WikiLeaks: Israeli cynicism justified. ...shocking.

Confession: I ran into this article only through a series of events - email informs me of Facebook update, pull up said social network site to receive message, "liking" Ha'aretz in the past puts it in my newsfeed, yielding an article about WikiLeaks (shocking) at the top of my newsfeed.... and email updates... and twitter feed... and Google buzz. My gosh, it's everywhere. With 21st cent. technology, really, you've either got to be living in a cabin in Vermont or in a cave somewhere (Shepard Smith reference, anyone?) to miss out on some things.

In any case, that which Ha'aretz saw fit to highly publicize: WikiLeaks cables: You can't blame Israel for mistrusting Arabs, says Qatari ruler. Logically, this is something that Israel would be quick to note to pretty much anyone who will listen (and were Qatar's Emir an American citizen, one might imagine possible making use of the Fifth Amendment). It brings to mind, however, a point I heard someone make earlier this afternoon - in much of this, hyped as it is, the news isn't what's being said, but that it is being said. For the most part, we aren't all that shocked. In fact, we might often be more entertained than otherwise - concerned, of course, but entertained nonetheless.

While it makes a nice PR point for the Israelis, this feature of an Arab admitting to the logic of Israel's mistrusting Arabs, I'm going to go ahead and hope this is news to no one. Frankly, it would require a horrendous level of ignorance for either side not to see the logic of their opposition's mistrust. Denial and under-estimation, sure, but to totally fail to note it? Why, in that case, I'd say a peace process would be hopeless, would it not? A party to any dispute that does not see even the tiniest bit of logic in the opposition is not in the least promising for a resolution (short of destruction). Even the hardliners, on either side, couldn't deny the logic of their opposition - under-estimating the worth of your opposition only endangers you by miring yourself in a state of ignorance, ostrich-head-in-the-sand style.

...but again, we know this. We may not like to admit the worth of our oppositions' stance, but denying it cripples our own argument - and these fellows simply aren't that dim-witted. Entertaining (and predictable), though, that Ha'aretz is right on top of publicizing this. "That's right, world, see, even the Arabs have to admit we have cause to be wary." ....Yes, Israel, we know. Anyone who'd deny that is just silly, to say the least. The debate, really, comes in the extent and the reaction.