…even Israel’s policy of occupation may be approaching its end: Under the West’s umbrella of stability, Zionism gained a new impetus in the 1960s and 70s. Zionist hardliners felt encouraged to promote their policy of occupation given Israel’s role as a strategic bridgehead and the pact with Mubarak. Israel’s peace with Egypt turned into a separate peace, concluded to help accelerate the eviction of Palestinians through continual settlement building and to block the establishment of a Palestinian state. With the fall of Mubarak, Israel’s most important pillar in the Arab world has now disappeared.
