By H.R.H. Prince El Hassan bin Talal
The Daily Star

(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

STORY SUMMARY

This is not to diminish the very real threats that Israel does face.

Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the sense of separateness cultivated by Israel and its neocon ideological bedfellows in Washington prevents many in the Arab world from seeing Israel as a potential partner in regional development, a viewpoint that is only exacerbated by the intellectual intimidation of militant Islamist extremists.

Israel recently granted a U.S. company, Genie Energy, the first license to explore for oil in the disputed Golan Heights, an area of Syria occupied and illegally annexed by Israel during the 1967 War.

The Israel angle, however, does not explain the sudden warming of U.S. relations with Iran.

If any meaningful change is to occur in the region, Israel must be an equal partner in it.

More importantly, the United States can encourage Israel to acknowledge its own role as a stakeholder in regional stability and development.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Columnist/2013/Sep-30/232996-israel-as-a-partner-in-regional-change.ashx#ixzz2gSR53QW1
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)