Opinion
Don’t count on civil war
Yair Lapid
Published: 08.07.09, 10:28
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1. how does he come up with this nonsenses
ghostq   (07.08.09)
he is really bored and give us whiled theory of how things might happen, luckly he isn't in the Israely gov, cause everyone will fall asleep during story time.
2. Don't Count On Any More Ethnic Cleansing
Yishai Kohen ,   YeShA, Israel   (07.08.09)
Everyone saw what happened last time, and that's why even according to the Haaretz-Dialog poll published last Friday, a majority opposes freezing building in Judea and Samaria- much less, ethnically cleansing more Jews. In short, it's Lapid and a few leftists against the rest of the country.
3. Don't Count on Civil War
Bruria ,   Haifa   (07.08.09)
Who in their right mind wants such a thing. What you don't consider is just where in the blazes would all these people live? Gush Katif people are unemployed and living like refugees. Look around--there is not enough housing for anyone here--unless you have a lot of money--most of us are not starving but we live in rat-infested boxes. And I won't even start with the issue of defense. You need to get out of your air-conditioned office and realize there is a real world out there with real problems.
4. ..and this is...what...a strategic guide to embolden those
L ,   Israel   (07.08.09)
who think they could divest more fellow Jews from their own land? ...a reassurance against your fears? Think again. And again. Statistics of your own manufacture will not win it. 1%??? That's what you think you're up against? You wouldn't bother with this article if you weren't feeling the fear, Yair.
5. Count on it.
(07.08.09)
6. Sending troops in IS civil war perpetrated by the Left Wing
Adam Eliyahu Berkowi   (07.08.09)
The left wing is an aged and sucessful prostitue claiming she is still a virgin. They send in armed troops to destroy entire communities and beat their chests, warning that the evil settlers may rise up in civil war. Yair, you stupid putz, Gush Katif was what civil war looks like against an unarmed populace unwilling to shed their brothers' blood. The left-center is the evil fascist government, no better and possibly much worse, than anything ever seen in Eastern Europe. The left - center claims a monopoly on peace yet the "Hawkish, warmongering " right has killed less Palestinians and delivers signed agreements.
7. IDF isn't the opponent because it is mostly religious right
Adam ELiyahu   (07.08.09)
8. Once again only left wing secular blood counts
Adam Eliyahu Berkowi   (07.08.09)
Yair is ignoring Amona. That certainly LOOKED like a civil war. He is also ignoring the anger and pain of Sderot, sick of left wing posturing and politicking. Also, the government via Yonatan Bassi, blew their chances. You fooled the people of Gush Katif. They believed the lies. Even the non-ideological settlers (oxymoron?) will stand in their front door and shoot to kill any Yassamnik who comes to make their wives and children homeless. If you come to Gush Etzion, I take cash. Your credit is no good here.
9. Civil war?
Ron B. ,   Lod   (07.08.09)
In a country where the justice system is political, a media that makes no room for a flow of opinions, where half the nation finds no place in the media discourse, it should come as no surprise that the only communication tool left is the rock. As to coexistence with Arabs : http://xrl.us/oxz7f
10. Why to retreat anyway?
John ,   Europe   (07.08.09)
Leave settlers there after creation of Palestinian state. Isn't it racist to ask of Jews to retreat to create a "clean state", when the opposite side insists that Arabs, who are today citizens of Israel, remain there? Besides, NEVER FORGET one thing: nobody is going nowhere. This is not a situation where you have an annoying neighbor so you sell your flat and buy another one somewhere and move there. Jews are no place to go. Palestinians have no place to go (NO, they DON'T, JORDANIANS DO NOT WANT THEM, SYRIANS TOO! It's the same as Russians do not want Russian Jews, American American Jews etc). So, like it or not, WE AND PALLIS ARE STRUCK TOGETHER! So we will have to trade tomorrow, move in tourism to their country and vice versa, and not to mention economics. So, there will be something of a "soft border" anyway, SCHENGEN style. Leave the settlers where they are.
11. Who's going anywhere? Not the Pals, that's for sure
JPS ,   Efrat   (07.08.09)
Lapid's article pre-supposes that there's some agreement in the works with the Palestinians that will lead to residents being evacuated from Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria. Well, it's a nice theory, but it's only a theory. The Palestinians are at each other's throats, and there's barely hope of negotiations resuming at all, let alone reaching an agreement. Remember, Hamas rules in Gaza, and odds are if elections were held tomorrow, they'd rule the rest as well. What does that mean? It means peace is not on the doorstep. Not even close. Hamas, remember, does not want peace with Israel. It doesn't even want Israel at all. So all talk about theoretical civil wars due to theoretical evacuations is just that.... talk. Ain't gonna happen any time soon.
12. Naive and John #10 is right
Smith ,   TA, Israel   (07.08.09)
This article is naive. It excludes from it the possibility of terrorist elements developing that would at first target Arab civilians in a bid to start an ethnic civil war in the North. Should that fail it leaves out the possibility of terrorism against the center of the country or against political leaders. Furthermore, if an ideologically hardcore and homogeneous group from the settlers officers in the army rise there is the risk of an attempted coup that would spiral into civil war. Yes, Mr. Lapid, futurism or futurology is a terrible idea. So don't take anything for granted, ever.
13. I'm tired of this propagandist!
Ariel Ben Yochanan ,   Kfar Tapuah, Efraim,   (07.08.09)
B"H Any first year sociology or political sciences student knows that there is a historic 3% constant relative to the revolutionary core. On 300.000 settlers 3% is 9.000. Is Lapid seriously suggesting that there aren't 9.000 men to stand up against a new wave of American- and European-inducted pogroms against Jews living in Judea and Samaria? I'm tired of this propagandist!
