Israel's Support for the Chinese Military Could Harm the United States

[TomSea]

April 23, 2019
Israel's Support for the Chinese Military Could Harm the United States

A desire for trade and cash in Israel’s government simply reinforces the delusion that China will take the Jewish state’s diplomatic and military interests into account.
by Michael Rubin

The votes are now all tallied and Israeli prime minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu has come out on top for a historic fifth term as Israel’s prime minister. Among Europeans, progressives, activists, career American diplomats and professional peace-processers, hand-wringing abounds. Shortly before elections, for example, Netanyahu promised to begin annexing portions of the West Bank and his government began planning for 3,600 new housing units in West Bank settlements. Bringing anti-Arab racists into his coalition and Netanyahu’s famous arrogance has only heightened anti-Bibi opprobrium among his critics.

For U.S. policymakers, none of this should be top concern. The annexation of some settlement blocs was something to which Palestinian negotiators agreed prior to the Camp David II Summit in 2000 and, according to both that draft agreement and Ehud Olmert’s 2008 peace proposal to Palestinian chairman Mahmoud Abbas, would be compensated for by land swaps elsewhere. As for the inclusion of Jewish Home-Jewish Power extremists, this reflects Netanyahu’s willingness to prioritize power over principle, but the rhetoric among some Arab parties aligning with the left is equally extreme and their positions equally racist. For better and for worse, democracy gives a voice to everyone.

When it comes to the peace process, it’s the same-old, same-old. If President Donald Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner’s “Deal of the Century” turns out to be actually substantive, then negotiations will restart. If not, they will remain dormant. That is less on Netanyahu than on Abbas, who has never made a counter offer to Olmert’s 2008 plan. Regardless, the Arab Spring coupled with broader Arab rapprochement with Israel has underscored how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is no longer central to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East. The plight of Syrian refugees, China’s repression of Uighurs, and Libyan chaos are all more pressing.

Read more at: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/israels-support-chinese-military-could-harm-united-states-53872