An unsigned editorial last week in the online version of the Daily Star of Lebanon called upon Arabs to do what they can to help Labor leader Amram Mitzna win the upcoming Israeli elections. For Syria, according to the editorial, that means ?stressing its desire to see Israelis elect a genuine man of peace.? For the Arab world in general, the article suggests, it means renewing the proposal adopted at March's Arab League summit in Beirut, for it ?is a fine document...? In fact, it ?has much in common with Mitzna's plans,? the Star says. Of course, the editorial states, ?the most important actors will be the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority must have a preference; it should express it. Groups like Hamas might not want to go so far, but they could also help by at least suspending suicide bombings.? Such a suspension would apparently fit in with the author?s advice to Arabs to send ?a clear message from the Arab world that Israeli voters have much to gain by backing [Mitzna].?
The editorial calls for Arab support for Mitzna because he is ?something of a freak in Israeli politics: In a land where someone like Shimon Peres is regularly referred to as a ?dove,? the mayor of Haifa is that rare individual who backs up reasonable rhetoric about peace with concrete proposals designed to achieve it.? The Beirut newspaper sees Mitzna as an Israeli Mikhail Gorbachev, who began the dismantling of the Soviet Union. In reference to the last premier of the Soviet Union, the Daily Star says, ?Mitzna represents almost as radical a shift....?
The editorial calls for Arab support for Mitzna because he is ?something of a freak in Israeli politics: In a land where someone like Shimon Peres is regularly referred to as a ?dove,? the mayor of Haifa is that rare individual who backs up reasonable rhetoric about peace with concrete proposals designed to achieve it.? The Beirut newspaper sees Mitzna as an Israeli Mikhail Gorbachev, who began the dismantling of the Soviet Union. In reference to the last premier of the Soviet Union, the Daily Star says, ?Mitzna represents almost as radical a shift....?