A recent article by Steven Plaut draws some fascinating parallels between Israel?s current situation and the fate of pre-WWII Czechoslovakia. Two years ago, Ariel Sharon pleaded with the US and other Western democracies to heed the lessons of Czechoslovakia. ?Israel will not be Czechoslovakia,? he said. However, as was the case with pre-War Czechoslovakia and Nazi Germany, supporting the continued existence of a viable, productive, democratic and friendly nation such as Israel is less important to the back-stabbers of the West than appeasing fanatical, whining Arab belligerents.
Israel today is already dangerously well down the once-trodden path that led to the demise of Czechoslovakia in 1938. For more than two decades, successive Israeli governments, culminating with the current administration, have led the Jewish State to this looming debacle. Israel has never been comfortable, but during the latter half of the 1970s, after four major wars, it had at least achieved a degree of territorial integrity and self assurance. At the beginning of the Begin government?s first term of office, Israel was firmly entrenched in the Sinai, as well as in Judea, Samaria, Gaza, the Golan Heights and, of course, Jerusalem. A Palestinian terror state in its midst was an unthinkable concept. That all changed when Prime Minister Menachem Begin started the ?landslide? by uprooting entrenched Jewish communities and handed over the immeasurably valuable Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, in exchange for a piece of paper called a peace treaty.
Today, for many Israelis, the Sinai, its oil fields and the beautiful unspoilt beaches at Nuweba, Dahab and Sharm-el-Sheik are just a distant memory of a different time. For Israel?s land sacrifice, there are no warm, neighbourly relations between Israel and Egypt, no bi-lateral trade and certainly no mass cross-border tourism. What exists between the two countries today is just a relatively quiet border and an ice-cold peace. It?s interesting that a few years later Israel was able to achieve essentially the same thing with Jordan without giving up so much turf.
Since the Begin-Sadat land deal, Israelis have been constantly hammered by Western countries with the idea that Israel must give up land and uproot settlements to attain peace. The pressure has been building to the point where now Israel is being told - not asked - to hand over vital strategic territory to a bunch of terrorist thugs. These criminals, who teach little children to murder, intend to create a terrorist state, from which they will launch further violent attacks on the integrity of Israel. This is not conjecture, but the openly stated aims of the treacherous Palestinian Authority, whether led by the Keffiya-wearing, beady-eyed terrorist Arafat or the well-scrubbed Holocaust denier, Abu Mazen.
It is a frustrating time for all Israelis and Jews who recognise this abomination called the Road Map for what it is - a blueprint for the destruction of Israel. The main source of frustration is that the government currently in office is the very leadership that they thought would protect them from this ghastly nightmare orchestrated by hostile powers. Instead, the Road Map has been adopted by none other than Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Unless I?m misinformed, the official policy of Likud is outright opposition to the creation of another Palestinian State. Yet, the Likud?s leader, Israel?s Prime Minister, is at this moment taking tea with the leaders of the terrorist PA, discussing the creation of such a State. While Sharon was in his first meeting with Abu Mazen, talking strategies to uproot Jews in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha), three major terrorist incidents occurred throughout Israel and the territories, resulting in the loss of at least eight Jewish lives, with scores more injured. The absurdity of this tragic situation defies the reasoning of intelligent people.
Sharon alone cannot shoulder the entire responsibility for leading Israel down this disastrous path. The Likud and the full complement of its elected Knesset members must also be held to account for allowing Sharon to act unilaterally on this vital issue. Sharon is only a prime minister, not an elected president heading a separate branch of the government. If he refuses to enact his party?s official policies, then he can and should be replaced as its leader. The problem is that not one Likud MK has been prepared to step up to the plate and challenge Sharon?s Road Map policy. This suggests that acceptance of the Road Map has either become the de facto policy of Likud or no Likud members have the guts to speak out according to their conscience. Either way, this spells disaster for Israel.
With its very existence on the line, Israel can?t afford labour strikes, ?peace? movements, seditious Arab MKs and political leaders who are prepared to negotiate with terrorist murderers to appease the interests of so-called allies. Now, more than ever, Israel needs strong leadership and sound governance. Israel needs someone who is not afraid to reject any policies that serve interests other than its own - such as the Road Map. Israel needs a leader who is prepared to say to the world that every grain of soil in Judea, Samaria and Gaza belongs to Israel. Jerusalem is Israel?s eternal and indivisible capital and the US should keep its promise and move its embassy there immediately. Jews fought for and died for this land and have proven historical claims to it dating back thousands of years. Israel will build as many settlements as it chooses on its own land. If such leadership exists, from whatever end of the political spectrum, please step forward right now. Israel needs you.
