On the war in Lebanon

The Jordanian political expert Oraib Rantawi has called the war in Lebanon a „turning point“ for the Middle East comparable with the significance of the attacks of 11^th September 2001 for the USA [1]:

“Everything will change. […] I think, we are standing at the beginning of a new aera. And this aera will be characterized by the Islamists.”

Rantawi himself, known as a moderate journalist who was engaged for reforms in the Arab world and for the peace process with Israel, now has “no problem anymore to go hand in hand with the Islamists on the streets. Even to cooperate with them. For me this is an option today – no, it is the option that we have today.”

Because of the brutal attacks against civilians in Lebanon, Rantawi does not believe in the possibility of peace with Israel anymore:
“These aggressions, these acts of pure barbarism, made it impossible for the Arabs, still to regard Israel as something as a partner in a peace process.”

Rantawi seems to express a wide-spread opinion in the Arab world. This radicalisation should make the people in the western countries think harder about its causes.

[1] Interview in die tageszeitung, 19th/20th August 2006, p. 12. Quotes are my translations.