Israel’s Mess

JERUSALEM — Israel is currently in the midst of a mess. But, like others that Israelis have experienced, it is likely to be temporary.

The context is made up of several major holidays, the month of Ramadan, plus Pesach, and several holidays around Easter.

Those manage to heighten feelings that we can call religious, and/or nationalistic. While the leaders of Israel, and the two clusters of Palestinians (Gaza and the West Bank) urge restraint, individuals seek to express whatever moves them.

Crowds of young Muslims are running amok on the Temple Mount, while others in the West Bank and Gaza accuse Israel of molesting them. The result to date has been several rockets fired from Gaza, most of which either don’t make it out of Gaza or fall on empty land in Israel. And most recently rocket fire from Lebanon, most likely from Palestinians there. And there have been Israeli reprisals. Artillery fire to Lebanon, and closing of the gates from Gaza, keeping the workers at home.

So far without upsetting things too far in the direction of major warfare, but we’ll see how it develops.

And Jewish extremists have not been quiet. They have sought to enter the Old City via the delicate Damascus Gate, with Israeli flags flying, and to reach the Temple Mount via the most provocative routes possible. Police have stopped them, and directed them through less sensitive routes.

That hasn’t quieted Jews who view the Temple Mount as essentially Jewish, and the site of what should be built, or rebuilt, as the Holy Temple.

Against them are Muslims who deny the realities of history. It was once Jewish, with a Temple perhaps constructed by Solomon, that was destroyed by the Romans.

It’s all a part of the continuing snarl, unlikely to be “solved” in any like a complete and final package.

Israel has developed into a strong state over its more than 70 years, with diplomatic relations with a number of Muslim countries, and more or less open relations with others. Yet there remain individuals opposed to any Israeli existence, and many others who want some formulation of a Palestinian state.

Indeed, the creation of a Palestinian state, alongside of Israel, is part of the policies annunciated by the U.S. and a number of other countries closely aligned with both Israel and the Palestinians.

But the issue of Palestine’s creation, and its borders, remain open. Gaza’s borders are clear, but the West Bank is fluid. There are Israelis who want more settlements, or larger settlements within the West Bank. And Palestinians plus their supporters, who want a capital in the Old City of Jerusalem and some of the nearby land.

But all that remains unresolved, and perhaps unresolvable. And tensions heighten in the context of religious and national holidays, hopefully in a modest and temporary fashion.

All the while there also remains a fuzzy cooperation between the security forces of Israel and Gaza plus the West Bank. Along with tensions within the West Bank and Gaza, and sharp disputes between the Palestinian leaders of the West Bank and Gaza.

The mess is not only that of Israel, but of Palestine, whatever that is.

Lots of open questions, along with many suggestions of who’s responsible and how to solve things.

A great deal of noise, for those who listen and participate. But meanwhile more than 100,000 Palestinians are working on a daily basis in Israel, and there is a great deal of commerce between the areas. And continued efforts by Egypt, Jordan, and other Muslim countries concerned keep things as quiet as possible.

Call it what you will. It ain’t neat.

And alongside the mess of Israel and Palestine is the mess of Israeli government. Lots of parties, claims of ideological differences, but they’re mostly differences in group leaders, egos, and postures. Currently there is close to a tie between an opposition cluster led by Likud, with an indicted Benjamin Netanyahu at its head, and a government ranging from claims of being right to claims of being left, with an Arab partner. Threats of a break-up, but we’ll see if the pragmatists manage to stay afloat, or if there is a collapse. Then maybe an election, which doesn’t seem likely to clear things up.

We should end with a WOW. But that’s where we are.