Shlaim does not have a crystal ball to see what the future holds for the war-torn region. Nevertheless, he does foresee a crisis in American- Israeli relations, possibly resulting in the fall of the Netanyahu government and the election of a more centre-left coalition prepared to go along with American demands for a settlement freeze and serious negotiations with the Palestinians.
This shift in policy is due to the stark contrast this international relations specialist sees between Obama and his predecessor. “For the last eight years and in the more distant past as well, America didn’t have a policy on the Palestinian issue. It only had a special relationship with Israel […] Obama now has a balanced policy […], which includes an Israeli dimension and a Palestinian dimension,” he says.
Sono parole di Avi Shlaim, uno dei più grandi storici del Medio Oriente, intervistato qualche settimana fa da Shahira Samy, in una conversazione a tre con Karma Nabulsi, per Al Ahram Weekly. Di Avi Shlaim, per i tipi di Verso, è appena uscito Israel and Palestine. Reappraisal, Revisions, Refutations, e conoscendo la bravura di Shlaim, sono sicura che sarà un libro da leggere con attenzione.