Netanyahu’s diplomatic offensive

Netanyahu’s diplomatic offensive

Dr. Jassim Taqui

While his critics are questioning his rejection of the EU-supported French initiative to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian crisis on the basis of two-state formula, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised all by a diplomatic offensive. Netanyahu travelled to Kenya and vowed to help strengthen African ties. In the process, the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta  promised to help Israel regaining her observer status at the African Union.

Israel was kicked out of the African Union in 2002 at the behest of Libya. Kenyatta is justifying the move as “ good for global peace.”

The AU, based in Addis Ababa and currently comprising 54 African countries, is an organization dedicated to promoting cooperation among its members.

Ostensibly, the visit is aimed to remind France of Israel’s Operation Entebbe 40 years ago. After terrorists hijacked an Air France plane to Entebbe, Uganda, in June 1976, Israeli special forces launched a spectacular rescue operation. On their way back from Entebbe, the Israeli plane landed in Kenya to refuel.

Netanyahu trip to Africa includes also Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia, the first ever by an Israeli head of state to bub-Sahara Africa in decades.

Netanyahu is also involved in “secret diplomacy with anti-Iran states of the GCC,” who are fed up with the Iranian proxy wars and interference in their internal affairs.

Reaching out to the Muslims, Netanyahu plans to strengthen ties with Indonesia, the largest Muslim state in the globe. He is planning trips to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Selecting Azerbaijan is significant since it is a secular state that has a large border with Iran and majority Shiite population including the ruling regime of Ilham Aliyev. Azerbaijan enjoys good relations with Israel and a grim relations with Iran, which supports Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Kazakhstan enjoys good relations with Israel since both countries established diplomatic relations on April 10, 1992. The embassy of Israel in Kazakhstan opened in August 1992. The embassy of Kazakhstan in Israel opened in May 1996.

Netanyahu plans also to improve Israeli relations with Latin America. He maintains excellent relations with Russia, China, Japan and India.

In retrospect, the diplomatic offensive of Netanyahu seems to build an international alliance in a bid to prevent the establishment of the Palestinian state.

However, one would wonder: Can this tactic delay the two-state settlement? The writing is very much on the wall. Delay is no answer. Delay always breeds danger.