Here is a new essay by Paul Merkley. We present this essay reprinted by permission of Paul and from The Bayview Review. See the links at the end for direct access to the rest of Paul’s work.

The day after the dust began to settle on Israel’s War of Independence, congenital optimists – there were many more of that breed alive then than there are today! –  began scouring the landscape for signs of Spring – signs that Israel’s enemies had accepted the futility of defying the edict of the United Nations – that they and would,  in reasonable time, give up on their determination to drive the Jews back into the sea and accept opportunities for constructive diplomacy. The informed insiders were sure that they could already see signs that the people and the leaders of Israel, together with the leaders of the Arab nations, were quietly preparing to enter into a new era of goodwill. Surely these are swallows, everyone said! Surely Spring cannot be far behind!

And so we must tread cautiously. Still, there have been so many signs of late that Israel’s strategic situation as well it standing in world public opinion is improving.  It is legitimate, I believe, for realists to take note of some almost entirely unanticipated  developments on the world scene over recent months, that, taken together, seem  to suggest a dramatic improvement in Israel’s political assets, her security situation and her prestige.