The leftist problem

Op-ed: For leftist camp in Israel, if peace talks hit an impasse nothing else seems to matter

Reuters | Published: 11.07.10, 18:04

At times it appears that the leftist camp in Israel has no civil agenda.

Last week, I spoke with a businessman who is closely associated with the Left, and in the past attempted to get elected to the Knesset. I asked him whether he’s satisfied with the government’s conduct. After all, things are going well, I told him: An education reform, economic growth, and so on. Why don’t you praise the government too?

How can I praise the government, he said, when peace talks are at a standstill?

I am always amazed to hear leftists whining about the impasse in the talks, as if regional peace prevailed here during the Olmert and Sharon era; as if peace only ended because of the Right.

During the Kadima government’s term in office we had wars; now we at least have quiet here – isn’t that something that is praiseworthy? Yet just like many of the settlers, some leftists also show too little appreciation to a civil agenda. After all, during this time where no peace is emerging, quite a few other things are happening.

Reason for celebration

Here is a sample from one area of life: A few months ago, Minister Yisrael Katz ordered the removal of trucks from many roads during rush hour. This saved about 30% of the driving time on these roads. Is this a minor matter? Not for people who every morning were stuck in traffic and cursed the day they were born.

Meanwhile, the Transportation Ministry earmarked funds for plans that should make everyone happy: Within six years from now, we would be able to travel from southern communities to Tel Aviv by train in 45 minutes. This means that people would be able to live in the south and work in Tel Aviv.

Elsewhere, it would take 28 minutes by train to travel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and the Cross-Israel Highway will extend from our northern tip all the way to Beersheba in the south. Without any traffic lights. And so, home prices in areas where the Highway would pass next to would go up. And I haven’t yet mentioned the bridge that would be built en route to Jerusalem and the upgrade project of the entire entrance to the city.

In normal states, such revolution would constitute a reason for celebration. Yet for the leftist camp in Israel, if there are no meetings with Mahmoud Abbas, there’s nothing.