Tahrir Square
Photo: Reuters
Arab people's will
Op-ed: Recent developments in Egypt prove peace can be achieved only with Arab dictators
During the Arab Spring, the masses marched under the slogan "Al-sha’ab yurid isqat al-nizam," or "The people want the fall of the regime," and the members of our enlightened camp celebrated. But a brief glimpse into the depths this desire was enough for our champions of progress to close their eyes to the reality, which contradicted their worldview and pulled the ideological ground from beneath their feet.
In her article "Now I understand you," Smadar Peri describes how the new Egypt honors Suleiman Khater, the Egyptian soldier who killed seven Israelis, including a judge and a number of children. The Al-Ahram daily dedicated its cover story to the murderer, and dozens of talkbackers expressed their admiration for him.
Iran Summit
Smadar Perry
Op-ed: Smadar Peri wonders how Morsi will feel when his convoy passes through Tehran square named after Sadat's killer
It is obvious that Khater's family, which considers his monstrous act to be dignified, is expressing the views of the people, just as the masses at Tahrir Square who branded American reporter Logan a "Jew" before sexually assaulting her, the rioters who forcefully shut down the Israeli embassy in Cairo, those who blew up the Egypt-Israel gag pipeline and all the Egyptians who have boycotted Israel since the day the peace treaty was signed – also express the will of the people.
They say that the Egyptian government and the military are ruled by the masses. The entrance of tanks and anti-aircraft weapons into Sinai – a move aimed at terminating the peace treaty – is also an expression of the will of the people. No one is disputing the fact that the results of the general elections in Egypt, which were truly free, expressed the will of the people.
The conclusion: Israel can only get "peace" from Arab dictators. The question is how this "peace" coincides with the liberal-progressive worldview?
We will never be able to offer the Palestinians what we offered the Egyptians in exchange for the peace agreement. To the Egyptians we gave Sinai, but the Palestinians want every piece of "stolen land" back – including Haifa and Jaffa. Abbas does not state this publicly, but that's what his people want.
The essence of the enlightened Israelis' Zionism is the heroic effort to break out of the "exilic" isolation. Isn't this why we returned to Zion - to be like all other nations? Well, no. Today it is clear to everyone that just as the attempt in exile to unshackle ourselves from the burden of "Am levadad yishkon (a nation that will dwell in solitude)" through emancipation and assimilation ended with smoke billowing from the crematoriums, the effort to become integrated in the region by way of "peace" goes against the will of the Arab people – and therefore doesn’t stand a chance.
