented upon with such thorough deliberation.

And now there comes this apparent misstep or ‘rupture’ in the Israeli-American alliance of those same 66 years and more.

If this actually is that worst-case scenario, an implosion in the relationship between Israel and the US, then the Israeli administration had better be quick about carrying out repairs to what could be a fast deteriorating situation. Naturally, I realise that this is easier said than done but methods exist which can be of some considerable use here. 

Israel has to demonstrate a greater willingness to experiment with new ideas, to move ahead in its outreach to the wider world. There is little point now in simply circling the wagons and maintaining a status quo that has tended to isolate Israel more and more from all external influence and, as it appears, from much needed moral and material assistance. 

Unless Israel shows some serious flexibility in its approach to certain matters, Americans might conclude that they are backing a losing horse in this race, one whose only strength is to hold on and endure against mounting odds and increasing international criticism. 

 www.laxiankey.com – Life must sometimes become a dance; it cannot always be confined to baby steps, especially not when the journey still has some fair way to go before its arrival at some longed-for destination.