What’s The Deal With Israel?

(Preliminary preamble: Ever since the Lebanese-Israeli conflict I’ve been thinking about Israel’s situation. I had been considering releasing a comprehensive paper, but once I began to consider all of the relevant factors I realized it might take another month for me to complete. I wrote the following segment last night along with most of the next entry, so it should follow shortly. Initially I concentrate on the Israeli-Palestinian relationship since it seems to be the most pressing, but I’ll finish with an analysis of Israel’s global predicament. )

Try and imagine life from the Palestinian perspective. What’s it like really to grow up poor; with occasional bombings cracking the clay in your home and knowing that there’s a group of people living in the same terrain, but instead of suffering they manage to prosper and flourish? I mean, lets compare circumstances for minute.

Israel is hardly poor. Their wealth per capita might not be extraordinary by western standards, but it sticks out quite a bit when you consider their geographical location. Palestine on the other hand is on the verge of a “humanitarian crisis”, with barely enough of the basic essentials to support its citizens. Just next door however, there is a “special” group of people who live on identical terrain who, instead of suffering, manage to prosper and flourish.

Israel has planes, trains and automobiles and the military capabilities to dominate each and every one of its neighbors. Not only do they have the nuclear capabilities to destroy everyone else in the vicinity, but in conventional combat there is no other country that could even hope to put a plane in the air in a time of war. It’s no secret that their air force is one of the most advanced in the world; they may no have the numbers, but they are using the same equipment deployed by the US. But how must it feel to know that your country is defenseless in the event of a conflict? (I can’t imagine that Israel is unaware of the psychological impact their air force has either; it is common practice to “buzz” the area whenever an attack is suspected or occurs.) Since they can control the seaways and airways every import is subject to Israeli scrutiny too.

Israel has powerful friends. While the international community prevents them from completely subjugating their neighbors, the US, Britain, and even Canada is willing to give them whatever it takes to ensure their continued dominance (Canada for its part, mostly contributes “soft power” by way of support in international negotiations (i.e. our contribution is consent (ever heard the phrase “Israel has the right to defend herself”?))). But who’s buddies with Palestine?... Lebanon? (ha, ha)… Syria I suppose, but they’re like an evil sibling who provokes them to bad behavior and then gets away Scott-free. They’re not exactly international superstars anyway. Truth is, Palestine has no friends. (She’s like the lonely creepy-guy who roams the hallways in a black trench coat.)

Supposedly they both have the same kind of government, live in the same physical environment…and people are all the same right? What’s fair about their predicament?