A dictator falls in Tunisia, and Arab strongmen quake; why Israel should care
Two months ago, we examined why there are no Arab democracies (“Why There Are No Arab Democracies; Curse of The Desert”, - Nov. 30, 2010).
The protestors in Tunisia changed that story completely recently when they ousted their corrupt president Zine al-Badine Ben Ali, ending his 23-year strongman rule.
It was the first ouster of an Arab leader by popular protest in recent times. The story now is about how other Arab leaders, all them autocrats, are quaking in their books.
In Yemen the masses are out on the streets. In Jordan, the dissidents are stirring. In Egypt, the youth have taken the Tunisian lesson to heart.
There is one non-Arab country in the Middle East where the events in Tunisian should have been viewed with equal interest – Israel.
Having fought several wars with its Arab neighbours, where it emerged mostly victorious, Israel has invested in a very strong military – without doubt the Middle East’s most advanced fighting force. And, to many people, it’s Israel’s military might that has secured its existence by deterring its belligerent neighbours.
I doubt it. I think the real source of Israel’s real security is that it’s a democracy, its scandalous treatment of some of its Arab citizens and the Palestinians notwithstanding. In the bigger scheme of things, Israel’s army is probably useless.
Being a democracy, Israel has the kind of free press and spirited debate that puts a lot of policies to test, ensuring that they are considerably better than those made by most Arab governments.
This democracy enables Israel to have truly independent business people, and farmers who innovative and keep the profits of their labour.
These democratic features of Israel, I think, considerably disarm the populations of its Arab adversaries, most of whom live on subsidised food from mostly corrupt states. They must, somehow, feel unequal. Also a democracy, Israel is able to call on the resourceful of its women – even in war - while in the Arab countries their talent is locked away behind veils and patriarchal walls.
If more Arab despots were to be overthrown by the masses, Israel’s strategic currency would decline, because right now it is seen by many frightened democracies in the world as the first line of defence against jihadists who are out to destroy the non-Muslim world.
Arab democracies that are not threatening to nuke Isreal out of existence, would give credibility to and create more room for moderates in the country’s politics. That would make it easy and possible for Israel to agree to a meaningful settlement of the Palestinian question.
The Palestinians then, would gain the most from the Tunis uprising. How ironical.
The protestors in Tunisia changed that story completely recently when they ousted their corrupt president Zine al-Badine Ben Ali, ending his 23-year strongman rule.
It was the first ouster of an Arab leader by popular protest in recent times. The story now is about how other Arab leaders, all them autocrats, are quaking in their books.
In Yemen the masses are out on the streets. In Jordan, the dissidents are stirring. In Egypt, the youth have taken the Tunisian lesson to heart.
There is one non-Arab country in the Middle East where the events in Tunisian should have been viewed with equal interest – Israel.
Having fought several wars with its Arab neighbours, where it emerged mostly victorious, Israel has invested in a very strong military – without doubt the Middle East’s most advanced fighting force. And, to many people, it’s Israel’s military might that has secured its existence by deterring its belligerent neighbours.
I doubt it. I think the real source of Israel’s real security is that it’s a democracy, its scandalous treatment of some of its Arab citizens and the Palestinians notwithstanding. In the bigger scheme of things, Israel’s army is probably useless.
Being a democracy, Israel has the kind of free press and spirited debate that puts a lot of policies to test, ensuring that they are considerably better than those made by most Arab governments.
This democracy enables Israel to have truly independent business people, and farmers who innovative and keep the profits of their labour.
These democratic features of Israel, I think, considerably disarm the populations of its Arab adversaries, most of whom live on subsidised food from mostly corrupt states. They must, somehow, feel unequal. Also a democracy, Israel is able to call on the resourceful of its women – even in war - while in the Arab countries their talent is locked away behind veils and patriarchal walls.
If more Arab despots were to be overthrown by the masses, Israel’s strategic currency would decline, because right now it is seen by many frightened democracies in the world as the first line of defence against jihadists who are out to destroy the non-Muslim world.
Arab democracies that are not threatening to nuke Isreal out of existence, would give credibility to and create more room for moderates in the country’s politics. That would make it easy and possible for Israel to agree to a meaningful settlement of the Palestinian question.
The Palestinians then, would gain the most from the Tunis uprising. How ironical.
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