Why stay in the settlements and even expand them when we will have to get out of them eventually? It is not even a good negotiating tactic. It is what game theorists call a non-credible threat. If they know we will have to concede eventually (or else become either a muslim or an apartheid state) then they will not give us anything in return. The failure of multilateralism is what necessitates these withdrawals. If they want to set up a belligerent Islamic fanatic state then let them, and we'll put up a big wall between them and us.

The question is how can we stop this from happening? How can we make Israelis open their eyes and see the damage that is being done to our future generations? Olmert's plan is not just another concession or appeasement; it is a permanent, irrectifiable blow to the state of Israel. Olmert is single-handedly committing economic, social, and political suicide for the country and is getting away with it, simply because the public doesn't know better. The simple fact is that only a small minority of the people in Israel, and in any country for that matter, know enough about matters politic to make educated decisions as to the destiny of their country, but democracy promises that everyone has a choice, no matter what their education. This is one of the flaws of democracy (not that people can vote, but that people don't have adequate access or time for crucial education). There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. A lack of understanding is an obstacle that society can overcome. The question for Israel is, will it be too late?

Facts are facts. How has the Gaza diengagement helped? Not one bit. Ashkelon and other cities are in the crosshaires. What valid reason is there to think that the same thing that happened in gaza won't happen in Yehuda and Shomron. Kassams in Kfar Saba Jerusalem And Ben Gurian. Then the cry will be to send back the troops. All for what???

The solution is quick and hard work! What I mean is ,a group of cityzens should start organizing an explicative body on what's going on in the country ,and start,house by house,newspapers,radios,etc,a job of clarifying minds. It is something that must come from within,from people ,and I agree with Dr.Sherman,and add: I think,Israel is in very dangerous hands.I have the impression Olmert is a very sick (and dictatorial)man that will eventually lead the country for a disaster! You people have to act!And it is just a matter of getting the edge of the thread;after, it will unroll by itself. Nobody will take better care of you than yourselves.And Israel is a small country,which makes this job a lot easier. And what ever is made, it has to be,always ,pacificaly,with huge conscience and responsability in mind.

You got it completely right when you said that this change must come from the people itself. That's the basis of democracy; that people's wants and needs are expressed through political institutions and the ballot box. The problem in Israel is not the lack of influences such as political organizations, media, schools, and political parties themselves, but the lack of public interest in these influences. No matter how much the right wing in this country proves time after time the necessity to combat terrorism and not ignore it, the danger just doesn't sink in. Unless a person is directly hit in the face with reality (as so happens with terrorist attacks although always only temporarily), they just don't get it. This is human nature. About your point of taking to the streets. This is a very viable solution and I think if it happened it would definitely make a difference, but the only way for this to happen is if a leader capable of moving the masses arises with this initiative. A strong leader is the only way to make that connection between the people and the reality. Sadly, I don't see any legitimate candidates around.

Now that we know that Bill Gates gave Sharon and Kadima less than $15 mil for expulsion of Jews from Gaza, we all know what they expect from US billioners for expulsion from Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. Sharon was a stupid saleman. Even Beilin gets more from Saudi Peace initiative committee.

Despite the absolute clear vision of Dr.Sherman, he and his supporters are whistling in the wind. Appeasement and surrender is in the air, across Europe, America, and Israel. As happened before, it will take a truly tragic event or the arising of a leader of historic dimension and vision (think Churchill and Ben-Gurion) to turn this tide. Western Liberalism cannot cope with the reality of the Islamic philosophy and does not understand its exclusionary foundations. Hold on to your hats; it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

No,I don't think ONE leader is required,but just a group of sincere and fighting people to start a process of awakening people's minds. From that group, it could eventually come up new leaders,that the country has been needing so urgently. What I know is that some kind of action is necessary.Apaty leads only to the expectation in Miracles to come. I do believe in Miracles ,but we must help them to happen.

