OECD is one place where the occupation won't count
Acceptance to the OECD is what PM Benjamin Netanyahu is getting from the international community in return for starting proximity talks with the Palestinians.
By Aluf Benn Tags: Israel news Benjamin NetanyahuFor Israel, joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is a major diplomatic achievement. Nothing better answers the calls for boycotting Israel than acceptance into the club of developed economies. The timing says it all: This is what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is getting from the international community in return for starting proximity talks with the Palestinians.
Until yesterday, only Netanyahu had given and given. He agreed to a Palestinian state, a freeze on settlement construction and an undeclared construction freeze in East Jerusalem. Now he's also receiving. "The world" rejected the Palestinian demand to leave Israel outside the prestigious organization and use acceptance as a bargaining chip to end the occupation of the West Bank.
The timing of the decision is critical - so close to the start of indirect talks and before difficulties and crises emerge that might taint the spirit of optimism. Had it been delayed, it may have been wasted.
Acceptance to the OECD is part of a fixed formula that was inaugurated during the early days of the peace process. Israel makes concessions to the Palestinians and receives something in kind from the West: more openness, more investments and more business. From Israel's point of view, the political process is a means to be accepted in Europe, America and Asia, not to create a "new Middle East." The Israeli economy faces west, not the neighboring countries.
Nothing more clearly expresses this attitude than acceptance to the OECD. Israel has always sought to become a member of international organizations where the Western bloc of nations enjoys a clear advantage. In the vast majority of UN institutions, for example, Israel is isolated and does not belong to any geographic group. So it can't elect or be elected. But there are no Arab countries in the OECD and the only Muslim member is Turkey, which yesterday voted in support of the unanimous acceptance of Israel into the group.
Joining the OECD bolsters the approach of Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who consider Israel "a villa in the jungle" - a small island of Western values and development in an Arab and Muslim sea. Now we're in the club and the Palestinians, Egyptians and even the Saudis aren't. They're not even on the waiting list. In the OECD they can't bother Israel with decisions condemning the occupation.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. |
| Photo by: Tomer Appelbaum |
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Turkey once again shows that it is not an enemy of the State of Israel but rather angry at Israel's current foreign policy. It showed that it can differentiate between politics and holding a grudge. It approved of Israel's OECD membership.
If thats only what they wanted. They have refused peace often enough to show they want it all one way or the other.
As if these talks will lead to anything!!!
Stay tuned and watch the illegal squats keep going up in spite of Israel,s promises to the contrary. Who with half a brain believes Israel anymore.
You have parasited on EU long enough ,nobody believes you anymore
Don't you just wonder what's up with that? And wouldn't it just be sweet, if it's membership ended up being used as a means to apply a bit of coercive leverage? After all, the organization's stipulations and expectations from its member states haven't gone away just because Israel was admitted. LOL - This may prove to be interesting.
The OECD vote was based on Israel's merits. This is one organization where the Palestinians will not be there to hijack the discussions and monopolize the conversations. Hooray!
Israel's social achievements - or non achievements - will be under scrutiny, and relativity with other countries in matters like health, education, poverty, will be published for all to see. If any demographic section sticks out, that will become obvious too, and Israel has signed up to that sort of scrutiny.
The only peace gesture of substance to have appeared in the Middle East in this century is the 2002 Arab League Peace Initiative, aka the Saudi Plan. This plan comprises the only just and generous (to Israelis) solution for peace. Just to perfection and generous to a fault. The Netanyahu regime has richly earned boycotts and sanctions.
Unfortunately there's no evidence in this report that Israel's acceptance into the OECD was due to the 'proximity' talks. How about some facts?
Rules for marking products produced in the West Bank. A ban on goods manufactured on stolen land in the est Bank. Be careful for what you wish. . . .
No, the Arabs are not part of the OECD and will not be there to propoganize.
Now will the OECD hold Israel hostage when it comes to Iran? Now the question has to be asked. Will Israel risk waiting for the world to try and talk Iran to not make nukes? Or is Israel going to throw away everything they have done to get into this group to protect themselves? I just see it coming Israel being held hostage and be yet again exiled by the world for doing something the rest of the world is too scared to do
'only Netanyahu had given and given. He agreed to a Palestinian state.' Generous of him. Especially considering a Palestinian State was mandated by the same UN declaration that created Israel. This is like me 'giving' my divorced wife that share of the property ordered by the judge. 'a freeze on settlement construction' ...that isn't being observed. ' and an undeclared construction freeze in East Jerusalem.' ' This one's at least consistent. No freeze has been declared -- and construction goes forward. Lots of us 'give and give' like this. Only we haven't the Chutzbah to pat ourselves on the back for it.
Let's be real here...the state they could have had was forsaken by the multitude of Arab armies that tried to vanquish Israel. Just speaking the facts. So, let's not go around crying for the Palestinians...yes, they deserve a state, but not at the expense of 1948 and 2000 when they could have had exactly that and refused.
This is like me 'giving' my divorced wife that share of the property ordered by the A better analogy would be if you wife told a non binding arbitrator to shove it and then years later said she now accepted the arbitrators decision
The UN should have created Palestine in 1948, not decided to split the country on religious grounds, made worse by granting 57% of the country for a Zionist homeland when Jews only made up 30% of the population.
,read Emir Abdullah and 2000 of his bodyguards ,thrown out by King Feisal from Saudi Arabia .