Opinion
A miracle in the north
Hagai Segal
Published: 28.09.11, 00:14
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
25 Talkbacks for this article
1. Even Bigger Miracle
Jeff ,   Sabratown   (09.28.11)
Look at Egypt after a 30 year peace treaty and new gov't comes along, and it's virtually gone. That's with the protection of the Sinai buffer zone, imagine the same directly on our northern border! Let's talk about the West Bank, even if a true Palestinian moderate would come around, what's to stop it from turning into another Gaza and a 'revolution'? Look at the democracy that the Egyptians got. Strategic protection from a potential enemy, is just a vital a Strategic protection from a declared enemy in the upside-down world that is the 'new' mid-east.
2. And the lesson should be
Ellen ,   Israel/USA   (09.28.11)
that we can't make peace with anyone who isn't really ready. This includes the PA--which is a weak two faced institution. Hamas which controls 1/2 of the Arab people who call themselves Palestinians is very very forward about their POV, moderate Abbas refuses to acknowledge us as a Jewish state and teaches his children hatred. Their true colors show. When will Abbas be replaced by Hamas. Will we again be proclaiming a "miracle"
3. golan and the generals
alexi   (09.28.11)
israel has to be very careful with its generals.Aside from sharon and dayan for a while,t hey have turned out to be poor leaders with lack of national conviction. Baidetz urged peace with syria believing it would be disconnected from hezbollah which is poppycock. and to come off the golan which is crucial geography and is more ancient and modern israeli than syrian and should not be traded back 1cm. Barak wanted to trade it back along wiht other concessions because he is so smart that he is dumb. More than than,he is a lousy land general, has been defeated by the arabs in 2 battles and is afraid. That's what governs his behaviour. On top of that the generals were against the syrian nuclear hit including barak, fuad and baidetz. So basically just as youdon't name an air force general as chief of staff, don't elect a general as PM. The civilian shoiuld have some idf experience in combat and not be afraid of blood and battle. For these reasons, olmert,livni, peretz are disqualified. Golan is israel and must remain so.
4. Peace for peace. Sure. Land for peace. NEVER!
Chaim ,   Israel   (09.28.11)
Peace occurs when parties agree it is in their best interest or when one has been pummelled to uncondiitonal surender. The dumbest way to pursue peace is to bribe your enemy into signing a treaty. Which is what "land for peace" is. Peace for peace with anybody any time. Sure. Land for peace. NEVER!
5. Syria not unique:only democracies can be peace partners
Joe ,   Canada   (09.28.11)
Only democracies can provide the minimum trust necessary for a lasting peace. The inherent instabilities, short term & certainly long term of autoritarian regimes makes them fundamentally unreliable negociators whose only strategic concern is survival at any cost. They may on occasions try to appear flexible for tactical purposes but they need to return to their agressive stance for internal as much as external reasons. There is often a new more ambitious despot lurking to replace the current one & ready to tear up previous paper peace treaties if that helps him in political power struggles at home. Agreements supposed to be between nations but are in fact with one side representing only a minority clan not accountable to an informed electorate are just valuless pieces of paper fraught with potential dire consequences. The temporary relief felt by some democracies in dealing with despots pretending to be ready for compromise or internal reform is only kicking the can down the road. Political weakness & democratic reforms are suicidal for autoritarian regimes. So placing hope in such a process is always vain & irresponsible.
6. The land belongs to Israel, and time is on our side.
Miron ,   USA   (09.28.11)
7. Israel's dilema: self-preservation vs the moral highground
Edward ,   Sydney, Australia   (09.28.11)
Self-preservation says to hold onto as much land of Israel's neighbours as possible. The moral highground says to give back what doesn't belong to Israel, ie. the Golan and the West Bank. (Somehow Israel's annexation of most of Gaza which originally connected to the West Bank went under the radar and is no longer an issue.) Either way, Israel's neighbours intend to attack her. Israel can be like an honourable victim or as a pragmatic occupier. Neither is ideal, but street protests from leftist Westerners are easier to endure than serious military conflict. It's ironic that Syria's less likely to attack Israel when Israel controls Golan, because western logic thinks the other way around.
