Land-for-praise
Israel should accept world's compliments on disengagement with suspicion
The international community has rediscovered Israel. Sources in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s office say they are overflowing with letters of praise from around the globe.
How surprising - the man who was frequently slandered and besmirched has now become the darling of the international community .
Many world leaders have requested meetings with Sharon. The New York Times and Washington Post are thrilled by his leadership, The (London) Guardian has complimented the prime minister on his "courage," and Le Monde has remarked favorably on his "vision."
A star has indeed been born.
Land-for-praise
To what does Sharon owe this sudden outpouring of affection? The disengagement, of course. There is no better recipe for international accolade than a decent Israeli withdrawal. Give up land– get the compliments. No political-diplomatic formula is more reliable.
Every Israeli concession garners a compliment and insistent pleading for the next one.
Trojan Horse?
Israel is also loved when it suffers a blow, such as a deadly suicide bombing, but only on condition it does not respond. The international community has followed this pattern for the past 12 years. Exploding buses bring us global empathy, but a reasonable Israeli response invariably brings the wave of compassion to an end.
Six major events have drawn the world’s affection in the past 12 years: The Oslo agreement, Rabin’s assassination, the wave of terror attacks that peaked in 1996, the Wye Accords, another wave of terror during the second intifada and the disengagement.
But the world was not so understanding and supportive when Israel initiated military operations for the security of its citizens, such as the 2002 Operation Defensive Shield, the construction of the West Bank security fence or the targeted killings of terrorist commanders.
Conditional love
The international community’s love is conditional. The world loves us as long as we concede land and refrain from responding to terror attacks. Love hurts.
Just as the seer Laocoon warned the Trojans of the wooden horse and expressed his concern over the “gift,” so too should we fear the world’s compliments.
Compliments should be enjoyed, but also taken in context. All those who are elated by the international praise for the deportation of Jews from their homes and for the destruction of the settlements should be aware of this.
Sharon’s invitation to speak before the U.N. this month and the meetings he is scheduled to conduct there should be seen through this prism.
