Opinion  Guy Bechor
Leaving mistakes behind
By Guy Bechor
Published: 09.05.05, 19:22
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19 Talkbacks for this article
1. Your column proves why there should be no disengagement
Rachel BenDavid ,   Peduel   (05.09.05)
The Arabs will interpret the disengagement as running away, whether they have houses to loot or not. As you so succinctly put it, "in our region, the weak invite the strong to hit them with displays of weakness". The entire disengagement, if it occurs (G-d forbid) will be just that - a display of weakness.
2. pulling out of mistakes
Julie Silverman ,   Atlanta (Haifa)   (05.10.05)
Flatten Everything and let the Palestinians, who don't appreciate anything anyway, build something with their own hands, besides terror elements. Right and Wrong? Too late for that. Time to move forward. Period.
3. Why offer something and get nothing in return?
Shai ,   Israel   (05.10.05)
There's been no cooperation from the PA, and won't be. The PA will make a show of the withdrawal, claiming victory against Israel via their "struggle" of arms. If Sharon doesn't back off the withdrawal, my approach would be not to hand over the lands to the Palestinians, but to keep the IDF in any of the settlements that are militarily necessary to ensure a swift response against Kassam rocket operations. ONLY when the PA takes control of the area and prevents terrorists from continuing their assault on Israel can Israel pull back. NEVER give something for nothing to the Palestinians. If we can't save Israeli lives with the pullout, and in fact if pulling out costs us more lives, there is no justification for giving these areas to the PA.
4. WHY ARE YOU COMPLICATING ISSUES?
MONA ZIAD ,   JERUSALEM   (05.10.05)
IF YOU WERE EVER TRUE BELIEVERS IN PEACE ,YOU WOULDN'T BE INCITING YOUR NATION AGAINST THE WITHDRAWL PLAN .THEY SAY LIVE AND LET LIVE AND I SAY LEAVE AND LET OTHERS LIVE!
5. CONSIDER PEACE..THAT'S ALL IT TAKES!
MONA ZIAD ,   JERUSALEM   (05.10.05)
TO SOME READERS YOU MIGHT SEEM TO BE RIGHT ,TO OTHRES YOU;RE GUST MAKING THE WHOLE PROCESS SEEM MORE AND MORE COMPLICATED .THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH IN LIFE TO LOOK FORWARD TO THAN THE REJOICE OVER LEFT-OVERS MR.BECHOR!
6. Mona Ziad
Matthias Roth ,   Switzerland   (05.10.05)
True, if you were a true believer of peace, and I mean true peace, then the Jews could stay where they are in Gaza next to their Arab neighbours without having to fear kassam attacks. This would be coexistence. Everything else has nothing to do with it. And a peace that means leaving an area "judenrein" is not worth being called "peace".
7. dear neighbour
mona ziad ,   jerusalem   (05.10.05)
well sir with all due respect ,you should have read between the lines instaed of quoting me so subjectively,that piece of land can never determine nor achieve the peace we all have longed for,yet if the plan is for you to leave then do so and you won't be perceived as cowards ,but don't look forward to conducting the farewll march as bechor is ,for we both know better that arabs won't be missing you . as for living to fear the qassam attacks ..well you have to admit that we live in fear too ..and that's indisputable.now if we're talking about co-existence then you might know better that we used to be good neighbours who are living in harmony untill the devil showed up,and made living seem impossible for both sides. Mind you that every day you and i lose is a day we don't have so let's make and live the best of it ,my dear neighbour.
8. SATISFACTION
MAN ,   LAND   (05.10.05)
WHATEVER YOU GIVE YOU F FEEL NO SATISFACTION WHAT EVER I TAKE I F EEL NO SATISFACTIO THIS IS THE MATTER ALL OR NONE
9. The Bull Is Out!
Metkal ,   Gaza   (05.12.05)
Whatever resons you put for the pullout, it remain the same. We as Palestinian should be proud that we could at last bring you the point of rationality. to decribe us as looters and (Ganafeem) is inappropriate. you did it before when you looted our desered towns and villages during Nakba. Our flag, national anthem and the hard look in our children faces, we continue to be a source of pain and fear for you. You started the domino game. Gaza first. but what will follow? the cascade will go on in unstopable manner. We are deeply rooted in the earth, in the sky and in the sea. The BULL will Lose for The Matadore and leave the field.
