Mideast quiets down

I'll say with a degree of cautious optimism that the fighting in the Mideast has ended and that it won't reflare for a short while. Still, it's important to note that unless Israel under +Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership changes course in terms of the settlements, and attempts to occupy both the West Bank and Gaza, another flare-up will happen. Israel has weakened Hamas, but not very fully, as it still has some strength to fight another war. However, demographics are not on Israel's side long-term, as there are fewer Jews than Arabs giving birth in the area known as Israel/Palestine. Additionally, many Israeli Jews are leaving Israel primarily to avoid serving in the +Israel Defense Forces. Others are leaving from being fed up with the Orthodox rabbinate kowtowing to the Ultra-Orthodox community on social and economic issues.

To those who are not familiar with Israeli politics, let me say this: the damage done by +Likudnik - ליכודניק and other right-wing parties in Israel is very similar to that done by the +GOP and other right-wing groups here in America. Many in Israel have quit trusting Likud primarily because they see Israel becoming more isolated from its primary ally on the world stage. Think about it, +Barack Obama's administration has become less and less willing to blindly follow Israel's foreign policy objectives in the Mideast. As a matter of fact, the Obama Administration has been more outspoken about Israeli militarism to the point of almost directly calling Netanyahu to task of explaining why Israel will continue to sabotage any further peace talks.