An increasing number of Europeans, who are realizing the dangers posed by radical Islam, hold the key to improved relations with Israel.
Pro-Israel rally during Operation Protective Edge (Photo: Reuters)
The past few years have seen many tensions arise between Israel and Europe over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. For that reason, and because of the growing presence of Muslims in Europe (20% of Europe’s population is expected to be Muslim by 2050), quite a few Israelis and Jews are pessimistic over the future of the relations with Europe.
This fear has also been expressed in recent articles which claimed that Israel was losing European support, such as Europe living in denial by Shaul Rosenfeld
Unlike those who tend to lament Israel’s relations with Europe, I am detecting signs of a positive change in the European stance towards Israel, and I believe there is a future to the relations with Europe.
While in the past the majority of the European public was inclined to show understanding and forgiveness towards the violence used by terror organizations like Hamas, whose main claim was that the Palestinians are living under an occupation and siege and that the only way open to them is the road of violence, they are slowly adopting a perception that an appeasing response towards Hamas or terrorists in general may be a detriment. Therefore, we must now – more than ever – work to strengthen the relationship with Europe.
When looking at the anti-Israel protests in Europe, we may be under the impression that the European public is against us. But if we look at the participants, we will see that most of them belong to the Muslim community or to left-wing organizations, and especially to the far left. In fact, some of the protests were held in the Turkish language rather than in the local language (for example, in Austria).
In addition, the change in the European stance towards Israel is also reflected in the European press. Although the European press continues to support the Palestinian side, the words it chooses to use are softer. For example, German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine uses words like “Israeli defense” rather than “Israeli offense,” as well as the phrase “terror tunnel” rather than a more neutral description. Articles about the radical Islam and its link to anti-Semitism have also been published recently.
This does not only characterize Germany but is also expressed in other European countries. In a survey conducted in France recently, 74% of the French people said they did not support any side (only 17% support the Palestinian side and 9% support Israel). Even French daily Libération expressed doubts over the number of Palestinian casualties in Operation Protective Edge.
Pro-Palestinian rally (Photo: Reuters)
Moreover, the outstanding victory of right-wing parties in the recent European Parliament elections reflected a great concern among the European public in regards to the existence of Muslim immigrants in Europe and their influence not only on the European culture and identity, but also on personal safety.
Some of the right-wing leaders like Nigel Farage, the UKIP leader, which won the majority of votes in Britain, is an ardent supporter of Israel and is demanding a less critical stance from European Parliament towards Israel.
Surprisingly, even the far right parties (especially in Western Europe), which were anti-Semitic and anti-Israel in the past, have changed their ways and have begun supporting Israel, while stressing Europe’s commitment to guarantee the safety of Jews living within it.
|
|
In summary, we are witnessing signs of a change in the European discourse about Israel and more Europeans are realizing the dangers radical Islam poses to Europe. Innovative PR activity stressing the shared threat is the key to advancing the relations with Europe and increasing the European public’s support for Israel.
Dr. Esther Lopatin is the director of the Center for European Studies at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya.
@ bernard ross:
T hanks, thought you had gone off kilter, all is forgiven. I shall send it to friends.
@ honeybee:
sooooorry sent wrong link last time
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Israel-looks-to-Texas-as-promised-land-for-energy-5737658.php?cmpid=twitter-premium&t=c24eb8a39d
bernard ross Said:
With extractions techniques the Permian Basin is good to supply the USA energies needs for 50 yrs.. Thanks for the article.
@ honeybee:
especially for you:
Israel looks to Texas as promised land for energy investment
Read more: The Times of Israel | News from Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World http://www.timesofisrael.com/#ixzz3DIjAwG62
Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook
@ yamit82:
Israeli men always seem to be handsome and masculine. What a shame , I have heard of him .
yamit82 Said:
Its not the mob, people just don’t believe Obama. If he were serious the bombs would be dropping. On talk radio no on is calling about the “War on Isis”.
@ yamit82:
Add Belgium, with Dutch-speaking Flemings (about 2/3 of the country and most of the industry and money) splitting away from the French-speaking Walonians in the southeastern part of the kingdom.
But don’t cheer too smugly. The day may come when the Jews of Shomron and Yehuda split from Israel, just like our ancestors did almost 3000 years ago, when they got unhappy over the rule of Melech Rehovoam. (On the other hand, Shlomo ruined David’s strategic defensive system by giving up or losing Israeli control over Demeshek to the northeast. The Assyrians and Babylonians were a payback for Jewish stupidity in management of a Jewish commonwealth, just waiting to happen.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
yamit82 Said:
As you said to the West when I said the very same thing – “That’s your problem, Bud”, the civilized world is humanity and nothing you care about because it is not Israel. In your perfect world everyone living outside of Israel are annihilated – even the the Jews who didn’t have the grace to make Aliyah.
