(Maariv International) Yaron Rivlin - In Western democracies, the survival of a ruler depends upon the improved economic state of the nation. In a dictatorship, by contrast, revenue remains in the hands of a few rulers in order to strengthen their sway. Where the economic gap between a nation and its rulers grows, the resulting frustration is liable to endanger the ruler and so he requires an outside enemy to aid him by directing public rage outwards. That’s how it is in the Palestinian Authority as well as in Syria, where the Alawite minority oppresses the Sunni majority and conflict with Israel is a crucial strategy for Assad’s rule. External conflict is the breath of life for a dictatorship, not a problem that requires a solution. This is also the reason for the incitement and violence which the PA foments against Israel.
2004-02-10 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive