British immigrants in Israel seem to have stuck largely by seasonal tradition: Conversations and social media posts have been dominated by one topic – the arrival in Israel of Salt & Vinegar-flavored crisps. Make that flavoured with a “u” for the Brits and “potato chips” rather than crisps for non-Brits. Sightings, usually accompanied by photos, were posted and the merits of the flavor/flavour earnestly discussed. The Bernie Sanders with knitted mittens meme that went global in January found its local imitation.
Back in the real world, what could have been (or should have been) a major story somehow slipped under the radar for the most part. At the end of last week, a rocket fired from Syria traveled some 200 kilometers before landing near Israel’s Nuclear Research Center in Dimona. The “what ifs” could blow more than minds considering this is where the country’s reported nuclear arsenal is stored. By most accounts, the missile was an “errant” one and not intended to land in Israel but “errant rockets” that can reach a nuclear reactor are not reassuring, to use British understatement.
Last November two rockets fired on Israel from Gaza were attributed to a “mishap” – possibly triggered by lightning. There is no excuse for the 40 or so rockets launched by Hamas over the weekend – some 30 within a few hours. And in the early hours of Wednesday morning, two rockets fell short, landing within Gaza. These were generally labeled “failed rocket launches.” As a resident of a southern Israeli community pointed out, “This means they tried to kill us and failed.”
This week’s rocket barrage is a serious escalation regarding Gaza. Hamas has been successful in tying its attacks on the Negev – every one a war crime, failed or otherwise – with the unrest in Jerusalem, where Muslims have been attacking Jewish residents and often recording the attacks in what is being called “The TikTok Intifada.”
As The Jerusalem Post’s Khaled Abu Toameh noted, both Fatah and Hamas are seeking to use the issue of Jerusalem to distract from the internal problems they are facing ahead of the Palestinian Authority elections scheduled next month. Hamas, in particular, has a record of using rocket attacks to gain attention and blackmail Israel and the international community for funds: Hamas permits rocket fire from Gaza to increase until Israel lets Qatar give it millions of dollars in a cash infusion. Given the number of rocket attacks, it’s clear that a lot of this money goes to funding terrorism rather than helping meet the challenges of COVID and social welfare issues.
The situation poses a dilemma for Israel. The country doesn’t want to risk an exacerbation that could so easily spiral out of control into a full-blown war; but unless Israel responds to rocket barrages on its sovereign territory it loses its deterrence – which could have equally serious repercussions in the longterm.
With the thump of rockets landing in the South providing the sound effects, Human Rights Watch released a lengthy report accusing Israel of “apartheid.” It’s part of a campaign that delegitimizes Israel’s right to exist by turning it into a new South Africa.
The NGO’s executive director, Kenneth Roth, told a virtual conference: “We all hope that the peace process works, but 30 years into it, with no end in sight, we can’t accept that remote prospect as justifying a contemporary abusive reality.”
The thousands of rockets launched from Gaza since Israel fully withdrew from the coastal strip in 2006 suggest that Israel and the Palestinians have a different idea of peace and the value of future territorial concessions.
Israel’s political situation is in such a mess following the fourth elections in two years that it’s hard to follow all the twists and turns in the plot – or whether the plot has been lost, or just who is plotting against whom. But this week, despite the government barely functioning, the Knesset appointed MK Mansour Abbas, head of Ra’am (United Arab List), as one of three deputy speakers. Note to Roth and HRW: That is not what apartheid looks like.
Also this week, the Board of Governors of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced that Prof. Mona Khoury-Kassbari, an Israeli-Arab woman, has been elected vice president of strategy and diversity.
The constant singling out of Israel and hypocrisy are astonishing. A news story that didn’t get enough coverage last week was the election of Iran to the UN Commission on Women’s Rights. Yes, that’s the country where women who dare to be seen in public without their hair covered are flogged and imprisoned. It’s enough to make you choke whatever you’re eating.
In a local feel-good Cinderella story, Israeli basketball team Ironi Ness Ziona was crowned as the International Basketball Federation Europe Cup champions after beating Poland’s Stal Ostrow Wielkopolsk (aka Arged BM Slam Stal) 82-74 on April 25. Admittedly neither the team nor the FIBA Europe Cup are well known, but who doesn’t enjoy being on the winning side?
Meanwhile, on the football field a whole different game is going on since the much feted purchase of 50% of Beitar Jerusalem FC by United Arab Emirate’s Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Nahyan fell through over a failure to be able to provide the promised funding.
Beitar being bought by an Arab sheikh caught me by surprise, even following the wave of agreements between Israel and the Gulf states following the Abraham Accords last year. This week I was taken completely off guard by a story that could literally make waves.
Delek Drilling, controlled by Yitzhak Tshuva, announced on April 26 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding to sell its entire 22% stake in Israel’s Tamar offshore gas field to the Abu Dhabi government-owned Mubadala Petroleum. The deal is reportedly worth $1 billion. Delek, which also has stakes in the Leviathan gas field, was required to sell all of its rights to the Tamar field by the end of the year under government anti-monopoly requirements.
Selling natural gas to the Arab Gulf states is like selling ice to Eskimos or coal to Newcastle, as the Brits say. It’s the opposite of exporting Salt & Vinegar crisps to a country that hasn’t had the chance to acquire the taste.
Nonetheless, at the risk of being a party pooper, I’m wary of the implications of one of Israel’s major natural assets being sold to a newfound peace partner that has plenty of gas of its own.
The deal, if finalized, could turn Abu Dhabi into a new significant player in the emerging Eastern Mediterranean natural gas hub comprising Israel, Egypt, Greece and Cyprus. On the positive side, it’s an expression of normalization with an Arab country, and not only is that a lot better than the rocket attacks from Gaza, but it also demonstrates that peace and business are not as dependent on Palestinian mafia-style demands as HRW and other pro-Palestinian groups would like them to be.
Nonetheless, it reminds me uncomfortably of the Chinese buying spree of Israeli assets.
It could give Abu Dhabi a future say in Israeli policy via the threat of sanctions in times of unrest and the geopolitical situation that exists today might be gone tomorrow. Remember the good relations that once existed between Israel and Turkey?
Furthermore, it might mean that ultimately Abu Dhabi would be privy to sensitive intelligence and security information regarding Israel’s maritime gas fields.
Unlike the availability and taste of Salt & Vinegar crisps, it’s serious food for thought. We don’t want to be all at sea when the chips are down.
liat@jpost.com