Haaretz EIC: Israelis Don't Care About the Palestinian Conflict

I think the group would agree that this seminar has proven invaluable in terms of learning about the complexities of Israel's history, the challenges it faces in terms of domestic and foreign policy, and the tribal nature of the country that make it unique from almost any other place.  Today we met with Aluf Benn, editor-in-chief of Haaretz, the world's leading English-language newspaper for Israeli and Middle East analysis.  

Benn graciously took time out of his busy schedule to discuss a number of topics with the group -- from the makeup of Israel's domestic politics to the situation with Iran and U.S.-Israeli relations. One thing that we found particularly interesting was Benn's statement that the Israeli people, particularly those living in Tel Aviv, don't care about the Palestinian conflict anymore.  Benn attributed this to the relative calm that Israelis have experienced following the end of the second intifada in 2005 as well as the decrease in suicide terrorist bombings and lack of external pressure for peace.  According to Benn, Israelis are more concerned with the West, especially the United States, and the relationship between the two countries.  In terms of domestic politics, the main topics on people's minds focus mainly on social issues such as the dramatic flux of African refugees into Israel and the "problems of the rich," such as the rising cost of living.  Israel's economy barely skipped a beat during the global economic recession and unemployment hovers at 6.7%.  

What will make Israelis return to the peace process - a third intifada?  According to many Israeli political experts we've met with to date, a third intifada is not only inevitable but can be expected sooner rather than later.  In the meantime, as Benn mentioned, Israelis will continue to capitalize on the convenience of the status quo to focus on other issues.