An important milestone in Israeli history is expected to be reached on Tuesday, when Iran will most probably reply with a cynical negative to the United Nations request that they suspend their uranium enrichment program.
The UN Security Council has given Iran until 31 August, or face the threat of unspecified economic and diplomatic sanctions.
Undoubtedly the Iranians will continue to develop their first nuclear bomb, while in Israel and the entire Western world - the "countdown" continues. In Israel, however, we should regard this bomb to be aimed specifically at us and realize that we are facing a real existential issue.
We cannot over emphasize the importance of this moment and day. As a preemptive move, Israel should muster all its savvy in the political, military and economic arenas and embark on a journey whose final destination can only be the annulment of Iran's nuclear option. There is no other option.
Instead, during these critical days, weeks and months preceding Iran's rejection of the UN requests Israel has been torn, depressed, divided and scarred.
Statesmen and military personnel are more occupied with their lawyers rather than concentrating on the battle of the minds against Iran. What can we say? In answer to our proposal to reorganize and assemble all the power at Israel's disposal we can instead apply the first line in "The International” - the famous anthem of the international communist movement: Arise ye workers from your slumber.
Golda Meir, Moshe Dayan, Menachem Begin, Arik Sharon and many others, sought various ways to prevent the establishment of a state appointed commission of inquiry at the close of the Yom Kippur War and the first Lebanon war. They played every trick in the book, but the public triumphed: state appointed commissions of inquiry were set up.
Ehud Olmert, and Amir Peretz would do well to learn from their predecessors' experience: and not give in to setting up examination committees, nor accept the proposals by Attorney General Menchem Mazuz to establish a state appointed commission of inquiry.
If they are not concerned about the outcome or are confident in their integrity, then they should call for an investigation themselves. If not, thousands and perhaps hundreds of thousands of reserve soldiers will triumph over them. So why should they be punished twice?
It should be honestly said that Ephraim Sneh was about the only person in recent years to warn us about the developments in Iran, Lebanon and Hizbullah – but nobody listened. There were those who brushed him off in contempt. He was considered somewhat 'weird'. He was shown the door.
Sneh pestered everyone; he tried to direct our attention to developments beyond the border and in far off Iran. Now what? We can only be reminded and remember that he warned us. Drawing from past experiences, now he is likely to be disliked even more.
It should be hoped, believed and prayed for that within the momentum for rebuilding the north following the "Katyusha War", the Gush Katif evacuees will not be forgotten, evacuees who have yet to end their travails. The state has an obligation towards these good people, for whom the momentum of life was interrupted mid way.
What a country, what a country: disengagement today sounds as though it was taken from the Hasmonean era.
The chief of staff or someone on his behalf said recently that citations would be awarded following the latest war. This would indeed be appropriate. However, it reminds me of something Arik Sharon, now on his deathbed, once said:
"Citations? Please note, wherever there are mishaps i.e. commanders who failed their assignments, they will be the ones to receive citations – they will almost always be the simple soldiers who saved the battle. Perhaps citations should be awarded to those who fought according to the rules?"
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