Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

The Biggest Danger! | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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The great interest in the Iranian nuclear program, whether this interest is political, military, or in the media, needs a pause for reflection. This is especially true in light of the total ignoring of the dangerous and confirmed nuclear program of North Korea and its controversial leader or the ignoring of Israel that violates agreements and treaties. Israel has more than one nuclear reactor and more than 400 nuclear warheads.

What keeps the Iranian nuclear program in the headlines is Iran’s statements and political behaviors, by its continuous interference in others’ affairs and its leaders’ continuous insistence that the Iranian revolution must be exported outside. This in itself is an undeniable goal.

It is known that this is an outright declaration of interference in others’ policies by force and undermining the social and security situation in other states. By continuing to focus exclusively on Iran and considering it alone the “axis of evil”, the Obama administration, as well as the Western society and international community, loses its credibility.

The “axis of evil” is a name invented by Bush Junior and the neo conservatives who ruled with him, pretending to forget that there is a more serious and important evil, which is Israel.

Yes, Israel remains the greatest danger to the Middle East. It occupies territories and has the largest arsenal of conventional, nuclear, and chemical weapons. Moreover, it violates UN resolutions, and no sanctions are imposed on it. Therefore, who will be convinced of any policy or selective decision on Iran if the same thing is not applied to Israel?

This is not at all a stand in defense of Iran where there is autocratic rule in the name of religion, or a certain limited interpretation of religion that invented a political-religious “theory”, called Wilayat Al Faqih [rule by the supreme jurisconsult]. Iran practically turned into a dictatorial regime that caused seditions and divisions in several states and places in the Arab world. Yet, there must be a criterion for a rogue state, instead of focusing on axes, while Israel remains the issue, the problem, and the evil itself.

Israel is today governed by a group that does not hide its racism and its threat to topple the regime of this or that state, exactly as any “bad boy” in the neighborhood would do. Yet, it is described as a democracy and an oasis in the middle of the Arab world.

Israel remains the source of problems, and as the moral gap increases in dealing with it and placing its reckless and terrorist acts in the scales of justice, movements of all kinds will continue to emerge, demanding that they take their right by force from brutal Israel that rebels against the international community and its institutions.

Iran’s nuclear program is worrying and dangerous, and it is in the hands of an administration that does not have a reassuring record. However, Israel, given its history and present stand, remains the mother of catastrophes and mother of dangers. So, let us not forget this fact. Perhaps we will keep reminding people of it.