The Central Issue in the Middle East

I find it amusing that members of the Global Left still insist that the Palestinian issue is the central issue of the Middle East whose solving would have a domino effect on all the other problems, when nobody in the Middle East seems to act as if they think it is the most important issue.

Sunni jihadis are more interested in holding territory in Iraq, Syria, and Libya; while destabilizing Yemen, Mali, Somalia, and Egypt.

Hamas seems to provide far more support to jihadis in the Sinai who fight Egypt.

Nor has Hamas tried to build a functioning state on territory they hold, preferring to spend their efforts on enriching their leaders through corruption and killing or kidnapping the odd Jew here and there.

Even Hezbollah has committed to fighting for Assad.

Saudi Arabia is more interested in leading a coalition to fight Iran in Syria and Yemen; and even wants Israeli help to hold off Iran.

The Turks worry more about Assad, the Kurds, the Russians, Iran, and the Greeks than they've ever spent on worrying about the Palestinians.

Just who is focusing on the Palestinians? Except for the Global Left that insists everything else is secondary.

Even President Obama, who came into office with this kind of thinking, as put a reset with Iran at the top of his list and has all but abandoned the Palestinian peace process in favor of dealing with all the other problems without thinking the Palestinian issue would somehow cut the Gordian Knot to solve all.

Speaking of delusions, Assad actually claimed that his hostility to Israel--as if oppression paled in comparison to the chance to kill Jews--made him immune to the forces of the Arab Spring that have since engulfed his regime.

Even Iran--which basks in the glory of hating Jews--seems to spend more of their efforts trying to make Syria and Iraq their colonies and destabilizing Yemen and Gulf Arab states.

Although to be fair, the Iranians probably see their chance against Israel resting on getting nuclear weapons.

Yet fools continue to believe that "solving" the Palestinian issue is the key to the Middle East.

Actually, the central issue of the Middle East that pulls in a lot of the problems is the lack of rule of law in Middle Eastern states (even aside from whether there is democracy, too). But what the Hell, that's probably the Israelis' fault, too.