14. Jewish history
Ephraim ,   NYC/Kfar Tapuah   (07.08.09)
Mr. Lapid's argument is logical and makes historical and political sense. However Jewish history is all about upseting regulars laws that people assume rule the world, because when these laws are obviously disregarded, it shows that it is Hashem who really rules the world, not 'laws' that he tentatively set up. It also shows the special status of the Jewish people in His eyes. A group of slaves made mincemeat of world's most powerful armies including superpower-Egypt's. Three hundred Israelis under Saul defeated the entire, militaristic, well trained Philistine army. A 1% group of Macabbees destroyed the occupiers backed by Rome, torching a large number of hellenists too. And a tiny State has withstood 60 years of war against all it's neighbors, and emerged stronger then all of them put together. So don't put too much faith in your polished and indefeatable logic and political savvy. It will save you grief when the pro-Jewish and pro-Zionist forces once again prevail :)
15. What Yair is saying
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (07.08.09)
He's saying that he really doesn't give a crap if 300,000 Jews are ethnically cleansed. But we will hear him shriek and howl if any of these people attempt to move into his neighborhood in Tel Aviv.
16. Maybe I Will Boot Mr.Lapid Out Of His
Lawrence ,   Safed Israel   (07.08.09)
Home.He will then,HOPEFULLY,begin to understand how it feels.
17. Why do you want to weaken your strategic position?
JMK ,   NYC   (07.08.09)
The Arabs want Tel Aviv. The Arabs feel entitled to Tel Aviv as a right. They want all of what is today Israel and what was Israel before June 1967. Maybe in the arts and universities there is a narcissistic fantasy but on the ground it is different.
18. Why evacuate again? To bring peace? How does it bring peace?
JMK ,   NYC   (07.08.09)
How does a Palestinian State help the cause of peace? The new state will have an army, the army's purpose will be to destroy Israel? The new state will invite foreign armies in, with tanks, armored personnel carriers, fighter jets, missile batteries of the highest quality, all at the footsteps of Israel. What will happen then? Where will be this misplaced morality get you then? Israel may win that war, but the cost will be many many thousands dead and injured that would have otherwise been near zero.
19. Mr. Lapid is on the side of Israel's enemies.
Steve   (07.08.09)
Lapid is on the side of B. Hussein Obama, the EU anti-Semites, the Russians and Iran's Ahmadinejad. These are the folks who will dismantle and destroy Israel along with their willing Jewish accomplices who live in Israel. Make no mistake about it, Lapid is with Israel's enemies.
20. Ephraim #14: It was Gideon, not Saul
Steve   (07.08.09)
With 300 men, Gideon slew the Midianites. 'The LORD said to Gideon, "I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home." ' Yair Lapid's argument is not logical. It does not make historical sense unless you want to see Israel crushed by her enemies. Mr. Lapid is strengthening the hands of our enemies against Israel. This is what he is seeking to do.
21. Only a few years ago Shinui was popular
Besalel ,   Kew Gardens, NY   (07.08.09)
But how quickly things changed! They were on top of the world one moment and the next: the laughing stock of the entire country. And our good friend Tommy: what can we say? Achareh Mot, Kedoshim. Yes, things do actually change. One thing that will certinly change: in our lifetime we will see an observant PM.
22. CIVIL WAR IS AGAINST TO JEWISH NATURE.
ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU   (07.08.09)
ITS NOT AGAINST MY NATURE. NO ITS NOT. BUT I NEVER WAS PART OF ANY CIVIL WAR. TO BE PART OF SOMETHING IS NOT MY NATURE AS LONG AS I AM NOT HEAD OF IT. anyway anyone seen Tali ?
23. Civil war is coming and the end of the left is imminent!
Thank goodness   (07.08.09)
24. Very Good Series
M.B ,   USA   (07.08.09)
Thank you Yair for a very good series so far! I hope many people read and think.
25. Ynet continues to surprise us with non-existent threats
(07.08.09)
then debunking them, Ynet is a fairy tale book.
26. MISCALCULATION
DAVID ,   JUDEA   (07.08.09)
As usual Lapid lacks any humanity in all his moralistic finger wagging. What he fails to understand, this happens a lot with our secular elitists, that many young people are totally disconnected from the state. He might think that our youth is stupid, but they know that the state has become an entity against our people. Even though they do serve in the IDF, they know that it has become a corrupted political tool that turns against its own citizens. Not since the Shoah have we seen the destruction of Jewish communities, on the scale we have witnessed here, were even our burried loved ones were uprooted. In his arrogance he states that most people live here without any ideological reasons. If Lapid would have any Jewish roots left, he would never claim that his so-called 1% can not declare war. Maybey he should read our Chanukah story, which in essence was a civil war, against Hellenists like him.
27. #25 Good Point, Yair must be reading his New Testament.
JMK ,   NYC   (07.08.09)
The fictional New Testament has the phony godman put up false contructs only to hit the Jews over the head with.
28. Lapid Must Be A Special Kind Of
Lawrence ,   Safed Israel   (07.08.09)
Heartless man to suggest the eviction of his kith and kin,his brethren,in such a casual manner.DO NOT DO UNTO OTHERS WHAT IS HATEFUL TO YOU.
29. More Leftist propaganda
Frank ,   Canada   (07.08.09)
Israel has no specific reason to create a terror state and to destroy Jewish homes in Judea-Samaria. Don't count on Obama to implement your policies.
30. Milchemet achim?
Avi-former Sruggie ,   Israel   (07.09.09)
Get one thing clear: there can never be a "war between brothers" here, since the enemies is not a true brothers. Without the Arabs the Jews would already have killed each other.
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