Channels
Photo: Niv Calderon
Ron Breiman
Photo: Niv Calderon

Israel betting on wrong horse

Goals promoted by 'Western' Abbas identical to those of Hamas government

The declared policy of the Olmert-Livni duo, as well as the dominant media discourse, are premised on the assumption that we should be supporting the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas and prevent this "moderate" man from being toppled, even if this requires Israel to pay unreasonably high prices.

 

In this context we're told time and again that this man's status must be boosted and that this is an Israeli interest. Is this indeed the case?

 

The public debate in Israel does not feature any objection to this assumption and the required questions are not being ask, even if only to examine the issue in depth. How would the boosting of this man through funds, forces, weapons, gestures, and kisses benefit us? And in the wider context: How would Israel's self-depreciation prove beneficial in boosting the "moderate Sunni axis" against rising Shiite Islam?

 

Olmert's Israel ignores the results of the (relatively democratic) Palestinian elections where the voters said they want a Hamas government; it continues the immoral restraint, even though more than 100 Qassams already landed on Sderot and its vicinity in the framework of the "ceasefire"; it continues the Oslo line of arming the enemy, humiliates its legal system with its willingness to release convicted murders, apparently headed by Barghouti; it considers to grant the enemy gestures in the form of a prisoner release even without conditioning this on Gilad Shalit's release, that is, giving up on our captive.

 

Israel also volunteers to remove roadblocks, which if unneeded shouldn't have been placed there to begin with, and if they do serve a security function, the effort to curry favor with Abbas does not annul this need; it also provides the PA (Abbas) with funds that allow the PA (Haniyeh) to transfer an identical sum that was originally slated for civilian ends to fund the fighting. In other words, Olmert's Israel has become a terror-sponsoring entity.

 

Where is Abbas' moderation?

On the other hand, Mahmoud Abbas doesn't even hide his objectives. Despite his "Western" appearance and the fact he wears ties, his goals are identical to those of the Hamas government, which is the elected government of Judea and Samaria's Arabs.

 

This week, marking 42 years to the establishment of Fatah (that is, the terror organization was established before the Six-Days War, and before we had "occupation" and "Territories",) the organization's chairman declared that he will reject any proposal to establish a Palestinian state within temporary borders, and said he would disqualify such possibility even if Hamas supported it. Time and again he repeats his demand regarding Jerusalem and the return of refugees into Israel. Where is his moderation? 

 

When the official Israel is betting, for 13 years now, on the wrong horse, it's hard to expect the "international community" not to adopt these false assumptions. Just like the serial gambler in the casino or stock exchange, the official Israel continues to invest more and more in a stock that is only expected to drop.

 

And if this isn't enough, the Kadima prime minister and his foreign minister, who seeks to succeed him, declare time and again their devotion to the "vision" of two states for two peoples, which is nothing but a recipe for eliminating Israel.

 

Soon, through pressure from the Left, and in contradiction of American pressure, which in this case is pushing in a logical direction, we'll be hearing time and again why we should be giving Bashar Assad the Golan in order for him to temporarily hide his support for Hamas and Hizbullah.

 

Betting on the wrong horse is also evident when it comes to Israel's attitude to the regime of the weak Siniora in Lebanon, with Israel of all others demanded to pay the price for boosting him: Turning a blind eye to Hizbullah's rearmament and fortification in Lebanon, the limitations on intelligence flights in Lebanese sky, etc. And of course, despite Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the second Lebanon War, IDF captives remain in Hizbullah's hands.

 

On the eve of the last war, Hizbullah possessed 12,000 rockets. Even after firing 4,000 of them into Israel, today the organization possesses about 20,000 rockets. That is, the enemy's rearmament continues and grows, while Olmert and Livni's Israel turns a blind eye, as do European soldiers who arrived in order to enforce the ceasefire on Israel.

 

Israel is facing serious existential problems. We cannot address them without a sober analysis of reality and the basic assumption it's premised on. Such analysis can lead to the conclusion that Abbas should be toppled instead of rescued. At least then we'll know we're facing an enemy and won't be deluding ourselves, as is the case for 13 years at least.

 

Dr. Ron Breiman is a member of Professors for a Strong Israel

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.15.07, 20:19
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment