Reality in the Middle East

In The Nation, Rashid Khalidi weighs in on "Anger in the Arab World."

He argues that, despite Israeli efforts,

There will be no "destruction" of Hezbollah, and no "uprooting" of its infrastructure or that of Hamas, whatever the results of Israel's siege of Gaza and its merciless attacks against Lebanon. The rhetoric about "terrorism" has mesmerized those who parrot it, blinding them to the fact that Hezbollah and Hamas are deeply rooted popular movements that have developed as a response to occupation--of the West Bank and Gaza for nearly forty years, and of southern Lebanon from 1978 to 2000. Whatever one might say about the two movements' callousness in targeting civilians (a subject on which Israel's defenders are hardly in a position to preach), both have won impressive victories in elections and have provided social services and protection to their people.

It's nary impossible to uproot popular movements, especially when trying to do so by violence invariably increases their popularity. Israel would do well to understand this before more people start to realize what's going on.

Outside of the US, nobody is buying Israel's schtick and Olmert and crew are only going to antagonize international opinion further. At this rate, maybe Israel will realize the international pariah status that its actions so often seem to merit.