Sometimes I write about the failure of people on the left to face reality. But today I am forced to write about what seems to be my failure to face reality. What reality? The fact that people on the left won’t face reality. (Is everyone with me?)
Things have been so bad in recent weeks that I was convinced our nation was headed in a new direction. I wanted to believe it was. It seemed inevitable to me that it had to be. And, OK, Olmert declared that (for now) his "realignment" plan was dead. Good step in the right direction.
But what has followed is incredible. British Prime Minister Blair came to town, and met with Olmert last night. At their joint press conference, Olmert announced his readiness to meet with PA President Mahmoud Abbas — without preconditions, including the release of kidnapped Cpl. Gild Shalit.
Oh no!
Oh yes! Olmert had said he wouldn’t meet with Abbas until Shalit was released. But, he had said we would keep fighting until Hezbollah released our two kidnapped soldiers in Lebanon. And then, after he stopped fighting without getting them back, he said he wouldn’t stop the blockade until we had word of them. But we’re pulling out without that word. So what does it mean to him, to go back on his word yet one more time? From Olmert I don’t expect more. But what of the rest of the nation. Have we no shame? I would like to think there will be an outcry. I am not convinced there will be. I will have to see it with my own eyes in order to believe it.
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Allow me to remind everyone reading this that Abbas signed off with Hamas on the Prisoners’ Document. Remember that? A group of Palestinian prisoners had drafted a document in May that urged a unity gov’t with Fatah and Hamas, release of all prisoners, and negotiations with Israel based on the 2002 Saudi plan. Hamas balked and Abbas tried to force the issue via a referendum. By June, there was reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, and the Document, altered to be more palatable to Hamas, had been accepted.
This document does not call for a two-state solution or recognize Israel’s right to exist. It does however recognize the right of the Palestinians to "resist" occupation, with such resistance focused in the area outside the pre ’67 borders — which means terrorism everywhere is sanctioned. This is what Abbas agreed to. And yet Olmert will meet with him.
Olmert, you see, will work toward the Road Map.
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A word about Blair. He is beleaguered at home because of his support of Israel’s rights during the Lebanon war. This, of course, has something to do with the pathetic path Olmert has now taken.
Blair, who almost gets it, always ends up putting the onus on us. Last night he said, "…stability of this region also affects the stability of my country. We live in a world in which how you fare here, how Israel does with Lebanon and Palestine, are issues that also affect how my country fares…" So, it seems it all depends on us, and that all could be right with the world if only we would make peace with an intransigent adversary that seeks to destroy us. Got that? Seems Olmert did get that message.
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Researchers from the Institute for Counter-Terrorism of the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya are predicting that with a reduced capability, Hezbollah may opt to attack Israel indirectly via support of Palestinian terror attacks.
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Three Arab members of the Knesset, MKs Azmi Bishara, Jamel Zakhalka and Wasel Taha, all of the Balad Party, went to Syria on Friday without permission, as required by law. MK Bishara, who declared that Israeli Arabs are Syria’s allies, met with members of the Ba’ath party and warned of the possibility that Israel might attack. This — giving support to the enemy — is out and out treason, and it is hardly the first time there has been such an occurrence. They are scheduled to return on Tuesday and Attorney General Mazuz is now preparing to launch an investigation; there are outcries for their immunity to be stripped, their passports to be revoked and more. But I’ve heard this all before and it’s past time to see real action — such as a trial and imprisonment.
Syria, it should be noted, has recently threatened to launch attacks to secure the Golan Heights, and is reportedly working against the release of Gilad Shalit.
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On the political front:
— Transportation Minister (formerly Defense Minister) Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) has now jointed the ranks of those calling for a full commission of inquiry with regard to the war.
— There has been a budget battle going on, with Labor protesting the cuts being made to pay for the war. It looked as if this might bring the government down. But now it seems Labor may cave. Better to have budget line items they care about passionately funded insufficiently than to lose their position in the coalition, huh?
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