Having lived in the Middle East for six years and travelled widely in the Region I think that the routine description of Israel being the only democracy there is overdone. Yes Israelis vote and (say) Emiratis do not. But, frankly, I’d rather live in Dubai than Tel Aviv!
The progress made by Israel over nearly eighty years to expand their borders lies four square behind Netanyahu’s ambition to create Greater Israel. This is pure Lebensraum. Along the way some Arab states made grievous errors with military assaults on the fledgling Israeli state. And Arab terrorist movements like Hamas and Hezbollah have done the same. But over the years, and especially recently, Israel’s response has been disproportionate.
The Iran/Iraq war, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, the Human Rights abusing states like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and many other instances of institutionalised terror show that it is wrong to characterise the region in a binary way – “Arabs good, Israelis bad” (and vice versa) is unhelpful. But when push comes to shove the Arabs (and the Persians) will oppose Israel (sometimes collectively).
In this continued tinder box situation Israel’s expansionism feeds the fire. They may by force acquire Gaza and settle there, as they have done elsewhere. But does anyone seriously think that will contribute positively to the resolution of conflict? Rather the reverse surely ?
Paddy’s Blogs in a crazy world 
Netanyahu and his zealot cronies are following pure Zionist fundamentalism. Every bit as vicious and destructive as Islamic fundamentalism.
Religious faith has a lot to answer for.
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