The Israeli assault on the Freedom Flotilla, which sailed under Turkish flags, sent shockwaves throughout the world. The use of force by a well-trained army against a flotilla of civilian international activists trying to get food and medicine to more than 1.5 million besieged Gazans was a war crime. Storming the ship in international waters was also a violation of international law. Yet, as heinous and cowardly as these crimes might be, the most salient aspect of the attack lies somewhere else. Israel's policies have always been in violation of the UN Charter, international conventions, laws and norms. The assault on the Freedom Flotilla in this context is just another crime to be added to Israel's record. The political ramifications are much more important.
To begin with, the "freedom massacre", as it has been dubbed by most of the region's media, has caused as much embarrassment in the Arab world. It must have been truly painful for Arab leaders to hear Arab demonstrators singing the praises of Turkey and its prime minister. It must have been similarly embarrassing for the Arab public to watch non-Arab civilians risking their lives for the Palestinian cause. To add insult to injury, a remote country, Nicaragua, suspended its ties with Israel — just as Venezuela had in the aftermath of the 2008 Gaza war, whereas Arab countries with diplomatic ties to Israel dismissed such a possibility as unwise.
Public opinion
Moreover, the attack on the flotilla has made it almost impossible for any Arab government to support peace efforts in the region. In such an environment, which is already dismissive of the US-mediated "proximity" peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, the unnecessary assault put Arab moderates and peace advocates on the defensive. The Kuwaiti parliament's recommendation to withdraw from the Arab Peace Initiative and the Egyptian government's decision to open the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt are just two early indications of how vulnerable and sensitive moderate Arab governments have become to public opinion.
The shooting of 10 civilians aboard the flotilla has put the Obama administration in an even more awkward position. For some time now, top US officials, including General David Petraeus, commander of the US Central Command and the most influential army officer in the US, have been warning of the dire consequences of Israel's policies for US interests.
Although the US reaction was more muted than any other in the international community concerning the attack on the flotilla, an article by Anthony Cordesman on the website of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies was telling. Cordesman is the top US strategic analyst. He served as national security assistant to Senator John McCain of the Senate Armed Services Committee and civilian assistant to the deputy secretary of defence. He was also the former director of intelligence assessment at the Pentagon. His views are widely shared by the foreign policy establishment in Washington. He can be described as anything but an anti-Israel strategist in the US. His article, ‘Israel as a Strategic Liability', can be regarded as a reflection of the mood inside the Obama administration concerning Israel's reckless policies. It shows that the US has become fed up with Israel's disregard of US interests. "America's ties to Israel are not based primarily on US strategic interests," Cordesman wrote. "The fact is that the real motives behind America's commitment to Israel are moral and ethical ... At the same time, the depth of America's moral commitment does not justify or excuse actions by an Israeli government that unnecessarily makes Israel a strategic liability when it should remain an asset," Cordesman added.
He warned the Netanyahu government that it should "become far more careful about the extent to which it tests the limits of US patience and exploits the support of American Jews".
The Obama administration's efforts to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, build consensus and show deference to international norms have been challenged by Israel. Efforts to seek international support for other American policies, such as those calling for the imposition of sanctions on Iran, are also being undermined.
Dr Marwan Al Kabalan is a member of the Centre for Strategic Studies and Research at Damascus University in Syria.
