The recent popular uprisings and demonstrations in a number of Arab countries, largely motivated by desire for more freedom and better economic conditions, have already achieved many tangible results, despite the various complications they are encountering.
The tradition, in many countries in the region, of having presidents for life or have offspring inherit the position seems to have come to an end. Several Arab presidents who have been ruling for a long time have either exited the scene or expressed their intention to do so shortly, promising not to pass the presidency on to their “heirs”.
More significantly, there are indications, as a direct result of the uprisings, of genuine upcoming political reforms in nearly all Arab countries - the more enlightened and liberal, as well as the more conservative and repressive.
The voices of the people are taken more seriously now than at any time before, and Arabs have expressed their desire to see genuine political reforms happening right away. Furthermore, there are strong signs, following the success of the uprisings and the triumph of people’s will, of real democracies finally coming to the Arab scene.
Fighting poverty, unemployment and corruption, on the one hand, and augmenting transparency, accountability and equal opportunity, on the other, is vital for the survival of any emerging regime, as well as for the societies ruled by these regimes.
These are historic gains.
There are also significant gains at the level of freedom, rights, application of the rule of law, and respect for human rights and public opinion.
But while regimes and countries in the region, which have, to date, failed to live up to expectations in all the above spheres, are going through this hard, and often costly, transition, thus paying the price for decades of neglect and abuse, what about Israel? When will it be held accountable for what its neglect and abuse?
Is not Israel, after all, a country that abuses human rights; is it not the most undemocratic and repressive when it comes to the legitimate aspirations and rights of the Palestinian people?
Israel has not only occupied Palestinian (and some other Arab) lands from which it is refusing to withdraw; it is also appropriated the land, building illegal settlements on it, demolishing Palestinian houses, evicting Palestinians, committing atrocities against them in broad daylight, destroying their education, economic and social infrastructure. It is also committing what amounts to war crimes and genocide against the Palestinians. Yet, unlike repressive regimes in the Arab world that are being held accountable for their ill-advised policies and actions by their people and by Western powers, Israel gets away with whatever it does.
One is heartened when the West criticises repressive Arab regimes for oppressing their people and when it exercises all kinds of pressure when it needs to, including sanctions and no-fly zones. But why do we not see any of this when the abuser is Israel?
Is an abusive ruler of a people worse than an abusive outsider and occupier?
Some are saying Israel is happy now that Arab popular attention is turned elsewhere, away from it. Well, it should not. Sooner or later, these same masses that are demonstrating against all forms of oppression, dictatorship or abuse will turn their attention to Israel.
When that happens, it will be interesting to see the Israel’s reaction, as well as that of the Western media and countries, which see themselves as beacons of democracy and staunch advocates of human rights.
Will Israel use more violence and murder to curb the uprising? Will Western countries and media be shying away from pressuring or condemning Israeli (as they have repeatedly done to date)? Or will they be able, for once, to call a spade a spade?
It will be truly interesting to see.
Justice has finally happened in some Arab countries - or has started to happen. When will it happen in Israel? When will Israel’s turn be?
Front Page Features