Israel vs. the universe, the Europeans have an answer Israel understands: Economics
Palestine, Politics, 5/20/1998

Israel's international crises have increased lately but nothing seems to have any influence on its prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu who has proved to care only for his survival and nothing but his survival.

After the US has come close to an open encounter with the Netanyahu government, the Europeans have already opened a front against Israel. Lately, Singapore has also joined the anti-Netanyahu campaign. A Singaporean official statement quoted in Tel Aviv said Wednesday that the authorities in Singapore had rejected an official visit by Netanyahu to their country out of fear that such a visit would lead to further deterioration in relations between the two sides. Singapore refused a request to facilitate an official visit to the country by Netanyahu. The Singaporeans noted that were Netanyahu to visit them officially, they would have "to express their opinion about Israeli policy regarding the peace process publicly which would not be conducive to good relations."

Netanyahu has strongly attacked the European Community saying it had lost its impartial mediator status in the peace process because of its stand on products of Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories. Netanyahu said he would not stand idly by in the face of the European Commission's boycott of products from the Jewish settlements. He noted that this change in policy decided upon by the EC proved that it was "a biased player."

He added that the European decision would put an end to any attempt by the EU to play a mediating role in the peace process. Netanyahu reportedly hinted to an Israeli option of withholding job opportunities from Palestinian laborers, in response to a rise in Israeli unemployment that would be engendered by the new EU sanction under discussion. The statements attributed to Netanyahu had already stirred some anger within the EU. Manuel Marin, Vice President of the European Commission and head of the Middle Eastern desk said the EU did not need to hear a "political lecture from Tel Aviv."

In Tel Aviv, Israel's finance minister, Yaacov Neeman met with representatives of 15 European countries to discuss the issue and was told that boycott would only affect products made in the Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories and not in Israel proper. To counter-balance the effect of the European boycott, the Israeli Industrialists Union said it would give preferential status to all Jewish settlements in the Occupied West Bank and the Golan Heights in order to compensate them for their losses as a result of the European boycott.

Peace activists in Israel, meanwhile, praised the European move and said that all Jewish settlements built in the Occupied Territories could not be considered part of Israel and their presence is illegal. "To label products made in the Jewish settlements as if they were made in Israel is simply cheating on the international community and this should be brought to an immediate halt," said Adam Keller, the spokesman of the peace bloc in Israel.

Yet Netanyahu's problems did not cease at his friction with the European Community. His basic problem seems to be coming from the US where officials in the State Department hinted the Bill Clinton might finally blame Israel for the present stalemate in the peace process. Briefing the press on Tuesday, US State Department Spokesman James Rubin said that the day on which the Americans would be forced to announce the failure of the talks is not far away. He said that the US would come out and explain the reasons for the failure. Rubin's message was clear. Even though he did not mention Israel by name, it was obvious that the blame is directed towards the Israeli government and Netanyahu in person.

Reading out from a written announcement, Rubin said US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met privately with President Yasser Arafat and explained to him where things stand, following her talks with Netanyahu. According to the statement, Arafat agreed to the US ideas, and the Americans do not intend to change them. The US did not pose an ultimatum, but rather a conditional invitation. President Arafat agreed. Netanyahu did not. The US pointed out that in the absence of and agreement to accept the American ideas, the invitation no longer stands. This is the reason that the summit did not take place in London eight days ago.

During the past week, Rubin read from the written announcement, the US continued its serious work to find a way that would enable Netanyahu to agree to its ideas. His words were clear and he openly said that the US was not interested in conflict for the sake of conflict, but rather in advancing the peace process. "The US is not sure whether the efforts will be successful," said Rubin. He added that once the US officials reach the conclusion that it will be impossible for them to achieve an agreement, they would be forced to come out and say so, and explain why they were not successful. "That day is not far away," he said. US sources said that the Rubin statement was unprecedented in its severity and hinted that the statement was apparently dictated to him directly by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

Israeli and Palestinian sources, meanwhile, said they do not expect the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Dennis Ross, to come to the region in the coming few weeks noting that the only diplomacy in town, for the time being, is by telephone. US officials have been keeping in a close touch with both Palestinian and Israeli officials to see if there is any chance to break the present stalemate in the peace talks. But a definite stand by the US, sources in Tel Aviv said, is not expected before Albright meets with President Bill Clinton in a few days to sum up the overall results of the US mediation efforts in the Middle East.

Previous Stories:
  Palestinians praise concrete economic pressure on Israel by Europe   (5/20/1998)
  Chirac dissatisfied with critical Middle East situation   (5/18/1998)
  Albright: time to seize the moment   (5/13/1998)

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