Mr. Chairman: The repeat of 1967?

In the summer of 1967, Israel found itself in trouble: the Egyptians had closed the Straits of Tiran, expelled UN forces from the Sinai and mobilized a massive amount of troops on its border with Israel. Calls of war echoed from the direction of then Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Damascus and numerous other places. The prime minister at the time, Levi Eshkol, made a move: he offered the leader of the opposition, Menahem Begin, to join his government.

At that time, Begin was considered an outcast by the establishment that ruled in Israel since the moment it was founded. Begin had failed to win over the Israeli voter in 5 consecutive election campaigns. Eshkol's willingness to bring in his and his party's most bitter ideological enemy to lead the government was a testament to the intense feeling of urgency that spread across the public. For the first time in Israel, there was a national unity government in power. Opponents who, for decades, did not say one word to each other now sat side by side on the Defense Committee and forged a shared defense plan.

The Israeli public morale skyrocketed. High-level IDF officials displayed increased self-confidence. The political leadership ceased to hesitate and the results were not long in coming: Israel's victory in the 1967 war is taught to this today in every self-respecting military academy.

The Iranian nuclear program, which has gained strength and momentum over the last few years, has much stronger significance than Nasser's threat 41 years ago. The Egyptian, Syrian and Jordanian armies did not have the capabilities to carry out their threat of "throwing the Jews to the sea.'  As for Iran, the possibility of the unrestrained ayatollah's regime acquiring weapons of mass destruction is simply intolerable.

Iran's president, Ahmadinejad, fashions his decision-making after the revelations of the messianic "disappearing prophet", a folkloric figure in the narrative of  fundamental shi'ism. Iran's former president Rafsanjani, among the most prominent of its leaders, has already stated that Iran can absorb the loss of one million citizens - for the blow to Israel would be fatal.

The sanctions imposed upon Iran by the international community in order to encourage it to cease its nuclear development program - have failed to bear fruit. Teheran is fully aware of the lack of harmony, the weakness, the indecisiveness as well as the economic interests that make the political campaign against Iran difficult. The day will come when Israel will find itself - once again, like in 1967, completely alone - forced to make grave decisions.

In light of this reality, leaders of Israel's top political parties must urgently adopt the approach taken by Eshkol in the course of the days before the war in 1967: overcome the political and personal rivalry and close ranks in recognition of the fate of the hour.  Immediately after the close of the Kadima primaries - an honest and straightforward discussion needs to take place between the leaders of the Kadima, Likud and Labor parties on the matter of establishing an 'emergency' government for the span of 2 years.

Jewish history will not forgive Netanyahu, Barak, Mofaz and Livni if it so happens that in Israel's most difficult and dangerous period - close-minded personal and party interests prevail over state considerations,  forcing a national 'twiddling of thumbs' in the face of the looming Iranian threat.