Israel’s fictitious apprehension

In Israeli rhetoric, there seems to be two main trends of its self-proclaimed apprehension. One, which is hardly ever commented upon publicly, is related to the issue of colonialism and dependency. In the absence of such dependency as exhibited by the international community, there is a possibility of Israel’s disintegration. This, however, remains elusive. The other purported apprehension is a figment of Israel’s diplomatic imagination, this time articulated by its ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon.

Apart from the usual periodic laments, Danon has now referred to the US presidential transition period as “a very sensitive period”, according to a report in Israel National News. He cited the French conference and two other initiatives dealing with Israeli settlement expansion, as well as Palestinians seeking to claim autonomy over land east of Ramallah, before claiming, “All of this [is taking place] at the end of Obama’s term in office to take advantage of the transition period.” Predictably, Danon stated that Israel is “working behind the scenes” to ensure that the US remains faithful to its policy of vetoing any UN resolution that is deemed to be even slightly critical of Israel.

There is nothing that indicates a shift towards US support for the Palestinian right to liberation. The past days have witnessed a recapitulation of the usual overtures glorifying proposals which buy time for further colonial expansion while increasingly shifting the focus from the Palestinian people to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Incredibly, with opinion polls putting public support for Abbas at an all-time low, he has been described by the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process as “the soul of the Palestinian people”.

According to Ma’an news agency, Nikolay Mladenov said that, “Fatah has turned a people of refugees into a nation seeking freedom and statehood.” Not only have the concepts of freedom and statehood become grotesquely distorted when discussed within the corrupt framework of the PA, but Mladenov’s crass over-simplification of history is also exaggerated to the point of extinction.

As can be seen, any notion of apprehension on behalf of Israel is non-existent. Whether or not the PA proceeds with “balanced” resolutions at the UN Security Council, there is ample evidence of a colonial process fully supported primarily through the international community’s unequivocal decision to avoid referring to Israel as a colonial entity in Palestine. It is absurd to insinuate that the timeframe and events constitute some sinister conspiracy to alter or hinder colonial expansion. Indeed, Palestine has deteriorated to a point that current events seem to be providing a backdrop, rather than influencing any tangible, positive change for Palestinians.

However, since exaggerated discourse is a staple of the international scene and there is no formidable opposition to challenge the lack of any real basis for Danon’s latest dramatic intervention, the remarks will add to the illusion of a purported bias against Israel. The result is also predictable, forcing Palestinians further into oblivion until convenience dictates that a sliver of temporary recognition is necessary. In the meantime, Danon hogs the limelight while Israel prioritises colonial expansion and is assured of complete impunity.

As long as success is measured by the perpetual failure to assert Palestinian history and memory, Danon’s rhetoric will continue to provide the accentuation and affirmation of international hypocrisy towards Palestine. Israel is far from apprehensive about anything; claims to the contrary are pure fiction.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.