February 16, 2001

"Sharon's Victory - But Can He Bring Peace"

Israeli voters are plainly disgusted.  Jews are a "stiff-necked" people.  Jewish obduracy is, at times, an abomination, but when needed, a source of resiliency and strength.  Many were angered at settlers living in the West Bank and considered them obstacles to peace.  But they would not tolerate, even for a moment, settlers being shot at and murdered, and they protested.

They elected Ariel Sharon.

Sharon's victory was not a vote against Barak or for the leader of Likud.  It was a bitter expression of frustration and fury with Arafat and his phony gang of hoodlums who, when offered the largest olive branch ever extended for peace by any civilized nation, responded with guns, rocks and bombs.  Any analysis, in fact, of Sharon's incredible electoral triumph will ultimately conclude that Israel came out of its euphoria and realized the true intentions of its Arab citizens and the Palestinians.

The Arab design does not include peace or even Israel's right to exist.  Their masses have been bombarded with propaganda and hate for so long that it convinced them that they will destroy Israel and, for that matter, the Jewish people everywhere.  How else can you explain the raw anti-Semitism displayed in their media and teaching texts?  In mosque after mosque, their clergy adjure to "kill Jews anywhere and any place."  It's a painful shame. . .peace with Israel would bring economic, technological and medical benefits to the Palestinian Arabs; their children would enjoy a future much beyond stone-throwing and phony martyrdom.  But Jew hatred has been so deeply ingrained, it will take a full generation to bring change, if they wanted it. 

Jerusalem's Mufti joined forces with the Bathists of Iraq and Syria to urge Hitler to annihilate all Jews, and the multiple attacks against our people day after day in the years which preceded the Holocaust to the Persian Gulf War when Arafat and company sided with Saddam and cheered him on, we should have known that they will not be partners for peace.  Jew hatred is an industry. . .billions of dollars were made, and the old PLO terrorists filled their coffers as they sold their inventions to all the world's political insurgents.  Who trained the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, the Red Army in Japan, the Badar Manheim gang in Germany?  Yes, you guessed right. . .Arafat's mafia. 

How in heavens could an intelligent person like Yossi Beilin ever think that gangster criminals could be civilized and made legitimate partners in peace?  And who pulled the wool over Ehud Barak's eyes so that he would sincerely believe that by giving them Jerusalem, the Temple Mount and ninety-six percent of the West Bank and much more land in the Negev and Gaza, the Palestinians would rush to sign the agreements and live beside us as good friends and neighbors?  It's amazing how the descendants of a "wise and understanding people" could be so beguiled.  I fault no one for I, too, wanted very much to believe that peace was achievable.

Now that Sharon was mandated by a land-slide victory over Barak, what should he do?  It seems that Sharon is intent upon revising his image, no different from the other generals, Rabin and Barak, who led Israel.  The old soldier is determined to achieve peace as his legacy to Israel and the world. 

Only recently, he called Arafat a murderer; he obviously knows the man well. But is he as naive as his predecessor in believing that the Arab wolf will change his colors and turn from terrorism and blackmail into a responsible and civilized leader? 

Sharon's pursuit of both Shimon Peres and Ehud Barak to join in a unity government seems to be a rational and commendable move.  At this writing, their acceptance of his outreach to them is unknown.  It is my fondest hope that they do accept, as I strongly believe both of these men are Israeli patriots who have learned a horrible lesson.  I can still see the look on Peres' face at the Davos Eeconomic Forum when he heard Arafat accuse Israel of waging "for the past four months a savage and barbaric war as well as a fascist military aggression against our Palestinian people."  At the time, Peres did not respond to the accusation, and once again called for peace as he warmly embraced Arafat.  An old politician like Peres followed a practiced pattern, "make believe you are turning the other cheek."  I want to believe that he now knows better, but even if he doesn't, Sharon, by seeking to include Peres, demonstrates his will to make peace if  it's possible. 

I know Barak is angry and that his anger is not against the Israeli voters' rejection of him.  He has expressed his disappointment with Arafat and his underlings on many occasions.  He really thought that peace was on their agenda, but now knows that he was gravely mistaken. 

Can Sharon impose peace?  It's a good question that I cannot answer.  I am told by American diplomats that Arafat lusts for an "all-out" war against Israel.  He expects Sharon to strike back hard against the violence and wanton murders.  Then, Arafat will go to the Syrians, Egyptians, Iraqis and Iranians and demand that they intervene on behalf of their "unfortunate Arab and Islamic brothers."  Sharon wants to avoid this.  He is a great tactician who knows that all of Israel's military victories in the past, and even those in the future, are empty.  Israel wins the wars but forever loses the peace.     "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem."  And indeed, we must, but let us not lose heart.  It took four hundred years for our forefathers to conquer the land Hashem gave.  It will certainly take much less time today as we seek not to conquer but to remain upon the soil of that land without aggrandizement. We seek a secure peace which neither Israel political leaders or Arabs can give us.  Only G-d in His infinite mercy will give us peace. . .and so may it be. 

Shabbat Shalom