Will Palestinians join ISIS caliphate?

By Lloyd Levy

EILAT, Israel –While soaking up the sun in Eilat ( 100F. this week), my body was idle but my mind was still ticking over. I had a Damascene revelation, on this ancient road from Cairo to Damascus.  The symbolism of Eilat’s location occurred to me. It is at the head of a small bay, with four countries bordering each other along a stretch of coast probably no more than ten miles long. Those being Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi. What was once a very important overland trade and pilgrimage route , is now all but an impregnable barrier.

This is a stark microcosm of all the artificial borders and states created by British Administrators throughout the Middle East, on the defeat of the Ottoman Caliphate after World War One.

Moreover, Lawrence of Arabia spent some time in the Eilat area (although Eilat didn’t exist at that time), mapping the country for British Military Intelligence. He then went on to help carve up the whole Middle East, along with Gertrude Bell and other British Administrators, into artificial states, better to divide and rule.

These artificial borders have lasted 100 years, but the weakening of the USA and the “West” in recent times, has given an opportunity for al-Qaida (aka. ISIS, ISIL, Nusra) to try to recreate a Sunni Caliphate over the whole area and indeed into North Africa also.

I apologise for this historical background, but it  is essential in understanding the very significant, far reaching, and historical events that may be unfolding. The British Parliament has recently proposed that a Palestinian State be established, adding another meaningless non-state to all those they created in earlier years..  However the irony is that they may be 100 years too late.

If the Caliphate idea puts down roots, which I suspect it may do, despite (or because of ?) the appalling barbarism of its exponents, then the Palestinians will almost certainly want to be part of it. A mini state of Palestine will no longer have much appeal to the Arabs, even if it still does for all the anti semites in Europe.

Essentially, the crucial point that I am trying to make, is that “Palestine” is probably no longer relevant. A separate Palestinian state won’t have any appeal even to the Palestinian Arabs, because it is an idea that may already be past its “best buy date“. They will want to be part of a larger entity, namely the reincarnated Caliphate.

What this means for Israel, and its borders and security, is quite impossible to ascertain at this time.

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Levy is a freelance writer who divides his time between London, England, and Eilat, Israel.  He may be contacted via lloyd.levy@sdjewishworld.com