Isn’t that so?
yamit82 Said:
thanks, impressive, I was unaware of this.
@ honeybee:
@ bernard ross:
Daniel Lewin (Levin) – An Israeli Hero Of Flight 11 – On Sept. 11, 2001
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hlojij_fP0
yamit82 Said:
Yes painting, I can spell, cant type. My Angel is resting on her left shoulder while holding a lute. I always paint them with eyes closed, they look more peacefully benevolent. Watched two “old Jews” on Judge Judy suing each other after a fight over a woman. I laughed.
honeybee Said:
Poor thing….
How? Painting?
How does that relate to a pain in the nose?? 😉
War Coming: Nothing The Peace-At-Any-Costers Can Do About It
Obama, the Islamic State and Islam, the enemy which shall not be named.
Isis air strikes: Obama’s plan condemned by Syria, Russia and Iran
Claims that strikes would violate sovereignty, as Syrian rebels welcome move and other Arab states offer ‘appropriate’ support
Posted on 11 September 2014 by danmillerinpanama
Islam is the greatest threat to the civilized world. Obama denies that it is any threat and maintains that it is peaceful.
yamit82 Said:
Claro que si !!!!!!!!!!!! Vaquero. Pulled my shoulder pain a nose.
@ honeybee:
Comment in moderation. I just agreed with you???
bernard ross Said:
Good One 🙂
honeybee Said:
I agree with your assessment. Media feeds the mob with what they know it wants then piles on ad-nausea.
“Bread and Circuses” (panem et circenses)
yamit82 Said:
now we know why isis wants to chop off their heads,
yamit82 Said:
I think split or more autonomy under the fed system more likely
yamit82 Said:
If he attacks assad maybe…I dont think he would get involved if it stays a proxy war but I think Obama will have to stay clear of directly hitting assad
yamit82 Said:
his justificatin was the chem attacks which were starting to look like the rebels did it. he did not want to end up like bush where he goes in because assad used chem weapons and then the russians prove it was the rebels who did it, remember his voters are anti war, anti coup, pro multilateral, etc.. that and benghazi i think made him back off. Now he has the beheaders who everyone wants to war against. No one is saying dont go in , everyone is pushing to do more, a carte blanche
remember the russians came up with the destroy chem solution, which obama was forced to accept, no wiggle room, a diplomatic solution that his voters like
yamit82 Said:
bernard ross Said:
But he had that already but opted out. He never wanted to do Syria before and I don’t think he does now.
Will Putin stand aside or get involved? He still has anti aircraft batteries still not delivered to Assad, thinking he might just sell them to Egypt instead maybe now he will deliver.
What will be the reaction in America when their planes are sot down? Escalation or retreat?
Will Iran support or work against?
Obama will ‘rope a dope’ until after the Nov elections, then what?
Does Obama still see a unified Iraq or one split?
Iranian centrifuges still spinning with a little help from Europe, Russia and Obama. ISIS is a red herring as far as being a serious Global threat. So was Al-Qaeda. Big deal they pulled off a few major and a lot of minor terrorist acts but have helped to almost bury the Western economies.
With open borders and home grown wannabees America is already vulnerable and Europe, 🙂 they don’t stand a chance.
Not from terror or less from terror… from demographics.
yamit82 Said:
Those were ME Christians not Americans.
yamit82 Said:
War what war, do you see or hear anything resembling a war. Here in the States there is more concern of Ray Rice the war.
dove Said:
In a democracy 2 months before a major election???
Ya gotta be kidding.
Senator heckled for Israel support at Mideast Christian confab
Texan lawmaker Ted Cruz booed off stage after making pro-Israel statements during Washington gathering
@ bernard ross:
Exclusive: ISIS Starts Recruiting in Istanbul’s Vulnerable Suburbs
US presses Turkey to close borders to Islamic militants
Kerry meets Turkish FM in Ankara to discuss strategy against Islamic State; 49 Turkish citizens remain in IS captivity
I am disappointed. I thought it was going to be a good weekend. I was going to make popcorn and sit back and watch the ‘star wars’. Wouldn’t a good strategy be to NOT warn the enemy in advance what your planning?
yamit82 Said:
and yet (read the fine print)
basically as a starter, Obama, under the pretense of fighting ISIS is now able to use air strikes to bomb syria and iraq in support of Syrian rebels and to arm, train and fund them with congressional approval. Obama can bomb areas and have them taken over by Syrian “rebels”, wasn’t this what he was trying to get from the chem attacks?
