[The
Telegraph, U.K.]
Financial
Times Deutschland, Germany
Israeli
Onslaught May Work in Obama's Favor
"As long
as he's not in office, he can't be assigned responsibility for the escalation.
Obama has therefore wisely refrained from speaking out publicly about the renewed
violence. … Should Israel's calculations prove accurate, this military conflict
could be over in time for the new president's term in office to begin. Obama
could then make a fresh start."
EDITORIAL
Translated By Ulf Benche
December 31, 2008
Germany
- Financial Times Deutschland - Original Article (German)
Barack
Obama is not to be envied. The U.S. economy is blowing up in the incoming
president's face and a crisis has erupted between critical allies India and
Pakistan. And in Gaza, a war rages.
At this
very moment, the future leader of the United States, from whom many expect a
change for the better on the international level, must sit and watch yet
another bloody conflict in the Near East [Middle East] take its course.
At this stage,
however, Israeli military strikes against Hamas could prove a small advantage
for Obama. As long as he's not in office, he can't be assigned responsibility
for the escalation.
Obama has
therefore wisely refrained from speaking out publicly about the renewed violence in
the Middle East. Should Israel's calculations prove accurate, this military
conflict could be over in time for the new president's term in office to begin.
Obama could then make a fresh start - with a weakened Hamas and soon, a new
Israeli government. There have been worse conditions for a new Middle East
initiative.
This
scenario is full of speculation - yet there’s a lot of evidence to back it up.
Israel can hardly be interested in a prolonged war resulting in a large number
of casualties in its own ranks. In the context of upcoming parliamentary
elections, dead Israeli soldiers would be a heavy burden for the ruling Kadima
Party. It's therefore entirely conceivable that Jerusalem will very quickly pick
up on any offer by Hamas for another ceasefire.
[The Times, U.K.]
At the
same time, neither is it in the interests of Israel’s neighbors for this
violent conflict to persist, or even worse, escalate. The radical Hezbullah Party
[Lebanon] is above all interested in consolidating its power in Lebanon. Syria has
been pursuing what has proven to be an incredibly adaptable foreign policy and
will be reluctant to give up its newly-found relevance. And Fatah leader [and
Palestinian President] Mahmoud Abbas, who has broken with Hamas, presumed too
much when at the start of the conflict, he blamed the escalation on his fellow
believers in the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s
goal may well be to teach Hamas a painful lesson; perhaps create a buffer zone
and then withdraw. The current escalation will not in any way change the Middle
East's fundamental balance of power.
CLICK
HERE FOR GERMAN VERSION
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
January 5, 6:00pm]
