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Introduction: Israel at 40
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14611 |
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CURRENT ISSUES
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5 / 1988 |
679 Words |
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One hundred years ago, the famed Zionist Theodore Herzl wrote of Israel: "In order to achieve a homeland secured by international law, we must first present to the world the evidence of our existence as a people. If the people are there, then the piece of land which it needs comes by itself."
It took 60 years from then to win the land, and today, 40 years later, Israel is still struggling to secure it. As the joke goes, few would have imagined that the only piece of land in the desert without oil would be so coveted.
Israel at 40 is a tumultuous land of remarkable accomplishments and continuing challenges. To mark Israel's anniversary and to examine its current crises and future prospects, THE WORLD & I asked prominent academics and journalists to participate in our special report.
Bernard Reich, professor of international relations at George Washington University, describes the Israel of 1988 as a "country at war with its neighbors and in turmoil at home." Yet Israel has managed to establish a liberal democratic political system that has "melded immigrants from more than 70 countries" into its population. Israel is renowned for its scientific accomplishments and has become "a respected military power."
Israel achieved the latter status without formal military ties, but with very formal military aid from its strongest ally, the United States, which considers its ties with Israel a strategic asset.
Writing on the history of relations between the United States and Israel, former Ma'ariv editor Moshe Zak says that each crisis between the two states seemed at the time extremely serious but represented in historical perspective, "family squabbles overcome by a combined effort of reconciliation." Shipments of F-16 fighter jets were once withheld from Israel when it bombed the Iraqi nuclear reactor, and again after Israel bombed a PLO stronghold in Beirut. Other signs of American displeasure have surfaced over Israel's role in the Pollard spy case and in the recent conflicts over the Palestinian uprisings. The Israeli government's refusal to participate in the new Shultz peace process may place even greater strains on the relationship.
The U.S. push for Middle East peace is carefully chronicled by former Middle East correspondent Evans Johnson. Johnson follows Secretary of State George Shultz through a demonstration of shuttle diplomacy not seen since the days of Henry Kissinger and Camp David a decade ago. The key to such proposals has always been a trade of territory for peace. Today's leaders, both Israeli and Arab, have so far rejected the U.S. plan which, for the first time, offers the Soviets an official place at the negotiating table.
Finally, two scholars prophesy about Israel in the year 2000. Nasser Aruri, a Palestinian professor of political science at Southeastern Massachusetts University, believes that today's riots will turn into a "full-scale revolt" by the end of the decade. The "ungovernable mass of Palestinians" will no longer be "desperadoes" but will have become an educated, organized grass roots movement. Israel's government of national unity will be a government of national disunity based on a coalition agreement that is "more negative than positive." Aruri says that the future of Israel depends upon
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