Israel gets the green light from U.S. to profit and pry, Linda S. Heard

Opinion, August 2003, www.aljazeerah.info

Israel gets the green light from U.S. to profit and pry,

Linda S. Heard

Gulf News, 12-08-2003

In one of her recent articles, American National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice seemingly lauds the highly disputable premise that the Iraqi people have reclaimed their country, adding that America is working to provide them with "greater security and greater opportunity".

Swap the word "Iraqi" for "Israeli" and "their country" with "Iraq" and Rice's overly optimistic statement holds a ring of truth.

As though the Bush administration's cronyism when it came to handing out Iraqi reconstruction contracts wasn't contemptible enough, we are now being told that an Israeli firm - yes, your eyes don't deceive you - an Israeli firm, Iridium Satellite Israel, is set to supply Iraq with five million dollars worth of public telephones and to market mobile phones with the blessing of the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Of course, I could be wrong but I'm prepared to bet that if the Iraqis have truly "reclaimed their country" as the piano-playing politician would like to orchestrate in our minds, then an Israeli company wouldn't even make it to the starting line, at least not as long as the Israeli government continues playing charades in an attempt to dupe the Palestinians and the world.

Naturally, in an unprecedented spirit of "kiss and make up", Israel's Finance Minister and most hawkish, anti-Arab Member of Parliament Benjamin Netanyahu "graciously" signed a permit authorising trade with Iraq, marking Israel's recognition of Iraq as a friendly nation.

In a similarly conciliatory vein, with a covetous eye on the bottom line, Netanyahu earlier told a group of British investors that oil from Iraq's northern oilfields would flow, via Jordan, to the port city of Haifa. The existing pipeline was shut down in 1948 after the creation of the Jewish state.

The U.S. reportedly backs the export of Iraqi oil to Israel, which would not only transform the Israeli economy but also fulfil America's obligations under a 1975 Memorandum of Understanding when the U.S. guaranteed Israel's oil requirements in the event of a crisis.

Oil diversion

This commitment extends to the U.S. having to divert oil to Israel from its domestic market even during periods of worldwide shortfalls.

To add insult to injury, Bahrain's Batelco was forced to close down its Iraq mobile phone network shortly after beginning Baghdad operations, while Kuwait's MTC-Vodaphone roaming service suffered a similar fate at the hands of Iraq's American rulers.

Indeed, almost all Arab cell-phone networks and some European ones are excluded from bidding for lucrative cell-phone network licenses, since the Coalition has stipulated that no company, which is more than 10 per cent government-owned will be allowed to participate in tenders.

Darrell Trent, a senior adviser at Iraq's Ministry of Transportation and Communication, told Reuters that the 10 per cent clause wasn't meant to give U.S. firms the upper hand over Arab companies, a statement which no doubt rings hollow to the Bahraini and Kuwaiti bidders.

Batelco, however, seeks to circumvent the restriction by joining a consortium in which it will retain a mere 27 per cent stake.

"I think the whole world will be watching to see how we open this new market," said Trent. Indeed! It must surely raise eyebrows that while an Israeli company is welcomed into Iraq with open arms, firms from Iraq's Arab neighbours are effectively being deterred, if not barred, from entering the communications race.

Apart from an affront to the political sensibilities of Iraqis amid questions concerning the legality of an occupying nation awarding major long-term contracts, opening Iraqi communications to an Israeli firm is surely a threat to Iraq's security, that same security which Rice insists America is sworn to protect.

Iridium Satellite Israel is a subsidiary of Iridium Satellite, a provider of global satellite voice and data solutions, which is sub-contracted to the U.S. Defence Department. It's hard to imagine that the company's interest in the Iraqi market is merely one of profit margins.

Israel already has a plan to place surveillance satellites in near-to-earth orbit so as to spy on countries such as Syria, Iran and Libya, which it deems hostile to its interests. Such a programme would mean that for the first time Israel would be independent of the U.S. when it comes to early warning systems.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that some Iraqis feel the only way to take back their country is in the same way it was taken from them - by force. As much as the Pentagon likes to portray attacks on its service personnel as the work of Saddam supporters or terrorist groups, reports out of Baghdad indicate that Iraqis who previously celebrated the downfall of the former regime are incensed that one dictatorship has been replaced by another. It's only natural that they would be disgruntled.

Reconciliation

I'm all for peace and reconciliation, but such a Utopian condition has to evolve on its own, spurred by mutual goodwill in a spirit of compromise, and cannot be imposed by self-interested third parties.

Rice says in her commentary that the U.S. wants "greater freedom and opportunity for the people of the region". Fine words but where is the substance? Free Iraqis would not be awarding contracts to Israelis and neither would they allow their oil to lubricate a nation which oppresses their fellow Arabs. As things stand, opportunity is knocking for the U.S. and Israel with Britain and Australia hoping to catch the crumbs.

"The people of the region" can only stand, stare and wonder at this new topsy-turvy reality and just how much further America's waning credibility can be stretched before it snaps.

The writer is a specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She can be contacted at lheard@gulfnews.com

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).