10. THE "PEACE" GIVEN TO SUDAN'S CHRISTIANS
Linda Rivera ,   New York   (05.13.05)
2.5 million Christians are dead from Sudan's jihad. What were these Christian innocents guilty of? They were not Muslims. Hundreds of thousands of Christians have been taken for slaves by Sudan's Muslims. The Christian slaves are subjected to horrific satanic abuse. What are these Christian innocents guilty of? They are not Muslims. There are no Muslim protest demonstrations demanding their freedom. There are no world leaders demanding that the Christian slaves are set free. The lives of Jews and Christians mean absolutely nothing to world leaders.
11. take a look at history...
mona ziad ,   gerusalem   (05.15.05)
for one minute ....stop the incitation against muslims .we are all equal in the eyes of god ,if you believe in god . not all muslims are the same nor all christians , nor all jews...and that's for a fact. what do you think of the crusade war against muslims ......did their lives mean nothing to you ??? snap out of it!!
12. Guy Guy Guy Bechor
Alex ,   Boston   (05.17.05)
The only reason "subjective feelings and symbolism overcome the objective, logical, analytical approach" is because we Jews allow it too. So what if the Pals parade around claiming victory!! Once we're done voluntarily pulling out of strategic areas (that we must in order to keep American aid and diplomatic relations intact) we no longer have to play nice with these people. Let them think they won, with what army I ask? We know the real reason for disengagment and it has nothing to do with 1000 dead Jewish civilians, I'm sorry, but it doesn't. We're disengaging because the global arena is a very complex, sensitive environment and our leaders have to look out for our interests internationally as well at home. We haven't run away from anything, at any time and it shouldn't matter what our neighbors want to say about it because we know the truth. We could've turned Lebanon into a parking lot just as we could in Gaza. The point is that our leadership has the moral superiority NOT TO DO THAT as well as financial and diplomatic incentive. Who cares what our neighbors think, they hate us either way. Let them parade around like monkeys and claim victory, just don't let that become your reality because then you let them win and that's all they can do to win.
13. assigned to the task of dealing with Linda Rivera
assigned to the task ,   Israel   (05.24.05)
girl friend...it would seem you have swallowed a hair ball. time to go outside...and get rid of the thing. or in other words...you must definitely be a persecuted pentecostal on a wild witnessing role. breath, breath, breath. remember G-d knows how to speak for himself! wishing you a nice day :-)
14. Guy Bechor
D.Sucari ,   Jerusalem   (05.25.05)
What he writes is absolutely right. The Palestinian so called authority is composed of various blood thirsty groups hoping they will gradually wipe out Israel. Israel must be always strong in spirit and in arms and must not accept a villain neighbour whose intentions are openly expressed continuously. Autonomy for the Palestinians is the maximum which can be offered to them.
15. to #13
Alex ,   Boston   (05.26.05)
That was clever, very well said, and I laughed out loud. Thank You
16. Not even because of that, but...
Ronnie   (05.27.05)
Why the heck should we reward them with building their country when all they're after is the annihilation of the state of Israel? Bear in mind, "disengagement" means that we want nothing to do with them. We don't need to rely on them restraining their terrorist groups, and we don't need to provide for their food, education housing or anything else. The day we legitimized Arafat as a politician was the worst day in the history of the state of Israel. The farther we get and the more separated we get, the better! Unfortunately, Palestinians and Israelis were never meant to live "side by side".