Your criticism assumes that "we" will have to get out the "settlements" eventually. But there are no "settlements." Rather, there are villages located throughout Israel, the borders of which were established by the Mandate. In one way only are you correct: if Israel continues to be led by historically ignorant leftists (such as yourself), the terrorists will never be deterred and terror will increase.

Hi Josh. The problem in Israel is not that the average person doesn't know enough about political issues, because that is true everywhere, and Israel's dysfunction is unique. The big problem in Israel is that it does not have the institutions of a real democracy, even though it APPEARS to have them. Thus, it does not function like a real democracy. Google "Paul Eidelberg" for details.

Anthony, the issue is not calling the article rubbish. The issue is if you can refute the points that Dr. Sherman has listed about the negative effects of the Gaza withdrawal. I notice that in your reply, you did not refute even one of Dr. Sherman's points with factual information. The major problem with the withdrawal from Gaza is that Israel did not benefit from its action in any way. Towns in Israel are now subjected to rocket fire, Europe still will not support Israeli measures to counteract the rocket fire, Gaza is now a terrorist ministate, and productive and law-abiding people have been evicted without plans to absorb them into the pre-6 Day War Israel. Building a wall will help somewhat, but you can't build a wall high enough to stop Kassams. In addition, the Palestinians have elected Hamas, a totally rejectionist and racist Islamist organization that owes its whole being to wiping out Israel. Today's horrific suicide bombing and the praise and support of Hamas towards this barbaric act shows that "convergence" will not work because it is impossible to totally separate from the Palestinians. No UN resolution will be passed to suport Olmert, the Europeans will not recognize Israel's boundaries and there will be thousands more displaced Israelis that are impoverished, homeless, and bitter.

Martin Sherman brought us a very good analysis and warning. What else can we expect from a bureaucrat brought to power by the ill turn of fate? He is blinded by his own metamorphosis from a faceless assistant obeying boss' orders - into the regal master giving orders. Grandiose plans of "convergence" replaced the project of single disengagement. The vital interests of our country are in the hands of one person who came to power more as an usurper than an elected by the majority leader. How can we stop his mad plans? Why are we silent? What are we waiting for? Without hysteria, we must do something impressive to stop our march to suicide.

Thanks for your willingness to sacrifice my children to support your unrealisable ideology. Too bad you don't believe in it enough to put your children where your mouth is. It is very easy to sit in galut and dictate to us what borders we should be fighting for. Unless you are willing to sacrifice for those borders, friends like you....

It may have escaped your notice since you don't live here but the Kassams were raining down on us long before the withdrawal. You miss the main point of the withdrawal: We either have to annex and give full democratic rights to the areas and peoples that we control, or, we have to remove ourselves from those areas. To do neither, as Sherman proposes, is ultimately to turn Israel into an apartheid state wherein Jews have rights but Arabs do not. Sorry, but I don't want to live in a state like that. That is why I am here fighting and sending my children to fight, so that we can live in a free and democratic state. And as for those who don't recognise my right to a state? I say good riddance to them and I dont want them in my state.

Since you (called Moshe) do not serve in the IDF and your children do not serve in IDF, you can't tell us that we must die because Arabs want to kill us and Olmert must support his familly in US (son) and Paris (another child). You expressing the view of Olmert's children who does NOT live in Israel.

Continue to control the territories and your state will become a pariah state. And you will understand what boycott and sanctions really mean.

Of course Kassams were fired into Israel before the withdrawal from Gaza. I guess you don't know that the vital power plant at Ashkelon and Israeli communities were out of range before Israel left Gaza. Now, the situation is different. In WWII, the US launched a fleet of bombers against Japan from an aircraft carrier called the Doolittle raid. Japan was bombed but no real damage was done. The real effects of the bombing was psycholgical and it boosted the morale of the American people. However, the U.S. command knew that only by gaining more territory closer to Japan would permit American planes to devastate Japan. The U.S. did not turn Hawaii into a fortress as the sole means of protecting the U.S. They went on the offensive. Once again Moshe, I want you to list one advantage that Israel has gained from the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. Your other points have nothing to do with the Israel being a democracy, ruling Palestinians, etc. The point is that Israel is at war and only a fool continues policies that have not worked.

