Al-Raya, Qatar, May 14
The most recent confrontation between Israel and Iran is certainly not the last. The two countries are determined to set lines in the sand that the other side must not cross. They view Syria as a zero-sum arena in which only one of them can eventually win. Israel has, accordingly, taken bold measures against any Iranian attempt to establish a permanent presence in Syria. Faced with this hard-line stance, the Arab world seems to have chosen to side with Tel Aviv. Arab leaders have put aside their criticism of Israel and its oppression of the Palestinian people and embraced the Israelis. Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa even tweeted that Israel has a right to protect itself against Iranian aggression. Sadly, much like Al-Khalifa, the Arab world seems to have forgotten that Israel is a colonial occupying power. Having harassed, expelled and killed Palestinians for over six decades, Israel is not capable of suddenly changing its true colors overnight. Its ultimate objectives and core interests remain the same, and they stand in complete contradiction to the interests of the Arab world: that is, to take over the most amount of Palestinian territory and erase the Palestinians’ connection to their land. In Israel’s view, the Sunni Arab world is nothing but a temporary ally. Let us remember that during the authoritarian regime of the Iranian Shah Israel maintained close relations with Tehran. It even encouraged the Shah to act against his Arab neighbors, since such hostility was to Israel’s advantage. Now, as American pressure on Iran is mounting and as the Iranians face further chaos in Syria, there is a true chance of regime change in Tehran. This is what Israel ultimately wishes to see happen. A new Iranian regime, in Israel’s eyes, can be compelled to stand by Israel. At that point in time, the Arab world will cease to be a legitimate partner. The Sunni world is a mere pawn in a larger game of geopolitical chess controlled by Israel. And you can already guess who will be the biggest losers. –Abd al-Nasser al-Najar