It's Always About Us

Tunisia to Egypt:  Herb Keinon of the Jerusalem Post writes that "Recent unrest in Arab world is not about us".

How the Egyptian revolution debunks the Israel-is-the-cause-of-Mideast-instability myth.

From an Israeli perspective, one of the most striking elements of the evolving revolution in Egypt, Tunisia and other parts of the Arab world is the degree to which all of this is not about us.

Abq Jew offers a different perspective: It's always about us.

Not in the sense that, if only Israelis and Palestinians could reach an accord, all the problems of the Middle East would be solved.  But in the sense that Israel shows what can be achieved by ordinary people living in the Middle East.

In so many ways, Israel (and the Jewish people) continue to serve as a Light Unto The Nations.  And in so many places (Tunisia and Egypt just now), people ask: "If Israel can, why can't we?".  They may not say "Israel" - but that's what they're thinking.  And this certainly doesn't mean that they like Israel.  It only means that - it's still about us.

Want a more down-to-earth analysis of what this means to Israel?  Here is a link to Ethan Bronner's piece in The New York Times, which begins:

The street revolt in Egypt has thrown the Israeli government and military into turmoil, with top officials closeted in round-the-clock strategy sessions aimed at rethinking their most significant regional relationship.