17. A Palestinian Windfall
Jay ,   Las Vegas, U.S.A.   (06.01.05)
It is surprising that there has been no U.S. media discussion, of which I am aware, regarding the disposition of homes and other fixtures in Gaza. It is also surprising that the issue is apparently unresolved by Israeli authorities at so late a date. Will the Palestinians be receiving a gift, an invoice or empty land? There would be no reason why the Israeli government could not retain ownership of the homes and fixtures while tranferring ownership of the land to the Palestinians. The Israeli government could sell or lease the land and fixtures to the Palestinians. The Israelis might also indicate that that the ownership of the homes and fixtures would be tranferred to the Palestinians on a gradual and steady basis depending on the maintenance of standards regarding a cessation of violence.
18. The Arabs will see what they want to see
Daniel ,   amsterdam   (06.01.05)
There is nothing we can change about that. They will perceive it as a victory and I say let 'em. Let them think they have the IDF on the run, let them fantasize about defeating us and let them try. Sharon is a general and I don't think he is playing for anything except victory. It is importand that the Palestinians demonstrate to the world that they are not interested in peace. A Hamas ruled Gaza without settlements which launches missiles on israeli cities is very convincing. No Western nation will pressure Israel into giving up more land after they have seen what Hamas is doing to Gaza. The only danger is a dormant Hamas, arming but not fighting. However the perception of victory will increase their bloodlust and they will soon overplay their hand. Sharon once said that the only option in a battle is to assault. That is, you have to create and form a battlefield, not let the enemy form it for you. We are retreating from Gaza, Hamas will smuggle in arms by the truckload and Gaza will become a true battlezone. You think after that America will force us into turning the Westbank into a Hamas ruled Islamic terror state? I don't think so.
19. Let my people stay!
Howard Wolle ,   Toronto Canada   (06.01.05)
Some interesting concepts are laid out by the author. Firstly a parade with all settlers leaving the area and then wandering aimlessly about the desert until they are absorbed somewhere in Israel and secondly, while they are marching about, a team of demolition experts should be demolishing their homes that they had just abandoned. This will all come about so that the Arabs do not perceive that the Jews are weak and are seen to be leaving victorious and not just stealing away in the night as was done in Lebanon. However the author seems to miss the point in that the perception of running scared is there no matter how Israel tries to disguise it. If it takes the form of a parade, the form of a creeping nightly evacuation or a walkabout in the desert , after all it is what it is, a retreat from a position that is hard to hold. If the position was strong, if the settlements were better secured, like those of Ariel, then Israel would not be retreating, would it? The question of what to do with the abandoned settlements is clear. Do not allow your enemies any advantages. Handing over to the Arabs houses and villages that were built up and then defended by the blood of innocent Israelis is inconceivable .There is no option here. The real question however in this whole issue remains, why is Israel retreating? The disengagement is actually a dismemberment of the values, inspirations and hopes of many , if not most, Zionists throughout the world. Why abandon lands that have been a part of the Jewish history since day 1. Israel seems to push only when it is pushed first as was the case in every conflict that it has been involved in. Each time the Arabs push Israel, Israel backs up a little, then a little more and then steps back again. Very polite indeed but unfortunately a perception of weakness forms with these Arab bullies and when they sense weakness, as with all animals, they go for the kill. The Arabs keep pushing and the Israelis move back again. This seems to be the precedent and it invariably leads to the point where the Arabs push Israel to the brink and then and only then does Israel push back. Unfortunately, this process of perceived weakness is well understood by the Arabs, and try as they might , the Israelis will never change this as it is a value of the Arabic middle east culture is being played out daily in most of the Arab cities throughout the region. What then are the alternatives for Israel? If in its wisdom the government does proceed with this dismemberment of the settlers, then Israel should only do this in response to a solid offering in return from the Palestinians. In this quid pro quo scenario the Arabs will know that the price of Israel relinquishing this land requires them to do something in return. In this way there is no retreat , but rather there is an exchange, a barter, something that the Arab mentality would understand . This way Israel could walk out proudly with its head up high knowing that it is walking away from these areas and in return is gaining something that will be of greater benefit, a secure future, safe from the constant wars experienced by them and their fathers before them.
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