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Stan Beer, a business and technology journalist, lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Israel today is already dangerously well down the once-trodden path that led to the demise of Czechoslovakia in 1938. For more than two decades, successive Israeli governments, culminating with the current administration, have led the Jewish State to this looming debacle. Israel has never been comfortable, but during the latter half of the 1970s, after four major wars, it had at least achieved a degree of territorial integrity and self assurance. At the beginning of the Begin government?s first term of office, Israel was firmly entrenched in the Sinai, as well as in Judea, Samaria, Gaza, the Golan Heights and, of course, Jerusalem. A Palestinian terror state in its midst was an unthinkable concept. That all changed when Prime Minister Menachem Begin started the ?landslide? by uprooting entrenched Jewish communities and handed over the immeasurably valuable Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, in exchange for a piece of paper called a peace treaty.
Today, for many Israelis, the Sinai, its oil fields and the beautiful unspoilt beaches at Nuweba, Dahab and Sharm-el-Sheik are just a distant memory of a different time. For Israel?s land sacrifice, there are no warm, neighbourly relations between Israel and Egypt, no bi-lateral trade and certainly no mass cross-border tourism. What exists between the two countries today is just a relatively quiet border and an ice-cold peace. It?s interesting that a few years later Israel was able to achieve essentially the same thing with Jordan without giving up so much turf.
Since the Begin-Sadat land deal, Israelis have been constantly hammered by Western countries with the idea that Israel must give up land and uproot settlements to attain peace. The pressure has been building to the point where now Israel is being told - not asked - to hand over vital strategic territory to a bunch of terrorist thugs. These criminals, who teach little children to murder, intend to create a terrorist state, from which they will launch further violent attacks on the integrity of Israel. This is not conjecture, but the openly stated aims of the treacherous Palestinian Authority, whether led by the Keffiya-wearing, beady-eyed terrorist Arafat or the well-scrubbed Holocaust denier, Abu Mazen.
It is a frustrating time for all Israelis and Jews who recognise this abomination called the Road Map for what it is - a blueprint for the destruction of Israel. The main source of frustration is that the government currently in office is the very leadership that they thought would protect them from this ghastly nightmare orchestrated by hostile powers. Instead, the Road Map has been adopted by none other than Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Unless I?m misinformed, the official policy of Likud is outright opposition to the creation of another Palestinian State. Yet, the Likud?s leader, Israel?s Prime Minister, is at this moment taking tea with the leaders of the terrorist PA, discussing the creation of such a State. While Sharon was in his first meeting with Abu Mazen, talking strategies to uproot Jews in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha), three major terrorist incidents occurred throughout Israel and the territories, resulting in the loss of at least eight Jewish lives, with scores more injured. The absurdity of this tragic situation defies the reasoning of intelligent people.
Sharon alone cannot shoulder the entire responsibility for leading Israel down this disastrous path. The Likud and the full complement of its elected Knesset members must also be held to account for allowing Sharon to act unilaterally on this vital issue. Sharon is only a prime minister, not an elected president heading a separate branch of the government. If he refuses to enact his party?s official policies, then he can and should be replaced as its leader. The problem is that not one Likud MK has been prepared to step up to the plate and challenge Sharon?s Road Map policy. This suggests that acceptance of the Road Map has either become the de facto policy of Likud or no Likud members have the guts to speak out according to their conscience. Either way, this spells disaster for Israel.
With its very existence on the line, Israel can?t afford labour strikes, ?peace? movements, seditious Arab MKs and political leaders who are prepared to negotiate with terrorist murderers to appease the interests of so-called allies. Now, more than ever, Israel needs strong leadership and sound governance. Israel needs someone who is not afraid to reject any policies that serve interests other than its own - such as the Road Map. Israel needs a leader who is prepared to say to the world that every grain of soil in Judea, Samaria and Gaza belongs to Israel. Jerusalem is Israel?s eternal and indivisible capital and the US should keep its promise and move its embassy there immediately. Jews fought for and died for this land and have proven historical claims to it dating back thousands of years. Israel will build as many settlements as it chooses on its own land. If such leadership exists, from whatever end of the political spectrum, please step forward right now. Israel needs you.
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Stan Beer, a business and technology journalist, lives in Melbourne, Australia.