In so far as western electorates heed foreign affairs, their attention is currently fixed on Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran. There is a widespread reluctance to think about Israel and the Palestinians, because the problem is seen as wearisome and intractable.
This is rash. At our peril do we ignore the strength of Muslim sentiment. A decade ago, Palestine scarcely featured in the consciousness of Pakistanis, Egyptians or Iranians, even if it inspired the rhetoric of their leaders. But now the issue has become a defining symbol, a litmus test of the west’s willingness to offer justice to Muslims and of its perceived double standards on international conduct.
A senior Jordanian politician warns: “Peace with Israel is today very unpopular with our people.” This is why there is such alarm in the region following US secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s apparently indulgent remarks this month about Israeli settlement building on the West Bank.
Barack Obama’s election, and his spring speech in Cairo, sent Muslim hopes soaring in a way not seen since the days of Jimmy Carter – admittedly an unfortunate precedent. By contrast, it is now widely feared that this US administration, like so many before it, will disappoint expectations.
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