TEHRAN - Edward Corrigan, a political analyst from Canada, believes that as a new reality for “the Jewish State”, it is the first time in West Asian history that Israel can be attacked by the Axis of Resistance from all sides.

“For the first time Israel is facing resistance at all of its borders. This is a new reality for “the Jewish State.” The rockets from Gaza have terrified many Israelis who thought they were immune to the consequences of the Occupation. So this is in fact a step forward for the “Axis of Resistance.” Israel can be attacked from all sides. However, these homemade rockets do not represent a serious threat to the Israeli dominance of the region. One of the most hopeful developments is the vocal opposition from Jews in Israel and around the World to the Israeli attacks on the Palestinians and in particular the savage attacks on Gaza,” notes Edward C. Corrigan, who is an international lawyer and political analyst.

The following is the full text of Corrigan interview:

Q: How do you characterize the current situation in Palestine?

A: The situation is chaotic. Netanyahu and other right-wing politicians are competing to see who can be the toughest on the Palestinians. This is the reason for the expulsion of 28 Palestinian families in Sheik Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. As many as 1,500 Palestinians will be evicted from homes they have lived in for decades. There are now more than 600,000 Israelis living in illegal “Jewish only” settlements in the Occupied West Bank. They get to vote in Israeli elections and are a critical constituency that decides who forms the government in Israel. Right now the Israeli Knesset is deadlocked. Netanyahu has failed to form a government. The task has been given to another right-wing politician. Ironically it is the Arab bloc that may decide who forms the government in Israel.

Q: Why are international organizations, specifically the UN, silent? What about Arab monarchies?

A: Most Western states were silent about these attacks or issued platitudes and doing nothing. The issue was brought forward at the United Nations Security Council but the United States used its veto to block any action.  The Muslim World has slowly condemned Israel’s actions as well as the Arab League. But as the Israelis know they can ignore these statements as they are not backed up by any action. The United Arab Emirates even threaten Hamas and Islamic Jihad that they would cut off the money they were receiving unless they stopped firing rockets into Israel.

I am not aware of any similar threat that UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, who all have recently recognized “the Jewish State,” made to get Israel to stop its onslaught against the Palestinians and Muslims in the Al Aqsa Mosque. Israeli troops even violated the Mosques inner sanctums and fired tear gas and stun-grenades’ at worshippers at prayer. These attacks are serious violations of the Muslim worshipper’s rights and religious freedom. The silence of the West on these gross violations of human rights is appalling.

Q: Can it be argued that West Asian equations have changes in favor of the Axis of Resistance?

A: For the first time Israel is facing resistance at all of its borders. This is a new reality for “the Jewish State.” The rockets from Gaza have terrified many Israelis who thought they were immune to the consequences of the Occupation. So this is in fact a step forward for the “Axis of Resistance.” Israel can be attacked from all sides. However, these homemade rockets do not represent a serious threat to Israeli dominance of the region. One of the most hopeful developments is the vocal opposition from Jews in Israel and around the World to the Israeli attacks on the Palestinians and in particular the savage attacks on Gaza.

Q: Do you agree with the argument that Western powers have historically been the main cause of Palestine question?

A: This conflict between Zionist settlers and Palestinians has been going on since 1922 or even earlier. Britain made contradictory promises. In 1915 they promised the Arabs that if they revolted against the Ottoman Turks they would get an Arab State. The British then made a deal with France in 1916 called the Sykes-Picot Agreement where Britain and France divided up West Asia amongst themselves. Finally the British in 1917 promised Zionist Jews to establish a “Jewish national home” in Palestine provided that nothing was done to harm the rights of the indigenous population nor harm Jewish populations in other countries. These promises were all contradictory and impossible to reconcile.

These conflicting promises have created a perpetual state of warfare in West Asia. I believe that was the intention of the Europeans as they pursued a divide and conquer agenda. There have been spasms of violence where the Palestinians and neighboring Arab states suffered severely.  The major events were the 1948 War, the 1956 Suez War, the Six-Day War in 1967, the War in 1970-71 over the Suez Canal, the Ramadan War in 1973 where Egypt and Syria tried to regain lost territories, the 1978 and 1982 invasions of Lebanon and the 2006 invasion of Lebanon; plus the various uprisings of the Palestinians against oppressive Israeli military rule.  Most of these conflicts were started by Israel. Violations of Arab airspace and Israeli attacks against Lebanon and Syria are nearly a weekly event.

Peace will not be achieved until Israel loses a war which is unlikely because the Western supplied and funded Israeli war machine has almost complete domination over the regional West Asian states.  Or that the Palestinians give up and accept living in an Apartheid state or are ethnically cleansed from their homeland. The last alternative is that a courageous leader emerges in the “Jewish State” that is prepared to co-exist with the Palestinians in a democratic state that treats everyone as an equal. Rabin was taking tiny steps towards this goal but he was assassinated by a Jewish Settler for talking to the Palestinians.

Q: In your thought, why did Israel -especially Netanyahu- start this escalation by inciting Palestinians?

A: The Israel electorate is badly divided. Netanyahu is facing serious corruption charges and many of the Israeli politicians are trying to show the right-wing electorate that they can be tough on the Palestinians and suppress any sign of resistance to the “Jewish State’s” rule. Incitement towards the Palestinians is a common tactic to win the support of right-wing Israelis and the 600,000 Jewish settlers that live in the West Bank.

Q: What will be the regional consequences of the Israeli aggression?

A: There are few hopeful signs. Israel’s electorate is becoming more right-wing and racist in its orientation. The progressive Left-wing Zionists have left Israel or are in disarray. In the current conflict “the Jewish State” is surrounded on all sides. In response to the Israeli soldiers and Jewish settler attacks on Muslim worshipers at the Al Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem has provoked an angry response from Muslims and their allies. Peaceful protestors assembled on the Lebanese-Israel border and crossed into the Jewish State. Israel labeled these protesters as “terrorists” and attacked them. Similarly, protests erupted on the Jordanian border and Israeli troops fired on Jordanian soldiers and protesters.