Comparative politics: methods and approaches

Israeli-Palestinian Situation

In the last decade or so, a sequence of regional changes has created a window of opportunity for inclusively for the Middle East peacemaking. The regional balance of power usually has shifted in the last ten or fifteen years in Israel's favor. The fact is that Israel has become more powerful and has given rise to a new Israeli that showed his eagerness to negotiate and to concede in negotiations with its Arab neighbors.

Current Scenario

The Security Council interrogation of the envoys of both Israeli and Palestinian as both the governments failed to apply the council resolutions that demanded an immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian cities. However, upon having a meeting between the two parties, it concluded to have an Arab request for a crisis open meeting on the Middle East rising conflict. The Palestinians hoped to have a council approval of a new resolution that demanded instant implementation of two resolutions that have been taken on in the past three weeks with an aim of stressing Israel to withdraw its troops and tanks quickly, which unfortunately did not happen.

Analysis and role of parties and domestic politics

The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, whose government may last until late 2002, after which the Labor Party may challenge him under its new leader since many ideological differences persist within the ruling national unity government along with the domestic politics of Palestinian-Israeli violence increase. The Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, is trying to seek for the results since it's getting more and more difficult to hold together his varied national unity government.

Even though international pressure to moderate Israeli policy toward the Palestinians has reduced little recently, but he is still fighting to balance international and domestic calls to maintain dialogue with Palestinian officials in a bid to ease tensions.

However, if Mr. Sharon continued his focus on following only a military strategy against the Palestinians, it will become difficult for Labor as well as for right-wingers in the government to keep their differences aside. Furthermore, then again, if security talks lead to proper peace talks regarding the Palestinian- Israeli issue, it will expose also the wide divisions in the coalition.

Moreover, since September 2000, the increase in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has further reinforced in more recent weeks, that is joined with the delicateness of the domestic political environment, which has led to augment the doubt over Israel's international position.

However, the Unites States has started to interfere more actively in the conflict in order to protect its other interests that are in the region, although the frustration at the lack of progress in persuading calm has led the United States government to give increasing support to Israel's position.

Analysis and role of surrounding countries

Israel's relations with each one of its Arab neighbors are nearly always part of a multi-lateral equation. Thus, one can observe relations with Egypt that are linked to Israel's views and concerns about other Arab states. On the other hand, Palestine is closely connected to relations with Jordan, and relation with Jordan are linked to Iraq. Furthermore, Syria and Lebanon are clearly inter-related issues.

All these surrounding countries have given its immense support in solving this issue. However, Israel's relations with its neighbors are barely ever strictly two-sided. Consequently, in the Israeli frame of mind it is never simply an Israeli-Palestinian equation, but one in which it is incumbent upon Israel to relate to Palestine within a context that includes other regional players, above and beyond the Palestinians.

Therefore, the peace process between the two countries, which has both domestic politics and varied views, and support of governments is not the product of an ideological change in the way that the Arab world particular Palestine and its surrounding countries had changed its attitudes towards Israel nor have most Israelis have changed their ideological perceptions.