Independent Kosovo and Israel's recognition

Just came across this editorial, in the online pages of Ha'aretz, one of Israel's biggest and most influential newspapers. It makes a nice case for Jerusalem's recognition of the fledgling European state.

In particular, it states: "The struggle of the persecuted Kosovar people for independence is reminiscent of struggles by other nations for the right to self-determination. The State of Israel, which was established in the wake of the Jewish people's struggle for a national home, should stretch out a hand to other nations seeking self-determination." And later still: "Israel maintains diplomatic and economic relations with Arab and Muslim countries around the world. The government has a unique opportunity to stretch out a hand to the new state, and to prove that the Jewish state is not an enemy of the Muslims."

Win-win would be the nature of such recognition, and most especially for Israel. Particularly now, as Israel and the Palestinian Authority are in some kind of negotiating status over the future, and there are those who still continue to pontificate the "real intentions" of the Israeli leadership in this regard.