Funny

The person calling himself David-Moshe (#16) are looking at things from the Arab point of view. He calls "your stae will become ..." We, Jews, on the other hand must do what is good for Jews not the Arabs. His (David-Moshe) "boycott" does not worry me or other Jews in Israel at all.

Moshe, you are the one sacrificing your own children, as can be seen in the abysmal record of your leadership since Rabin, and in particular in the astounding increase in terror-related deaths since Sharon became PM. Your ideological zealotry prevents you from noticing a failed strategy and prompts you to vote for more of it, which nicely relates to the point of this article in the first place. I don't need to do a statistical analysis to know that territorial contraction HAS ALWAYS worsened Israel's situation. By the way, Israel is *not* a democracy. However, it is fair to say that it is "more democratic" than other countries in the Middle East. It will never be a democracy until its state of war is ended. The "logic" you offer for expelling Jews chases itself into a confused heap. First, you say "we have to remove ourselves from those areas." In fact, though, YOU will not be removed at all. No, you sit pretty (for now). You will be expelling others. Hm. Rawls would be proud of such "justice." Second, apartheid is a political system that includes and subjugates others. But neither of us wants to include the Pals. Rather, we both want to separate from them. The difference is that you want to expel your Jewish neighbors, and I want to expel murderous Pals, maybe to Gaza (for now). Third, we both know that you want to ensure an Israel that overwhelmingly Jewish. So don't give me any US-style egalitarian blarney regarding the Arabs. We just choose different means. Fourth, you erroneously assume that the Pals will remain in Israel permanently if they know they cannot work in Jewish Israel and have no hope of destroying it. I disagree. And I would have no problem cutting off their electricity and water to help them decide. Fifth, you erroneously suggest that expelling your Jewish neighbors and putting "Palestinians" in their place is a solution. Alas, it simply gives the enemy hope and positions them closer to your throat. Your approach has been tried, and it cannot work. You can delude yourself all you want. The rockets will keep coming, and the beasts will continue to blow you up. And ultimately, you will shake yourself free of your inane ideology or you will expire in a convulsion.

You completely fail to understand the mindset of the israeli left. You can call us "appeasers" and "self-hating" all you want but it only makes you look more like an as#$%. We are only commited to one purpose-- an end to the status quo. And then you say there are no settlements and that the left is historically ignorant!!??! I don't know who you are trying to fool but it's not working. And yes Israel is a democratic country...A parliamentary republic, to be precise. And if you haven't figured out by now that violence begets violence you are truly as ignorant as you appear to be. Just because our violence is bigger and more advanced than theirs, it will not cause an end to their violence. You are like those republicans (I bet you are one) who see the world as good as bad, black or white. It's so easy to promote escalation (thats all you do isn't it?) when you're so far away. I'm sure nothing I can write can make you open your mind a bit but I guess it was worth a try..

Edan, I did not call you "appeasers" or "self-hating." You do not actually argue any of the points I offer, except for one, Israel's type of government. More on that in a moment. You "are only commited to one purpose--an end to the status quo." Nice one. If all you want is change, may I recommend disbanding the state entirely? You could do that unilateraly. Do you read what you are writing? Israel is not a "parliamentary republic." It lacks a true people's branch because there is no geographical representation and no direct elections for Knesset members. Its high court is self-selected and unbound by a constitution, because there isn't one. It regularly stomps over the other branches. There is also the "peculiar institution" of the Israeli "Attorney General" (which is nothing like the American Attorney General). You suggest that I lack knowledge of Israel because I am far away. Well, you seem to have been born in the US. Should I conclude that you know much about the American government? I should not, because levels of knowledge are actually extremely low in the population. I rather doubt most Israelis know much about their own political system. Certainly those not born in the US or Western Europe will have no real democracy to compare with it.

