Hear Ye! Hear Ye! I think I have found the answer to the troubling questions on the mind of most Jews today, regarding the perceived irrational policies of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Israeli government.



Seemingly there is no logical explanation as to why Sharon, leader of a sovereign nation, the State of Israel, would agree to accept the disastrous 'road map', which calls for the establishment of an enemy 'palestinian' state on Israel's border. Equally incomprehensible is his willingness to negotiate further Israel Defence Force withdrawals from so-called 'palestinian areas' even as terrorist attacks continue, as well as to authorize the release of hundreds of imprisoned Arab terrorists.



However, through deductive reasoning I have come to the conclusion that the motivation for these bizarre acts by Israel's Prime Minister, is that Sharon has become a Harry Potter addict. This seems to explain the reason that despite Judaism's explicit prohibition against practicing the occult, Sharon ostensibly believes that he, too, like Harry Potter, can utilize magic and wizardry to solve Israel's problems.



Ergo, with a shake of the hand (instead of a wand), Abu Mazen, long time terrorist compatriot of Arafat and Holocaust denier, becomes 'magically' transformed to Prime Minister Abbas, a new and acceptable 'peace partner'. Similarly, Mohammed Dahlan, planner and executor of countless terrorist attacks is instantly converted, hocus pocus, into the 'palestinian' Chief of Security responsible for preventing Arab terrorist attacks.



Continuing this policy of magical illusions (or delusions), Prime Minister Sharon declares that freeing hundreds of Arab prisoners is a beneficial 'good will' gesture, designed to help Abu Mazen convince Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the myriad of other murderous terrorist groups, to 'hold their fire' for at least three months. Never mind that the just-released killer known as the 'refrigerator bomber', who murdered l7 Israelis, received a hero's welcome in Gaza and was immediately rewarded with the title of 'advisor to Yasser Arafat', for his contribution to the 'palestinian people' (sic). Never mind that statistics show a majority of Arab prisoners who were freed in earlier 'good will' gestures by equally delusional Israeli governments returned to join their terrorist compatriots and, in more than a few instances, murdered other Israelis.



What is seemingly important to Sharon is that by implementing the 'road map' he will win favor with the United States. Israel will then, hopefully, receive millions of dollars in requested financial aid. (Another illusion?) Ironically, the establishment of a PLO enemy state on Israel's border, which Sharon endorsed, does not seem to be a matter of great concern.



It is high time that Prime Minister Sharon faces reality and ceases to pretend that there can be a magical solution through the dangerous 'road map' and its ominous ramifications for Israel and the Jewish people.



As the great sage, the Kotzker Rebbe, admonished, "It is a sin to delude others, but a crime to delude oneself!"

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Shifra Hoffman, founder of the Victims of Arab Terror International organization (VAT), is a noted journalist and executive director of Shuva (Return), the Israel Emergency Aliyah Movement. She can be contacted at [email protected] or through www.victimsofarabterror.org.