Jewish solidarity

Gaza withdrawal showed Israeli society remained strong

Reuters | Published: 10.10.05, 10:02

What can one say about disengagement that hasn't already been said? Perhaps two things.

First, it turns out that a process that began as a unilateral Israeli move quickly grew to include other parties.

As a unilateral Israeli move, the disengagement was at first a blunt, overly aggressive move. But the Palestinians quickly figured out that it was in their best interests to ensure the move was successful, and so in the months leading up to the pullout they worked with Israel to re-create a complicated and fragile network of security coordination.

The relative calm that reigned before and during the pullout was the product of this coordination. It was a joint Palestinian – Israeli interest.

Egypt, America join in

More than that, Egypt also found itself coordinating with Israel – looking out for its own interests, to be sure – with regard to both post-pullout security in Gaza and the Philadelphi Route.

And perhaps more important than either of these were the Americans. As soon U.S. President George W. Bush signed on to the plan, disengagement shifted from a unilateral Israeli move to a joint U.S. - Israeli policy.

Once that happened, Sharon – inadvertently, perhaps - could no longer get out of seeing the pullout through.

These factors suggest that future moves could also be conducted "unilaterally," and suggestions to that affect have already begun to make rounds.

The second perspective concerns the manner in which the pullout occurred.

Some predicted the move would never happen, other doomsayers predicted civil war. Some even threatened it.

But in the end, despite everything and despite certain borderline acts and statements, disengagement went quietly.

The first round of praise for this goes to the IDF and security forces, but one must not forget the settlers themselves, most of whom accepted their fate as the democratic decision of a sovereign Jewish country.

More than that – the empathy and restraint shown by the soldiers and the refusal by most settlers to break the law were examples of a deep, primal Jewish solidarity.

Unified and split

From many perspectives, Israeli society is boorish and uncouth. Our political life often embarrasses many of us.

But beyond the disagreements and the splits, Israeli society has proved once again there is real solidarity, based on a joint desire to preserve a Jewish country.

There are exceptions, of course, but one cannot ignore the fact that Israel has created the same social solidarity that has always characterized Jewish life in times of crisis.

This solidarity does not mean our society is particularly conformist, but rather, it is a solidarity complete with differences of opinion and particularlism. But it is united enough, and we would do well to recognize that.

Many people may not have noticed, but many commentators overseas took notice our government simultaneously exerting force and restraint, without destroying that feeling of solidarity.

This is an accomplishment we can all take pride in - without whitewashing the tough perspectives that are also a part of our society.

Shlomo Avineri is the former director-general of the Foreign Ministry