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We'll end up all alone here

Op-ed: Tired of running the world, America will slowly leave Middle East – and Israel – behind

Assuming there have been no dramatic changes in the work procedures of the American Embassy in Tel Aviv, this op-ed was translated into English at 5 am today. Three hours later, when the American ambassador arrived at his office, he found the translated article on his desk, read it and decided who to send it to in the United States.

 

There will be no official response to the issues raised here, and if there is – it will discuss "identical interests, shared moral values… The US has supported Israel from its inception and will stand by Israel in the future as well." The unofficial response will be something like "hmmm." And the real response, probably and unfortunately, may be: "There's something in it."

 

So let's get down to business, and we'll start from the end: America, if one can generalize, is abandoning us – the Middle East in general and Israel in particular. It's not a matter of weeks, months or even a year. It's a process which will take a long time, and when it ends we will remain here, in the Middle East, all alone. It will be us against all Arab countries in the first, close circle and in the second, more distant circle, and if one can determine with the required gentleness: The scarier circle, which includes the 1.25 billion Muslims living today.

 

If I may guess, America is tired of being the world's policeman, not to mention the fact that in its eyes this not so distinguished role carries a heavy price: From its performance as a policeman in Iraq or Afghanistan, for example, it sees coffins covered with an American flag travelling down a conveyor belt at the Air Force Base in Delaware. The use of a conveyor belt means that there are not just one or two coffins coming down, and one hint does not suffice. That, of course, contradicts an opinion we so like to spread: That the Americans (and Arab countries too) are insensitive towards their victims.

 

Best minds must be recruited

Much has been said and written about America crossing its eyes back home: About the major drop in the US dependence on the Middle East's sources of energy, about the tendencies of separatism hiding in America for years, about the diminishing Jewish power, about a government which has a decreasing interest in competing with Russia, etc.

 

All these claims are faced by the administration in Washington, which repeatedly asserts that "there is no justification" for these arguments. This was strongly reflected in President Obama's first, and so far last, visit to Israel. remember? He said in Hebrew, "You are not alone." And he was right and is right.

 

America is still holding our hand and another hand, and is affecting us mostly positively. Without it we have no life, certainly no economical and security-related life. Our security at the moment depends entirely, or almost entirely, on the great America, but – please do not forget – the Egyptian army today is fully dependent on the US as well. Can we be comforted by the fact that if America leaves the Middle East behind, both Israel and Egypt will suffer? Absolutely not.

 

So what is left for us to do? First of all, to understand and know and learn and realize that this is a process which will likely be slow, and will very much depend on who will be the next president of the US, after Obama, and what his policy will be in regards to the role the Americans are already tired of playing: Running the world.

 

Secondly, recruit the corps. America is still abundant with friends of Israel, Jews and non-Jews, who believe in Israel and in its values. Although they are already weary, and the memory of the Holocaust no longer "appeals" to them as it did before, we can still offer an exchange of generations and new blood and create, perhaps, a new Israeli momentum with the new Israeli, the one which has become a synonym for high-tech and innovative technology.

 

And thirdly, don't get America entangled in what it doesn’t wish to get entangled in: For example, chemical weapons; for example, nuclear weapons. That's the last thing the Americans need now: To be asked why they are blasting Syria over its chemical weapons and falling silent when someone mentions the Israeli nuclear weapon. Putin is already taking advantage of the opportunity which has fallen into his hands and has been climbing this roof in the past few days, and we must recruit the best people and the best minds – to try to divert the fire away from us.

 

Our question today is: Do we have the best people? Or will the Jews here in Israel suggest that we pray "devise a plan but it will come to nothing," and then, oops, the entire world will fall at our feet?

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.22.13, 19:35
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