Tuesday, May 03, 2011

The downfall of the Middle East Peace Process post bin Laden death and the Arab Spring.


I believe there has been diminished support for al Qaeda in the Arab world and the two events are not linked.


Are we seeing a transformation of the Islamic community to be empowered in a way they have used violence to be heard?  That is obvious.

Will the Arab Spring result in a Peaceful Middle East?  Don't know yet and it will be an ongoing process that will have to be measured through intelligence.  I believe Israel has a right to be cautious.
When the attacks of September 11, 2001 occurred Palestine was praising the attacks.  To say the oppressed appreciated the hatred bin Laden had regarding the USA is an understatement.  Will that diminish as those without 'clout' gain a voice in government?  That is always the hope.  Will that happen?  Don't know.  If Lebanon is a 'test' of such a process, then there is hope, but, that hope comes with danger from extremists that do not see empowerment as the 'end result.'  Some in communities, such as Hamas, see only the world as perfect if it is not shared.  They are backed in their extremist view by a nation named Iran. 

Extremism never has a place in a civilized world where tolerance and 'diversity' is valued to achieve a propersous and peaceful world.  Defeating extremism is a dangerous game and that is never more so than in the Middle East.

I am not surprised Hamas has opposed the death of bin Laden, they praised him when he murdered Americans within their own borders.
 
Seems 'status quo' so far.
Tue May 3, 2011 6:13am EDT
By Jeffrey Heller
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to use a visit to Britain and France to portray Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's unity deal with Hamas Islamists as a blow to already dim prospects for peace.
Netanyahu is due to hold talks in London with British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday and see French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on Thursday.
It will be the Israeli leader's first trip abroad since the surprise announcement last week that Abbas and his long-time rival Hamas had agreed to a unity pact that envisages formation of an interim government and Palestinian elections this year.
"This is a major problem and raises all sorts of questions, and that issue will be very much on the table," an Israeli government official said on Tuesday.
"If the (Palestinians) are going for a unity government with Hamas, there's no doubt that's a step in the wrong direction -- a very negative step."...