Israel was virtually the only country in the world to counsel governments in the West to support Mubarak as the people of Egypt protested loud and long for his removal. Of course, Mubarak has now fled, possibly having left Egypt - almost certainly having taken his ill-gotten financial gains with him.
Gideon Levy, writing his regular op-ed piece for Haaretz has some sound advice for his countrymen.
"At 6 A.M. yesterday, shortly before dawn in Cairo, Al Jazeera correspondent correspondent, Jacky Rowland, described the massive street party happening around her as "the hangover of the revolution." The big words are being taken out of storage. They are still wrapped in a plethora of fears and reservations, but one can easily say that Egypt has never before seen the dawn of a new day such as this, with the possible exception of the morning of the coup by Gamal Abdel Nasser's Free Officers Movement, more than half a century ago. That ended the monarchy; on Friday night the dictatorship ended. In between, the land of the Nile was tossed from hungry mouths to silenced mouths.
The news from Egypt is good news, not only for that country and the Arab world, but for the entire world, including Israel. Now is the time to be happy for the Egyptian people, to hope that this amazing revolution will not go wrong. Let us lay aside all our fears - of anarchy, of the Muslim Brotherhood or a military regime - and let this great gamble have its say. Let us not wallow in the dangers; now is the time to bask in the light that shines from the Nile, after 18 days of popular, democratic struggle. Of all countries it was Egypt, ironically, that proved that yes, it can. That it is possible to bring down a dictatorship, and even to do so by peaceful means."
***
"For the most part, the world responded appropriately. Under U.S. President Barack Obama's conducting wand the world, uncharacteristically, extended courageous and significant support to the freedom fighters from Tahrir Square. They will remember him for this, and perhaps that will also lead to a new dawn in U.S. relations with the Arab world, as Obama promised in his "Cairo speech." And in Israel? Business as usual. True, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his ministers not to make public statements, but he did not miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity: once appealing to Egypt in a firm and commanding, if not threatening, tone, to uphold the peace treaty; once warning that Egypt could become another Iran. That, too, will be remembered in Tahrir Square. Even if it is very late, official Israel must now join the West in sending courageous and good wishes from Jerusalem to Cairo. And if not official Israel, then at least we, the little people. From us to you: Mabruk, congratulations, Egypt."
Gideon Levy, writing his regular op-ed piece for Haaretz has some sound advice for his countrymen.
"At 6 A.M. yesterday, shortly before dawn in Cairo, Al Jazeera correspondent correspondent, Jacky Rowland, described the massive street party happening around her as "the hangover of the revolution." The big words are being taken out of storage. They are still wrapped in a plethora of fears and reservations, but one can easily say that Egypt has never before seen the dawn of a new day such as this, with the possible exception of the morning of the coup by Gamal Abdel Nasser's Free Officers Movement, more than half a century ago. That ended the monarchy; on Friday night the dictatorship ended. In between, the land of the Nile was tossed from hungry mouths to silenced mouths.
The news from Egypt is good news, not only for that country and the Arab world, but for the entire world, including Israel. Now is the time to be happy for the Egyptian people, to hope that this amazing revolution will not go wrong. Let us lay aside all our fears - of anarchy, of the Muslim Brotherhood or a military regime - and let this great gamble have its say. Let us not wallow in the dangers; now is the time to bask in the light that shines from the Nile, after 18 days of popular, democratic struggle. Of all countries it was Egypt, ironically, that proved that yes, it can. That it is possible to bring down a dictatorship, and even to do so by peaceful means."
***
"For the most part, the world responded appropriately. Under U.S. President Barack Obama's conducting wand the world, uncharacteristically, extended courageous and significant support to the freedom fighters from Tahrir Square. They will remember him for this, and perhaps that will also lead to a new dawn in U.S. relations with the Arab world, as Obama promised in his "Cairo speech." And in Israel? Business as usual. True, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed his ministers not to make public statements, but he did not miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity: once appealing to Egypt in a firm and commanding, if not threatening, tone, to uphold the peace treaty; once warning that Egypt could become another Iran. That, too, will be remembered in Tahrir Square. Even if it is very late, official Israel must now join the West in sending courageous and good wishes from Jerusalem to Cairo. And if not official Israel, then at least we, the little people. From us to you: Mabruk, congratulations, Egypt."
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