Am I the only one who sees that ever since Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed the Crimea, questions over Israel and Palestine have decreasingly been the center of attention of global leaders and international mediators? Am I alone in thinking that, in this changed reality, diplomatic efforts for Israeli-Palestinian peace suddenly seem almost irrelevant?
Thank God, those suffering from ‘peace talk fatigue’ will say. A shame, if you ask me.
I find it particularly dangerous that only a few alert analysts have discussed the impact that the crisis over the Crimea is having on Israeli domestic politics, and indirectly thereby, on the peace negotiations. Particularly, doesn’t anyone care about the way in which Russia’s grip on the Crimea strengthens the cause of those Israelis keen to hold on to the West Bank?
My analysis starts with the only response that the Israeli government has issued to the crisis in the Crimea:
“Israel is following with great concern the events in Ukraine, is anxious for peace for all its citizens, and hopes that the situation will not escalate to a loss of human life. Israel hopes the crisis in Ukraine will be handled through diplomatic means and will be resolved peacefully.”
By not joining in on the almost global trend to condemn Russia’s aggression, many assume Israel has sent a very clear and informative message. US involvement in Israel is waning, and the Obama administration is unusually critical of Netanyahu’s settlement and occupation policies. As such, the narrative continues, Israel seeks to maintain good relations with other major powers such as China and, indeed, Russia.
Fine. As a small country in a hostile environment largely dependent on support from powerful friends, there should be room for neutrality. But does this move really disclose impartiality, or is it a euphemistic statement of support for Putin’s expansionist move, one that radical Israelis wish their government would duplicate in the West Bank?
It is important to remember that revisionism is until this day a popular ideology amongst several factions in Israel’s political elite. Not the kind that regarded the Jewish historical homeland to include today’s Jordan of course, this was abandoned in the 1970s, but the version which specifically targets the West Bank as integral to the historical land of Israel, and forbids it to ever be ceded to Gentile authorities.
Many members of Israel’s current government still openly support the cause for a ‘Greater Israel’, obstruct efforts in favor of a two-state solution, and wish the world would stop interfering in what they see is their legitimate right to reclaim lands that are historically theirs. This is the ideology underpinning Netanyahu’s settlement policy, and is one of the greatest obstacles to advancing peace efforts.
The Russian-Ukrainian dispute over the Crimea is bringing these political objectives within hand’s reach. It feeds into narratives suggesting that annexation comes with international outcry, but can apart from that go relatively unpunished. Less radically, the fact that the US’ attention is now on the Ukraine buys the Israelis more time to establish facts on the ground which are close to rendering the creation of a Palestinian state physically impossible.
The latest reports from the region tell us that John Kerry cancelled a meeting scheduled with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to instead attend a session of the US-EU Energy Council in Brussels. The cancellation comes at a critical moment for the peace process, as less than a day earlier Israel announced 700 new tenders for housing units in Jerusalem neighborhoods across the Green Line, and the PA signed 15 international conventions the Palestinian State is interested in joining.
Despite downplaying the political significance of his change of plans, Kerry has shown international observers that for the time being, the US does not consider the Middle East peace process as important as it does working on the Ukrainian-Russian crisis. While the impact of his efforts there are disputed, one thing is certain; spoilers on the Israeli side to the conflict seeking an opportunity to, as they would say, ‘unite’ the Greater Lands of Israel, are laughing up their sleeves.
Middle East Peace Portal 