Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Departing Thoughts

Well then, is ynetnews (Israeli Yediot Daily) playing with us? Have they gone out searching for the two or three who will say what is required of them? Or is this article a representation of the reality and true feelings of some or many Gazan Palestinians on the eve of the Jewish departure from Gaza? If we understand this article as a sacred truth bearer, then this certainly raises (not for the first time) an opinion that we do not often hear.

That is, the Palestinian bread winner who just wants to be able to feed his family, relies on the provision of work by Israeli settlements and is fed up with the Arafat-ocrisy that has destroyed Palestinian hopes and dreams in the last four (if not 15 years). It has always bothered me that the world abuses Israel in its treatment of the Palestinians and yet so many of our cousins could not survive without 'occupation'. Sadly, the strict and brutal Palestinian society is reflected in the lack of moderate voices like these that are able to push through to the world's surface where such truth is so very much desired and necessary.

What about IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon's departure today? This is a (not to be under-estimated) major leadership tafkid (role) in Israeli society and there has been not a small amount of criticism at his unexpected removal by the PM and Mofaz. Today, we're reading Yaalon's 'last words' and all this fighting spirit makes me think that (like so many other Israeli military men) it is simply the appetizer to a fast-approaching career in the Knesset. His comments might sound like 'sour grapes' but the man does speak in line with what appears to be majority Israeli opinion.

Even if we back it, very few of us believe the Disengagement will bring quiet let alone peace of any description. Yaalon's prediction of a "give up more land or get hit with terror" strategy on behalf of the Palestinians after August is not hard to believe and probably doesn't require the label of top soldier to predict such a bleak outlook. But in today's PC world, it does take guts to say it and to predict the worst, or worse. Read the article for yourselves - gangs not state and a PA leader who still builds up Palestinian hopes for the full right of return.

It might be hot and there might be good kosher ice cream, but it's not a pretty summer ahead. Let's hope we're all wrong...

What do you think? KIC us...

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