There's something in the air and it isn't just the residue of nerve gas exiting the theater in Moscow. It feels more like the winds of history are at play again. The ancient and very potent combination of a) his lust for power, b) hatred and jealously for a segment of his own people and c) a disdain for his heritage, may just topple Defense Minister Ben Eliezer's bid for the labor party's leadership. And, the little tempest he's conjured up may be strong enough to blow away Ariel Sharon's government. Is that the sweet sound of poetic justice that we're hearing or the very warped and overplayed classic Jewish recording of "been there and done that"?
It's both frightening and somewhat reassuring to step back and feel the continuous pulse of history, while watching repetitive patterns of events unfold. And one can't help but wonder...when will we finally get it right?
We have been presented with numerous occasions to relegate Oslo and and all of its satellite agreements to the dust bin. At the same time, Arafat's head has been begging to be served up on a platter for months. He has become an increasing liability and embarrassment in both the Arab world and diplomatic circles. We were given the means and repeated opportunities (including "green lights" and "windows of opportunity" from Washington) to rectify an increasingly catastrophic situation. The world has waited with baited breath as we surrounded Arafat's headquaters again and again. But our leadership consistently reneged on their national and universal obligations by refusing to take charge and diffuse growing Arab and Islamic homicidal fervor. And now, we may once again face the ultimate humiliation of having to watch the United States, Europe, Russia and the rest of the world fight our wars for us, while we demonstrate "remarkable restraint".
There's this twisted sense of logic which says that we're supposed to be grateful that somebody else's boys and not our own will have to face the enemy in all out war, but in the meantime, the enemy is systematically blowing our citizens, including our young soldiers, to pieces. This warped attitude of capitulation can only come from a people who are up to their necks in exile.
What may result is a new and dangerous spin on classical anti semitism. We may be in for the first justified anti-semitic backlash in history when the world wakes up and points an accusing finger at Israel and says, "Hey, the roots of terror were in your territory and you refused to take your responsibility and cut them down. In fact, you let them thrive. And now they have spread throughout the rest of the world and we nations have to suffer devastating economic and security hardships because of it."
But wait, it gets worse... What will we do when, under the guise of "international responsibility," they say, "Furthermore, you had the army and the means to stop all of this. You had billions of U.S backed dollars and military equipment to perform a relatively simple task, but you made us do your dirty work for you. You don't act like a sovereign state and therefore, an international body will just have to decide your fate for you until you can grow up." In other words, an enforced final solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict."
How will we respond? Will we tell them how Shimon Peres spent ten years playing Pat-a-Cake for peace with ruthless butchers? Will we tell them that we couldn't stand up to the terrible political pressure we were under? That we don't like getting yelled at? That they put us up to it?
It's no joke. In case it hasn't sunk in yet, a two-state solution plan is nothing short of partition the second time around. And you know what comes after that- another War of Independence- which, of course, we will win, but at a staggering and unnecessary price in lives, destruction and grief.
There's a formula our sages recommend for raising children. Pushing away with the left hand and bringing close with the right. In order for this nation to grow up and assume full Independence in Our Land, we will have to push the Left far, far away and embrace a unified Right-Wing government under a leader who has the political savvy and courage to deal with the current volatile national and world situation. A second chance for, a hopefully older and wiser, Benjamin Netanyahu may be in the offing.
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Ellen lives in the Golan Heights with her husband and six children.
She is a painter and writer. She can be contacted at ilan-acu@netvision.net.il
It's both frightening and somewhat reassuring to step back and feel the continuous pulse of history, while watching repetitive patterns of events unfold. And one can't help but wonder...when will we finally get it right?
We have been presented with numerous occasions to relegate Oslo and and all of its satellite agreements to the dust bin. At the same time, Arafat's head has been begging to be served up on a platter for months. He has become an increasing liability and embarrassment in both the Arab world and diplomatic circles. We were given the means and repeated opportunities (including "green lights" and "windows of opportunity" from Washington) to rectify an increasingly catastrophic situation. The world has waited with baited breath as we surrounded Arafat's headquaters again and again. But our leadership consistently reneged on their national and universal obligations by refusing to take charge and diffuse growing Arab and Islamic homicidal fervor. And now, we may once again face the ultimate humiliation of having to watch the United States, Europe, Russia and the rest of the world fight our wars for us, while we demonstrate "remarkable restraint".
There's this twisted sense of logic which says that we're supposed to be grateful that somebody else's boys and not our own will have to face the enemy in all out war, but in the meantime, the enemy is systematically blowing our citizens, including our young soldiers, to pieces. This warped attitude of capitulation can only come from a people who are up to their necks in exile.
What may result is a new and dangerous spin on classical anti semitism. We may be in for the first justified anti-semitic backlash in history when the world wakes up and points an accusing finger at Israel and says, "Hey, the roots of terror were in your territory and you refused to take your responsibility and cut them down. In fact, you let them thrive. And now they have spread throughout the rest of the world and we nations have to suffer devastating economic and security hardships because of it."
But wait, it gets worse... What will we do when, under the guise of "international responsibility," they say, "Furthermore, you had the army and the means to stop all of this. You had billions of U.S backed dollars and military equipment to perform a relatively simple task, but you made us do your dirty work for you. You don't act like a sovereign state and therefore, an international body will just have to decide your fate for you until you can grow up." In other words, an enforced final solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict."
How will we respond? Will we tell them how Shimon Peres spent ten years playing Pat-a-Cake for peace with ruthless butchers? Will we tell them that we couldn't stand up to the terrible political pressure we were under? That we don't like getting yelled at? That they put us up to it?
It's no joke. In case it hasn't sunk in yet, a two-state solution plan is nothing short of partition the second time around. And you know what comes after that- another War of Independence- which, of course, we will win, but at a staggering and unnecessary price in lives, destruction and grief.
There's a formula our sages recommend for raising children. Pushing away with the left hand and bringing close with the right. In order for this nation to grow up and assume full Independence in Our Land, we will have to push the Left far, far away and embrace a unified Right-Wing government under a leader who has the political savvy and courage to deal with the current volatile national and world situation. A second chance for, a hopefully older and wiser, Benjamin Netanyahu may be in the offing.
----------
Ellen lives in the Golan Heights with her husband and six children.
She is a painter and writer. She can be contacted at ilan-acu@netvision.net.il