| Israel would not be an Arab Spring nation. First of all they aren't Arab. There are Arab Israelis but they were not the primary population that was driving the protest movement there. Secondly, they were not protesting against the government to the degree that the Arab countries were protesting. The countries that people would describe as "Arab Spring" countries were protesting against oppressive governments, calling for regime and government changes, and decrying violations of human rights. This did not occur in the Israeli protest which was an economic protest more in the mold of the European austerity protests or the Occupy movement. In fact, the protests went as so far as to ignore human rights issues and the oppression that Palestinians and Arab Israelis face purposefully for political reasons. The movement there was about improving the quality of life for Israelis rather than the fight for democracy that characterizes the Arab Spring movements. |