Here in Israel, many of us are worried about exactly what President Bush will say to Prime Minister Sharon when they meet later today week. We?re hoping he says something like this:
?First of all, Ariel, I would like to thank you and your Israeli colleagues for something you accomplished many years ago, way back in 1981, when Saddam Hussein was developing nuclear weapons. Your Prime Minister, Menahem Begin, made the decision to stage an assault on that project, and to prevent Iraq from gaining nuclear weapons. I have heard that you played a role in supporting him. Thank you for that. It makes our lives an awful lot easier as we contemplate attacking Iraq to know that he can?t nuke us.
?At the time you guys got a lot of criticism for that, just like you are getting today. I want to offer you an apology. We here in America tend to get a slanted view of things in the Mideast. Our press is not always even-handed. It has said a lot of unfair things about my own Republican party, and I have to say it has not been fair to your conservative leaders either. They tend make heroes of Israeli leftists, like Rabin and Barak, whose ideas have not served your country very well. I mean, offering to let a terrorist organization set up a state right in the middle of your country is the craziest thing I ever heard. I promise you that we?re going to deal with that problem.
?But our press always seem to jump on conservative Israelis, people like you and Shamir and Begin, who have done have done much greater things for your country. I just read about that libel suit you waged against Time magazine, where you proved to the court that Time had written false and malicious things about you. That?s outrageous. But many people forget about the facts, and only remember the false charges as though they were true. We hear those kinds of false charges every day. I am sure that after more than fifty years of war and terrorism, your people are pretty fed up with burying their children. But you?ve been acting with a restraint and a bravery that is just outstanding. Why, I just learned that you lost 22 soldiers in that attack on the Jenin terror base, all because you didn?t want to attack safely from the air, for fear of causing civilian casualties. That is extraordinary. I don?t know if I would be willing to make a call like that when American soldiers are concerned. Frankly, I am just so impressed, and so ashamed, about the blame and scorn that was heaped on you at that time.
?But the reason I asked you here is to discuss the attack on Iraq. We know that you Israelis have nothing to do with this operation, and that you may turn out to be the prime victims anyway. Saddam has chemical and biological weapons, and Israel, frankly, is an easier and more convenient target for him than the U.S. When we attack, he may take revenge, not on us, but on you.
?Now there are people in my administration who want you to take that lying down. They say that Israeli retaliation may lead to a blow-up which would endanger the lives of U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries as well. Now, that is a serious matter, because none of us want to see our citizens killed.
?But I was thinking about this, and it occurred to me that you also don?t want to see your citizens killed. Why should you? You know, we really have no business asking you Israelis to submit to murderous attacks without a struggle. You can?t just let yourselves be killed because that would be convenient for someone else. You guys have to take care of yourselves, just like we are going to do our best to take care of ourselves. That?s the way the world works.
?Think about it. If you promise not to retaliate, well then Saddam is sure to attack you. I mean, why wouldn?t he? Now, I don?t want to see thousands of Israelis wiped out because we said don?t retaliate. You have to retaliate. You have to make that clear. That?s what war is all about. And if you do retaliate, it might just save us all a lot of trouble.
?Listen, some of our people have been under a lot of pressure from our Arab friends. They want us to tell you not to retaliate. But I?m not going to do that. Who are these guys anyway? They?re not our friends; they?re not your friends; they?re not friends of peace, of freedom, of democracy. Heck, they?re friends of terrorists.
?You know, this is a free world. In American we believe that every citizen has a right to bear arms, and to defend him or herself. So how am I going to go to you and tell you that you have no right to defend yourselves in a war you never made? Listen to me, Ariel, do what you think is best. Defend your people. I am sorry to say that no one ever has defended your people before, and it?s up to you to do it for yourselves. I want you to know that all of us in America are with you. May you succeed, and may God bless you.?
