The Muslim Brotherhood did with ballots in a year what it never could do in the Gaza strip: become a legitimate, recognized political power. With today's election, Egypt embarks on a new path in its long history. So far, the rhetoric has been acceptable. No country is holding its breath while waiting to see whether the Brotherhood means what it says more than Israel.
Fortunately for Israel, unlike Syria and Turkey (both answer only to Iran) Egypt is beholden to no one but its voters. Will the Brotherhood act responsibly, or will it use its platform to sew strife and unrest? Only time will tell if the voters have a voice, and if so, what that voice says.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
World of Walls
With more strife on the Sinai horizon, Israel hastens to build yet another wall. Israel is betting on Egypt heading towards Sharia law ruled by the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Sinai desert becoming a launching point for for rockets and militants, a la the Gaza Strip. The violence has already begun.
With this wall, Israel may make its borders and citizens slightly safer. It also presents another barrier to Africans (especially South Sudanese) looking to escape to Israel. I defy you to find another middle eastern country to which people are escaping. No other country has a promise to fulfill to such divergent groups of people. It exists to protect victims of genocide and provide them with a home. Genocide now comes to diverse people in the dark corners of the world (mostly at the hands of radical Islamists). The real question is whether Israel can fulfill the promise of its founders, to shelter the would-be victims, and maintain its identity as a Jewish state. To most American Jews, being Jewish and sheltering victims (or would-be victims) of genocide are one and the same. Israel must build walls, but those walls should be semi-permeable.
With this wall, Israel may make its borders and citizens slightly safer. It also presents another barrier to Africans (especially South Sudanese) looking to escape to Israel. I defy you to find another middle eastern country to which people are escaping. No other country has a promise to fulfill to such divergent groups of people. It exists to protect victims of genocide and provide them with a home. Genocide now comes to diverse people in the dark corners of the world (mostly at the hands of radical Islamists). The real question is whether Israel can fulfill the promise of its founders, to shelter the would-be victims, and maintain its identity as a Jewish state. To most American Jews, being Jewish and sheltering victims (or would-be victims) of genocide are one and the same. Israel must build walls, but those walls should be semi-permeable.
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