Ditto regarding the Kurds.
same with Iraqi gov but they are not in Syria, western iraq or Kurdistan.
didn’t see assad or hezbullah mentioned to “fill in any areas”
How it is presented may not be actually how it goes. the main thing is that they are now authorized into syria and iraq to do some bombing.
yamit82 Said:
the best prevention is seeing that they are killed while on their vacations. In fact, it could be very convenient for the world to send their jihadis to far away deserts to kill each other……a few fatwas and good salaries should do that trick.
yamit82 Said:
Turkeys story is the hostages at its consulate in Mosul where ISIS set up its headquarters. However, many reports show strong turkish links to ISIS in oil purchase, inserting jihads across the borders. Turkey appears already to be supporting ISIS while claiming its “hostage crisis.”
yamit82 Said:
ISIS is the only reason that there is any threat to the sovereignty of Assad and shia Iraq. without ISIS the western alliance and gulf monarchies would have no leverage as to the future of the area. IMO, the “war against ISIS” is a fig leaf for entering into syria and Iraq by any or all of the surrounding states. Jordan and Saudi rushed their troops to the border, and yet saudi was sending arms to ISIS. the anti-war president is now being pushed by congress to enter Syria and Iraq, how convenient. the result will be that Assad, Iraq shia gov and Iran will lose more control of the area.
As for Bush and Iraq: no one considers that saddam tried to assassinate daddy bush…some sons might very well use the resources of their job to exact revenge….its a very serious personal motivation that might look for any excuse. After all, it was on the way home from afghanistan and everything was available. another war with a similar twist is that Ghadaffi tried to assassinate the current KSA king Abdullah in 2004 before he was king. People take such things seriously……ghadaffi ended in a meat freezer, a message of utter humiliation.
the effect of ISIS will be to continue to improve the fortunes of the western/GCC alliance….before IS their fortunes were getting dimmer and dimmer….and now they have light, and back in the fight….ISIS emerged as it became obvious that the other Jihadis softball approach wasnt working……..ISIS is the shift to playing hardball. MY beleif is that ISIS is run by baath officers and aided by the CIA and supported by the KSA. The planning and objectives have the feel of a CIA shadow corporation where entities are created which become self sustainable and continue as ostensible private corporation with no visible link to the CIA(finance, etc) but with ongoing working links under the table. Many were revealed in the 80’s. The strategic goals of oil fields, etc demonstrated a professionalism and planning beyond the usual jihadi goals. Another unusual strategy was the taking of borders far from the theater of battle, on the saudi and jordan borders. This allowed free clandestine movement without Iraqi interference across the borders. The CIA had links to these officers before the gulf wars and to the sunni tribe leaders of western Iraq when they enlisted them “against” AQ at the surge.
Note that the coalition agianst ISIS is the western/GCC alliance….I think they have a plan…..but its not ISIS
here is a likely outcome after the smoke clears
Is Europe about to breakup into autonomous mini states?
For starters:3
Scotland
Catalonia
Basque
Grave setbacks for Obama’s strategy: Turkey backs out of US-led war on IS. Germany, UK say no to air campaign
@ bernard ross:
Germany to train Kurdish fighters against Islamic State
Will Obama pull a Bush and Ignore Iran for ISIS like Bush did wrt Iraq? Looks that way from here.
Kerry seeks Turkey’s support for anti-IS coalition; France ‘ready to step up military assistance’ for Iraq
Europe is evil and can never be redeemed. Jews need to get out before the Muslim vs. Leftist civil war that will consume the continent, and leave the original Europeans enslaved.
@ Topaz:
and ESPECIALLY Germany. Why would any Jew live in Germany? Surrounded by the German culture and the German language? They must be insane? We have some German communities where I live and I must say – MOST of them STILL have the arrogant, ignorant gene. Why would I choose to live among them? How could a person EVER get emotional healing living under those conditions?
although unrelated, perhaps the baby boomers in the US going into a 20 year retirement phase is whats behind this immigration push and why the gop is also not against it. Lots retiring from labor force and lots less to pay into social security.
Europe is the cradle of the Inquisition, the Crusades, the pogroms, the Holocaust, the BDS, the multi-billions sent to Hamas, the P.L.O etc. (These organizations produce nothing for export, so where do they get all this money). Europe “chose” the Nazi-Islamites. I believe t it is part of the Jewish Stupidity Self-Destructive gene, that even ONE Jew still lives in Europe. IF Europe is changing its tune toward the Jewish people, it can only be because the people realize they need Israel’s help and sacrifice to save themselves and get their countries back.