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A new false dawn

"What is clear is that the aftermath of the election, during which time all eyes will be firmly on the US as the dust settles, provides Israel with another opportunity to drag its heels even further in terms of the peace process.

Last night's invasion of Gaza was carried out at a perfect time to bury bad news; further delays and distractions from the Road Map can be put down to a lack of global political stability during the transition from Bush's outgoing administration to Obama's incumbent government.

"The new president will take some time to get ready," an Israeli diplomatic official told the Jerusalem Post. "And it is unlikely he will do anything here until we are ready, which probably won't be until after Pesach [next April, once Israel's own elections have occurred]."

With that in mind, anyone under the illusion that the new dawn in America would bring an immediate ray of light shining down upon the Middle East would do well to sit back and play the waiting game. Because, despite all of the positive signs now that Obama's been installed in the White House, the knock-on effect of his election could take a long time to filter halfway round the world to the eternally-troubled Holy Land."

Who says? Seth Freedman [an English Jew who has migrated to Israel] does in Comment is free in The Guardian. Depressing? Sadly, yes!





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