An end to the status quo means an end to the occupation of the west -bank (including no more protection for the settlers, let them protect themselves), a two state solution and an end to violence...In other words ,whats known as "normalization"...As opposed to escalation. Why would you recommend disbanding the country altogether..?? Does it seem to you from what I write that that is what I want..? Maybe you should brush up on your reading comprehension. I am no less Zionist than you and I am only thinking of the future. Like I said, violence brings more violence, no matter what side you are on. Why would Israel (the size of Rhode Island) have geographical representation?? In any case Israel is the closest thing to a democracy in the entire middle east. And no, I can't say how well you know Israel and how much time you spent here, but I have a pretty strong suspicion that you haven't been fully immersed in Israeli society as I have these last ten years. I know how to spot an armchair politician/general....

Now Edan speaking promoting the Hamas course. You don't have to repeat yourself. You said it much better in #16.

...and the problem is that most american jews put thier view of justice or horse-sense over what's good for Israel. And they justify these views by saying "I'm jewish!". These people in turn fail to influence our President and other influential policy makers to allow Israel to do what Israel needs to do.

No offense, jonathan, but I don't know what you're talking about. I cannot speak for other American Jews. I argue based on my understanding of Israel's "fortunes" since Oslo. My being Jewish only explains why I bother with the discussion. Clearly I will not try to influence Bush in a direction that I think is disasterous for Israel, and just as clearly Israel's history since Oslo convinces me not to defer to the Israeli PM or to lefty newspaper notables.

Edan, I will let others judge for themselves regarding which of us needs work on reading comprehension. Naturally, I do not agree (1) that there is an "occupation"; (2) that a "West Bank" exists (as opposed to Judea and Samaria); (3) that violence only brings more violence (I say that war terminates violence); or (4) that continuing the Oslo/Disengagement approach will EVER produce "normalization." You confuse geographical representation with direct election of legislators; these are logically distinct. However, Rhode Island, which has a population of around a million persons, has geographical representation for both state and national legislatures and direct election of legislators for both. No list-based voting in the US. RI also has a state constitution. As for Israel being the closest thing to a democracy in the Middle East, that is what I have already agreed to in #20. What then are we arguing about? You also mistakenly believe that living somewhere magically makes one informed about the politics of the place. This is utterly and demonstrably false (any primer on public opinion will demonstrate the point). You do not "spot an armchair politician/general"; you spot a political scientist. However, since my area is not Israeli politics, I recommend that you Google "Paul Eidelberg" after reading this reply to learn more about the country you have been "fully immersed" in.

"I say that war terminates violence" Huh ???? Isn't it obvious that war is even more violence ? What stops violence are a-gree-ments. So are clever enough to make agreements before a war erupts, some are unfortunately not smart enough and do it after a war. Or several war. Because a war that ends without true agreements on generates worse wars. German-French war of 1870 generated WWI which in turn generated WWII. Then at last an true agreement was reached and there was no more war. Israel won several wars but it never was the last one because there was no agreement. From the other point of view, where there was an agreement (Egypt, Jordan), there was no more war or violence. Do you want the other 1000 examples ? Simple logic. And you politically distorded views will never be able to change this actual reality.

Jacques, your faith in a-gree-ments is more than a bit amusing coming from a citizen of a country that has been flattened time and again because it could not defend itself. "Simple logic" suggests that when the German war-making ability was destroyed in WW2 and its cities leveled, the Thousand Year Reich would initiate no more violence. Similarly, German agreements made before this war were not honored. I can see why a continent that has disarmed talks up diplomacy. And yet, the reason it does not speak in Russian has nothing to do with European a-gree-ments with the Soviet Union, but with the projection of American force, principally through NATO. An agreement that follows a decisive defeat in war or that is agreed to because of a fear of being decisively defeated is not a CAUSE; it is an OUTCOME. Your "simple logic" actually amounts to a logical fallacy: post hoc ergo propter hoc.