As regime change in Egypt seems to be moving closer all the time, Israeli officials are getting more and more shrill in their public condemnations of the notion that the nation might hold free elections at some point to replace the outgoing dictator Hosni Mubarak.
It is not, of course, simply that Israel is afraid the US will no longer be able to call it the “only democracy in the Mideast” – after all Lebanon has held extremely credible elections without anyone noticing. Rather it seems Israeli officials realize an accountable government will not readily comply with the long-standing demands on the peace treaty: particularly as it relates to Egypt keeping the population of Gaza under permanent blockade.
It is this concern that gives rise to serious editorials in the Israeli press asking “Can Israel only make peace with dictators” and vigorous comments from that nation’s rulers suggesting the answer is a resounding yes. Israeli demands towards a neighbor like Egypt or Jordan are so onerous that only a dictator could ever comply, and then only with a handsome reward of US aid.
But as Israeli officials demand that the West ensure any “elected” Egyptian government comply with all of those demands, and as they continue to push for Mubarak’s regime to stay in power, they seem to be angering more and more Egyptians. This will only ensure that the free Egyptians, and make no mistake they will be free, will hold Israel in the same regard as the Obama Adminstration as those that stood opposed to the notion of freedom as simply too inconvenient to be allowed.
“…Israel officials demand that the West….” Demands?
Egyptian revolution exhibits enormous humanity and wisdom of the people beyond the need to react to any “demands” from anyone, particularly from those who practice what people of Egypt despise and fight against. Hats off to Egypt!
The 900 pound Gorilla in US mideast foreign policy is the Israel lobby(AIPAC),Likud leaning "American think tanks".They are now trotting out the talking heads on TV.The same "EXPERTS" that pushed for last Iraq war and were lining up Iran in crosshairs.
Ginsburg,Senor,Bolton,Pollak,ect,…
Make that a 9,000 pound goriila. And a mean and ugly one too.
Israel is afraid the US will no longer be able to call it the “only democracy in the Mideast” – '
I suspect they really are afraid that someone will notice that the "democracy of Israel" sure treats one group of citizens much better than the other. They might also notice that one group has a right of return on claims thousands of years old while those who were expelled in 1948 are not allowed to return. They are afraid that the world will notice the the majority of the correct religion still have transfer committees with the role of expelling people of the wrong religion. They are afraid that the word will get out that the jews of northern africa were barred from the right of return because Ben-gurion wanted only european jews in his new country. I can understand a nation which gets so much free money from the USA taxpayers would not want to give up all that free wealth especially if they can just continue to act like they are peaceful farmers who want to live and let live. Every knocked down arab home yells throws mud in the face of those yelling that we are the only democracy in the middle east. It was very well expressed in animal farm all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
Israel is a democracy – when it feels like it.
How will they be able to keep telling us they are the only democracy in the ME
if they let Egypt be a democracy? Makes perfect sense….
the "only democracy in the ME" will not tolerate rivals
If Israel is so worried about democracy in Egypt, why don't they offer the IDF to Mubarak to maintain his grip on power? Surely the vaunted IDF can sweep away whatever resistance the Egyptian civilians can offer, can't they? Give Egypt the Palestine and Gaza treatment and kill a few thousand innocents and that will calm things down, won't it? If Israel is so worried, why don't THEY do something about it instead of whining for the US to take the heat for them?
Oh yeah- Jewish troops in Cairo killing Egyptian civilians… no potential for blowback there ~
They'd rather have chump Americans do their dirty work for them, just like with Iraq.
I have not seen any calls for Sharia law and few comments that even lean towards "Death to America" from the Egyptian protesters. They want their freedom. They want to get rid of Mubarek as soon as possible. It bothers me that the Israelis, the Neocons, and the Mainstream Media seem obsessed with the spector of the Muslim Brotherhood. I think they are just aggravating the Egyptian people by not taking a clearer stand for the freedom of the people. Benjamin Netanyahu's vote of support for Mubarek will almost guarantee that Mubarek will be swinging from a tree by the end of the week.