There was a belief during the Cold War that the USSR would not tolerate the US-supported arrogant Israeli expansionist policy. During that period, however, both big and small wars took place as a result of which Israel occupied the lands of five Arab States. Further, Israel invaded and occupied Beirut and even went as far afield as Uganda. The USSR did nothing but called for red lines that were of no value.
The only war in which the Arabs succeeded in directly threatening Israel was the one that took place in October of 1973. However, that war was a victory because the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat expelled his former ally — the USSR — prior to the war. The USSR, for a long time, used the Arabs as chess pawns. After the war of October 1973, the Arabs abandoned the USSR because of its passive role and sought a European neutral role. Since then we have read and heard Arab statements on a daily basis; these normally call for a positive European role in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Some Arabs believe that the Europeans are keen to play a parallel role to the American one in the international arena. In fact, this is bit more imagination in the paralyzed Arab way of thinking. The Europeans aren’t — and will not be — willing to disagree politically with their major ally, the US. The Europeans have learned a lesson from their stance against the Americans during the Bosnian War. They eventually yielded at the end to the American will and declared war on Belgrade.
Therefore, the Europeans aren’t interested in clinging onto the sands of the Middle East, especially if it means a conflict involving Israel. However, some Arabs have long ago realized that a political victory against Israel is impossible except through Washington. In reality, this realistic understanding has disappeared for two reasons.
Anti-US Arab factions represent the first one. These groups tend to convince US right-wingers that Israel is their only ally. The second reason is Israel’s awareness of the importance of securing unconditional and unwavering US support. The Israelis have succeeded in this simply because they worked hard to secure only one dependable ally. The Arabs, in their turn, failed because they depended upon weak or scattered Arab organizations in the US that have no influence at all.
