Evict the thugs from Hebron
In recent weeks, due to the upcoming elections, the three candidates for the premiership, Ehud Barak, Tzipi Livni and Binyamin Netanyahu - have taken to verbally attacking negative elements within the extreme Right. Meanwhile, the authorities' resolve in combating settler violence has weakened even as incidents grow more frequent.
None of them expected that the moment of truth would come so soon when the High Court of Justice ruled that a house invaded by several settlers in central Hebron must be evacuated. The ruling orders law enforcement authorities and the political echelon to stand alongside the court in confronting the thugs of the extreme Right, and do their utmost to turn speeches and declarations into reality.
Comments (19)King David for the Occupation
In recent weeks, the Yesha Council (Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip) launched a new campaign by the name of "Yehuda and Shomron - Every Jew's story". This name was used in order to blur any political elements and to provide the campaign with an educational character. Advertisements and commercials bear the signature of a new organization from the creative offices of the Yesha Council called "Yehuda and Shomron - Hasbara Center".
In the framework of this campaign, biblical heroes and legendary figures were recruited to participate in the debate on the fate of the settlements; from King David and Yehuda the Maccabi to Rachel and Shmuel the Prophet, all were called aboard to fight for the vision of Greater Israel and the continuation of the Israeli occupation of the territories.
The radicalization of the right-wing
From the moment I joined 'Peace Now', threats, hate mail and hostile telephone calls have become the norm. Sometimes, the actual amount of letters and phone calls served to indicate the level of influence of 'Peace Now'. In periods where we were able to influence the public agenda, public attacks on the organization and on our persons increased accordingly and when our voice resonated less, the threats lessened accordingly. Nevertheless, I never felt that there was a tangible reason for worry, beyond the episodes of spontaneous violence during demonstrations, particularly in settlements. The feeling was that hate mail would not translate into actual physical harm.
Cracking the terror equation
It is difficult to get over the feeling that arises when we see the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to their homes in a unilateral move by Israel, while Gilad Schalit is still being held in the heart of Gaza, isolated from the world and from his family.
Despite the anger and feelings of injustice, the unconditional release of Palestinian prisoners is a step in the right direction towards breaking the equation which encourages terror and more kidnappings. The release of 200 Palestinian prisoners is not just a gesture to Abbas and the moderate PA leadership, which believes in dialogue and curbing terrorism, the release of prisoners is first an foremost a calculated move towards weakening Hamas and Hizbullah and towards turning the capturing of soldiers into a non-worthwhile act by terror groups.
House demolitions play into the hands of terrorists
The blood boils, the stomach clenches at the sight of Efrat Onterman, the baby who in an instant became an orphan on Wednesday. The images of the bulldozer attack in Jerusalem last week were as shocking and terrifying as the ones that emerged from the Mercaz Harav shooting attack in March 2008 and likewise, lit the fire for revenge and the basic desire to deliver a response that would hurt twice as much. These sentiments gripped the public almost completely. Even before the final death count was announced, right-wing spokespersons began to call for the demolition of the terrorist's house in east Jerusalem, so as to make an example of.
Leaders' roles involve being attentive to the public's sentiments but to make decisions based on the interests of the State of Israel. In their support for the demolition of the terrorist's family house, Prime Minister [Ehud] Olmert and [Defense Minister Ehud] Barak were drawn into the mass rage with little difficulty.
Accept the cease-fire
The recent Knesset decision opposing a major IDF invasion of Gaza was not made in vain. Even if the reasons to go ahead with such plans seem justified and public support is wide, the ministers along with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak know that the chances of a large operation achieving its goals are slim.
If IDF soldiers were to enter the crowded refugee camps, they would be forced to contend with a society that is hostile and starving under a suffocating siege that has been in place for over a year, a society that thinks that it stands nothing to lose. Beyond the hundreds of casualties that both sides would suffer, an Israeli offensive would unite Palestinian society as a whole behind Hamas and the images of Israeli tanks chasing Palestinian children will once again return to TV screens worldwide.
Iran or the Golan
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's relaxing vacation in the Golan is just bad timing. It serves to fuel the conflict that exists within Israeli society which grapples between staying in the Golan Heights and the need for a peace agreement with Syria.
Truthfully, when the North is brimming with tourists and activities, when Golan wineries are awarded international prizes and when the Golan's communities see renewed vigor, it seems unnecessary and unrealistic to give up the Golan. The Israeli public does not sense directly the extent of the damage caused to our country due to the lack of peace with Syria nor does it understand the hefty price we are paying because of the continued hostilities with Syria.
A rightist government in disguise
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's speech at Harvard University on the policy of settlement expansion points more than anything to the increasing gap between the government's public stance on the matter and the reality on the ground.
If we are judging based on actions, the Israeli government - disguised as a center-left government - is in fact a rightist government that continues to build settlements, which undermines the chances of reaching a political settlement, thereby turning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into an unsolvable one. Bibi Netanyahu could not have done it better.
Time is not on our side
At a time when the government of Israel is dragging its feet and essentially dissolving all efforts to reach a permanent agreement with the Palestinians, in international public opinion the idea of the division of the land into two states is becoming irrelevant. In its place is the vision of a bi-national state, which in practice would mean the end of Zionism.
This month, for the fourth year, 'Israel Apartheid Week' will take place in campuses across Canada, Europe and for the first time, in the US. This "week" is dedicated completely to portraying Israel as the South Africa of the 21st century. In the 'Hasbara' framework of Hillel Canada - which acts on campuses across the nation in order to promote Israel's stance and the position of the Jewish people in the student battle between Jews and non-Jews - I had the opportunity to attend Apartheid Week. I tried to pass on to the students an image of Israel other than the one associated with the conflict.
Now is not the time to punish Olmert
In a respectful, official and honest manner, without bold statements and dramatic speeches, Ehud Barak announced that despite the political temptation to oust Olmert and present himself a political alternative, he was choosing to stay in the government for the good of the country and to achieve personal goals.
There are no objections to the fact that in the short-term, the option to dissolve the coalition is the best possible scenario Barak could face; crushing Kadima, fulfilling his promise to go to elections and displaying responsibility and moral values which would have played to his advantage mere hours after he would have announced his resignation from the government.
About this blog Building Bridges
Peace Now General Secretary Yariv Oppenheimer lays out his visions on how to fulfill the Zionist dream.
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