Government in Crisis

Benjamin Netanyahu has managed to survive the latest threat to his staying in power as Israel's Prime Minister. A move by Knesset members to vote for new elections has been put off for two weeks as violence in the West Bank continues. The latest violence erupted following Israel's insistence that it would not release Palestinians who have Israeli blood on their hands as part of the Wye Agreement signed in November. The Palestinians believe that the Palestinian Authority has somehow conspired with the Israelis and that their interests are not being followed because they felt that the Agreement was to free Palestinians who were in Israeli jails regardless of the crimes.

Violence has also escalated due to high tensions in Hebron where the small Israeli enclave in the center of the city is home to extreme right wingers who see it as part of their birth right to live in this holy city. Skirmishes between the Israeli settlers and Palestinians has occurred where access to the Israeli enclave has been blocked or restricted by Palestinians who are upset with the fact that Israel has not completely turned over Hebron to the Palestinians. Palestinian Authority security forces have been attacked by other Palestinians for complicity with the Israelis even though this is part of the Oslo Accords and the Wye Agreement.

Elsewhere in the region, the Iranians have been removed from a US listing of countries that are supportive of the drug trade through growing drug crops. This was seen as a barrier between the Iranians and US since this prevented further normalization of relations between the two countries. Iran has been successful in reducing and eliminating the drug crops and participation in the drug trade. This will likely improve the economic relations between the two countries and bring further stability to the region.

Meanwhile, the situation in Lebanon has not improved where Israeli forces are struggling with a quagmire akin to the US involvement in Vietnam. Israeli soldiers have been stationed in South Lebanon since 1981 in an attempt to protect Israel's northern border but this has largely been unsuccessful as the Israeli forces have come under attack from Hizbullah guerillas numerous times, killing and wounding hundreds over the years. This year also marks one of the deadliest years since the Israeli occupation began and there are no signs that this situation will improve unless Israel unilaterally withdraws from South Lebanon.

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