Israel has attacked Gaza Flotilla (dead and wounded)

[Helen Reyes]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/wo...330176.htm

Israel faces diplomatic wilderness

English.news.cn 2010-06-02 22:59:40

by David Harris


Palestinians attend an anti-Israel protest in Gaza, June 2, 2010. A general strike on Wednesday dominated the West Bank and Gaza Strip in support for the victims of the Freedom Flotilla, which was attacked and seized by the Israeli army on its way to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza on May 31. (Xinhua Photo)

JERUSALEM, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Nicaragua became the first state to suspend diplomatic ties with Israel in the wake of the Israeli interception of a flotilla making its way to the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the deaths of at least nine of those on board.

Turkey has also warned that it is seriously considering the future of its relationship with the Jewish state. Ankara gave strong support to the vessel that headed the flotilla, which was boarded by Israeli forces on Monday. Four of those killed were Turks and a large percentage of those arrested hailed from Turkey.

Others considering taking some form of diplomatic action include Dublin, which is watching the situation closely as an Irish ship, the Rachel Corrie, heads for Gaza in a bid to breach the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave.

Israeli analysts told Xinhua on Wednesday that the actions of the international community thus far could well prove to be the tip of the iceberg.

IN DEEP WATER

The extent of Israel's problems became clear when the Americans refused to veto a condemnation of Israel at the United Nations Security Council. The United States did succeed in watering down the wording though.

The fallout from the maritime operation has derailed the recent improvement in ties between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Gilbert N. Kahn, a professor of political science at Kean University in New Jersey.

"The U.S.-Israeli relationship, which had been seriously strained following the Jerusalem settlement controversy that had erupted during the visit to Israel by (U.S.) Vice President Joe Biden in March was improving," he said.

Now, even the recently launched indirect peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians look to be on ice.

Netanyahu had hoped to meet Obama this week but called off his visit to the White House in order to douse the flames back at home.

"Obama could not have been very happy with Netanyahu cancelling his meeting. I'm pretty sure that Obama had some very strong and decisive words to say to Netanyahu," said Gershon Baskin, the Israeli chief executive and founder of the Israel-Palestine Center for Research and Information.

The knock-on effects from the flotilla episode will not just be felt in relations with the United States but in Israel's dealings with many countries, experts predict.

Qatar in the Gulf does not have official diplomatic ties with Israel but there is a quiet relationship. That is expected to be damaged in the wake of the affair.

Baskin can also see a situation whereby some African states, with which Israel has invested much time and effort to build a bond, will decide to cool relations or suspend them for the time being.

Gerald Steinberg, a professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University, prefers not to predict which nations may choose to sever ties with Israel but adopts a generally pessimistic attitude regarding Israel's current standing in the club of nations.

"This has the narrative that Israel is guilty and that Palestinians are victims. On that basis this could definitely mushroom," Steinberg said on Wednesday.


An activist injured during Israeli attack on a Turkish aid ship bound for Gaza is stretchered onto an ambulance at the airport in Ankara, Turkey, June 2, 2010. Israel began expelling all activists seized during a raid on an aid convoy sailing to Gaza that has drawn international outrage. (Xinhua Photo)


PRECEDENTS

Steinberg compares the latest saga to those of the fighting in Jenin in 2002 and the publication last September of the Goldstone report on the findings of the Gaza war that began in December 2008. In both cases Israel was on the receiving end of a global lashing.

Israel maintains that much of the criticism was unfair and not even-handed. Nonetheless, the international community saw Israel as the guilty party in both instances and Israel lost many friends as a result.

"No matter how legitimate Israel's claim might be to sustaining the Gaza blockade, it will never change public perception of the humanitarian-suffering Gazans; nor can it persist in assuming it can operate totally alone in the world of nations," Kahn explained.

It is a point picked up by Baskin. While he notes that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, he says the world does not want the continuation of Israel's economic stranglehold on the strip.

The lone voice that seems to be in favor of the Israeli marine actions is that of the Czech Republic.

The chairman of the Senate of the country's parliament, Premysl Sobotka, is currently in Israel. He reportedly told his Israeli counterpart that Israel was in the right to board the Turkish ship, that Hamas is a terror organization and that others in Europe feel the same way as the Czechs but will not say so publicly.

ISOLATION IN FACE OF OTHER CHALLENGES

Most foreign diplomats are shying away from supporting Israel at the moment, which leaves many here feeling that the country is turning into a pariah state. That will make it even more difficult than ever for Israel to achieve its aim when it comes to its major international challenge -- Iran.

Israel exploits every opportunity to push its allies to persuade the UN Security Council to impose new tough sanctions on Iran. Israel is convinced that Tehran has a secret nuclear weapons program. Netanyahu has repeatedly said that only sanctions against the Islamic republic's energy sector will bear fruit.

But some observers say Israel does not have the resources to fight so many battles at once.

Israel "cannot constantly be engaged in damage control and image repair. When a genuine crisis will occur, Israel will need friends and supporters," Kahn suggested.

"Israel needs to comprehend that operating alone in the world with one friend plus Diaspora Jewry is hardly a recipe for progress," he added.

The damage is already done and there is little Israelis can do to backtrack, said Steinberg. In the short term, he suggested, Israel should focus on the Rachel Corrie ship and any subsequent bids to break the blockade.

Israel cannot allow the boat to do so and as a result there will be further diplomatic strife, he warns.

"There are no real allies right now. The U.S. to some degree. I suspect the U.S. won't do much more for Israel so this is going to be a disaster on many fronts and so I think you're going to see Israel digging its feet in and increasing its unwillingness to allow weapons to flow through into Gaza," said Steinberg.

Baskin, however, thinks that perhaps Obama will use the opportunity to force the Israelis and Palestinians back to real talks over and above the indirect parley that began last month, as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton put it:

"Ultimately, the solution to this conflict must be found through an agreement based on a two-state solution negotiated between the parties. This incident underscores the urgency of reaching this goal and we remain committed to working with both sides to move forward these negotiations."

Editor: yan