8. What will it take for the Lunatic Israeli Left, to see, that
tom ,   tel aviv   (09.28.11)
the "Two Countries for two peoples" mantra is just as crazy?
9. Excellent analysis and I couldnt agree more
Jude ,   Israel   (09.28.11)
10. Please compile list of those politicians..
nethanel ,   gush etzion   (09.28.11)
IDF top brass and journalists, who failed to see and sense the bloody reality. So we won't vote for them again. Somehow I am afraid that they are identical to those who are infavor of Oslo, Disengagement, releasing 1000 terrorists for Shalit. We need a social revolution to get a serious political leadship.
11. #10: Right On! -but one needs to perform a brain-transplant
tom ,   tel aviv   (09.28.11)
on close to 50% of the Israeli voting public! "Revolution" won't cut it, there's no cottage-cheese in it!
12. Jews died for the Golan, it's Israel, KEEP IT!
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (09.28.11)
13. Great article - Same goes for the PA!
(09.28.11)
14. Wrong: don't you want more victims for peace?
Daniel ,   Netherlands   (09.28.11)
More victims: more peace. Ask yossi beilin
15. Ironic
George ,   Scotland   (09.28.11)
No one seems to have considered the element of irony in this piece.
16. #7, when did Israel annex Gaza?
Danny   (09.28.11)
17. Lt The Right Not Be Myopic About The Myopic Left.
Robert Blum ,   New Albany, USA   (09.28.11)
Deport the leftist Jews to their beloved Gaza! The leftists are a 3rd. column destroying Israel. Isiah our prophet warms of destruction from within our own ranks. Lipni, Barak, Peres and Olmert are examples of Israel's detractors and destroyers.
18. The Golan = Israel...so stop to even talk
Chris Rettenmoser ,   Bayerisch Gmain Germ   (09.28.11)
about it...!!!
19. Peace with Arab governments can not be trusted!
Maurice ,   Montreal   (09.29.11)
Israel should never again make peace with Arabas unless the peace is guaranteed by concrete measures from 3rd parties from the western world.
20. Victims
LucasRokosz ,   US   (09.29.11)
Poor Israeli's are always the victims, and me and the rest of the world are anti-semites. Boo hoo hoo, Need to take you all of from the U.S's nipple.
21. to hagai segal
miri ,   israel   (09.30.11)
Wherever did you get the idea that we were contemplating turning the Golan over to Syria ? Quote: It's a good thing.......Unquote That day will never dawn.
22. Hope & pray Labor don't win the next election
zionist forever   (10.02.11)
The new Labor leader is a hardline socialist, she is in love with the peace process. The leftists don't like to look at the world from a realistic point of view they live in their little blinkered ideal world where is we only give the arabs what they want then they will love us and we will spend all our free time having group hugs. If Labor or even Kadima win the next election we can kiss goodbye to the Golan, Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria because the arabs will make us promises which they will only adhere to as long as it suits them. Peace is nice but unlike pieces of paper land is a physical obstacle to war.
23. No land for peace - under any circumstances - with anyone!
Yaniv ,   Israel   (10.02.11)
24. Let be clear: E. Barak considers Israel as
Nick   (10.02.11)
his money maing farm, and himself as farm owner.
25. LUCKY???!!!
Ehud Barak ,   Al-Quds, Palestine   (10.02.11)
Why lucky? Our beloved Syrian peace partners would NEVER turn their guns against us, no matter what the political situation. All right-wingers should STOP war-mongering, and embrace our Arab brothers, who want peace more than we do. Don't worry, Syria, the occupied Golan will be yours again someday. Love always, Uncle Ehud.
Back to article