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Gabriel Danzig
Department of Classics
Bar Ilan University
Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
Danzigg@Mail.BIU.Ac.Il
?First of all, Ariel, I would like to thank you and your Israeli colleagues for something you accomplished many years ago, way back in 1981, when Saddam Hussein was developing nuclear weapons. Your Prime Minister, Menahem Begin, made the decision to stage an assault on that project, and to prevent Iraq from gaining nuclear weapons. I have heard that you played a role in supporting him. Thank you for that. It makes our lives an awful lot easier as we contemplate attacking Iraq to know that he can?t nuke us.
?At the time you guys got a lot of criticism for that, just like you are getting today. I want to offer you an apology. We here in America tend to get a slanted view of things in the Mideast. Our press is not always even-handed. It has said a lot of unfair things about my own Republican party, and I have to say it has not been fair to your conservative leaders either. They tend make heroes of Israeli leftists, like Rabin and Barak, whose ideas have not served your country very well. I mean, offering to let a terrorist organization set up a state right in the middle of your country is the craziest thing I ever heard. I promise you that we?re going to deal with that problem.
?But our press always seem to jump on conservative Israelis, people like you and Shamir and Begin, who have done have done much greater things for your country. I just read about that libel suit you waged against Time magazine, where you proved to the court that Time had written false and malicious things about you. That?s outrageous. But many people forget about the facts, and only remember the false charges as though they were true. We hear those kinds of false charges every day. I am sure that after more than fifty years of war and terrorism, your people are pretty fed up with burying their children. But you?ve been acting with a restraint and a bravery that is just outstanding. Why, I just learned that you lost 22 soldiers in that attack on the Jenin terror base, all because you didn?t want to attack safely from the air, for fear of causing civilian casualties. That is extraordinary. I don?t know if I would be willing to make a call like that when American soldiers are concerned. Frankly, I am just so impressed, and so ashamed, about the blame and scorn that was heaped on you at that time.
?But the reason I asked you here is to discuss the attack on Iraq. We know that you Israelis have nothing to do with this operation, and that you may turn out to be the prime victims anyway. Saddam has chemical and biological weapons, and Israel, frankly, is an easier and more convenient target for him than the U.S. When we attack, he may take revenge, not on us, but on you.
?Now there are people in my administration who want you to take that lying down. They say that Israeli retaliation may lead to a blow-up which would endanger the lives of U.S. citizens and citizens of other countries as well. Now, that is a serious matter, because none of us want to see our citizens killed.
?But I was thinking about this, and it occurred to me that you also don?t want to see your citizens killed. Why should you? You know, we really have no business asking you Israelis to submit to murderous attacks without a struggle. You can?t just let yourselves be killed because that would be convenient for someone else. You guys have to take care of yourselves, just like we are going to do our best to take care of ourselves. That?s the way the world works.
?Think about it. If you promise not to retaliate, well then Saddam is sure to attack you. I mean, why wouldn?t he? Now, I don?t want to see thousands of Israelis wiped out because we said don?t retaliate. You have to retaliate. You have to make that clear. That?s what war is all about. And if you do retaliate, it might just save us all a lot of trouble.
?Listen, some of our people have been under a lot of pressure from our Arab friends. They want us to tell you not to retaliate. But I?m not going to do that. Who are these guys anyway? They?re not our friends; they?re not your friends; they?re not friends of peace, of freedom, of democracy. Heck, they?re friends of terrorists.
?You know, this is a free world. In American we believe that every citizen has a right to bear arms, and to defend him or herself. So how am I going to go to you and tell you that you have no right to defend yourselves in a war you never made? Listen to me, Ariel, do what you think is best. Defend your people. I am sorry to say that no one ever has defended your people before, and it?s up to you to do it for yourselves. I want you to know that all of us in America are with you. May you succeed, and may God bless you.?
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Gabriel Danzig
Department of Classics
Bar Ilan University
Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
Danzigg@Mail.BIU.Ac.Il