One of the differences between Israel and its Arab neighbors (besides the fact that they are Arab dictatorships and Israel is a democracy) is their attitude to war. While Israel does not see war as a good thing, but rather as a necessary evil when faced with an existential threat, the Arab states glorify war. Take this report from Memri:
SYRIAN MINISTER OF INFORMATION AHMED AL-HASSAN SAID: ‘THE COOPERATION, COORDINATION AND SOLIDARITY [BETWEEN SYRIA AND EGYPT] HAVE GIVEN THE ARABS GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS, THE MOST RECENT OF WHICH WAS THE GLORIOUS OCTOBER WAR [Yom Kippur War of 1973 – Ed.] IN WHICH EGYPTIAN BLOOD MINGLED WITH SYRIAN BLOOD.’ (TESHREEN, SYRIA, 12/24/03)
I believe that this attitude goes some way in explaining why the Arabs “never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity” to make peace.
