If you still think the future of Israel looks bleak, think again. Israel’s future may be brighter than ever. What’s tilting the region’s dynamics toward Israel? For one thing, the Arab Spring has spawned a chaos and instability in every country it’s touched, that’s going to grind on for years to come. A new report warns that Egypt is on the verge of collapse; Israel’s old adversary Syria, already is. Both are also very likely headed toward economic ruin – as has already happened to Israel’s other foe, Hamas in Gaza, and could hit Iran next. Israel is going to be the famous “still point in a turning world” – a world turning in on itself, with little or no energy to spend confronting the Jewish state. And here’s where fracking comes in. What many people don’t know is that the land of Israel holds almost 250 billion barrels of oil shale reserves (that’s according to the World Petroleum Council). That’s almost equal to Saudi Arabia’s 260 billion barrels—and as conventional oil sources there and in the Persian Gulf gets harder to extract (it already’s happening) and the cost goes up, Israel will be the new energy frontier of the region.

(Dr. Benny Peiser)