Gary Cohen

Coincidence? I wonder

2010-08-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

Today's clash between Lebanese and Israeli forces has raised tensions to dangerous level. Yesterday's rocket attack on Eilat, or perhaps I should say Aqaba, killed one, injured three and raises questions about the security situation in the Sinai and the south in general.

Perhaps it is a coincidence that these two events should happen only one day apart on opposite sides of the country and then again, perhaps not.

In Lebanon, by all accounts, a senior Hezbollah figure is about o be implicated in the murder of former PriministerHariri. Hassan Nasrallah has stated that any suggestion of Hezbollah involvement would be unacceptable to the group and cause a political crisis in Lebanon. Following the historical joint visit of the Syrian and Saudi leaders to the country, seeking to avoid such a crisis, it would not be unreasonable to assume that a conflagration with Israel would be an effective way to deflect attention from the investigation and from any suggestion of involvement on the part of Hezbollah. There is nothing quite like a good old war with the Zionist entity to bring the Lebanese masses, and the wider Arab world, for that matter; together. Who cares who killed Hariri, its those pesky Jews we need to worry about.

In the south of Israel, recent rocket attacks on Ashkelon and parts of the country point to increased activity by Hamas and other groups, culminating in the murder of Jordanian taxi driver as rockets failed to hit their target in Eilat, landing in Aqaba injuring three people in addition to the one fatality. Could it be that Hamas are indeed concerned by the White House's apparent insistence on direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Whether they will bear fruit or not, it appears that they will indeed happen and this of course does not serve the Hamas agenda. Just when things were going so well with dead flotilla activists, world condemnation of Israel and an easing, but not too much, of the siege, those damned Americans have to push Abbas into agreeing to meet with Bibi. Bummer!

Oh well, the obvious answer is to fire a few rockets, provoke Israel into retaliation, have a few civilian casualties, but not too few and boom, we can torpedo any idea of talks.

In both Lebanon and the south of Israel the enemies of peace in the region are concerned at how events are unfolding in the region. This should make the rest of us happy as perhaps things are moving in the right direction. At the same time, we should be diligent in ensuring that their self serving spoiler tactics do no provoke an explosion of finance. The summer has been hot enough thus far. And of course, there is no such thing as coincidence, particularly in the Middle East.

Tie a Yellow Ribbon

2010-06-25T02:40:00.000-07:00

The 1973 uber kitsch pop song " Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak tree"by the group Dawn was a major hit and opens with the line, "I'm coming home, I've done my time". It tells the story of a returning convict who has written to his wife asking her to tie a yellow ribbon around a tree, if she wants him back. If he does not see a ribbon, then he will accept that she does not him and not bother her again. So why am I on about 1970s kitsch, you may well ask.

In nineteenth century America it is said that some women would tie a yellow ribbon in their hair as a sign of devotion to their husbands and sweethearts serving in the US Cavalry. Old movie buffs will remember the John Wayne film, "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon". In the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, when US diplomats were held hostage by Iranian students (if i am not mistaken the current Iranian President was involved in the incident), a yellow Ribbon campaign was set up to show solidarity and support for the hostages. The yellow ribbon has quite a history.

Today I tied a yellow ribbon to my car (like many others in the country and around the world) in support of Gilad Shalit. Four years ago on this day, Gilad was kidnapped during an attack , which lest we forget; killed two Israeli soldiers, Lt. Hanan Barak and Staff Sergeant Pavel Slutzker and wounded four others.

For four years Gilad Shalit has been held hostage by Hamas. And there's the rub. Gilad Shalit is indeed a hostage not a prisoner. He is held by a terrorist organisation which refuses to divulge his whereabouts, his physical condition or allow any visitation by the Red Cross. We have no knowledge of the conditions in which he has been kept for these past four years, save for one video released in September 2009. In contrast, take for instance probably the most high profile prisoner sitting in an Israeli jail, Marwan Barghouti. Serving life imprisonment for murder and terror offences, earlier this year, Barghouti earned his PHD in political science from Cairo University, facilitated by the Israeli prison service. Barghouti is one of thousands of Palestinians who take advantage of the opportunity to study by correspondence in a host of international and Israeli universities.

The contrasts between the Palestinian prisoner and the Israeli hostage are there for all to see. Unfortunately the world chooses not to see or not to care. Now I do not doubt that there are Palestinian prisoners who are held without good reason or who have been ill treated by the Israeli authorities, and such incidents need to be investigated and rectified. However, the bottom line is that we know where the Palestinian prisoners are, we know how they are. They have access to legal council, and to their families.

The thousands of yellow ribbons tied in solidarity with Gilad send a strong message to the Shalit family, that they are not alone, that theirs is a struggle shared by the whole country and all civilised people. They are a message to Hamas and to the wider world that we will not abandon our children, that we will not forget them. Unlike Hamas, we are not prepared to callously sacrifice them or cynically leave them to their fate.

The hero in the song returned to "a hundred yellow ribbons round the old oak tree". If we need to tie a million ribbons, or ten million ribbons, we must keep tying them so as Gilad will come home and so he will get to see them on his return.

What's in a name?

2010-06-12T02:52:00.000-07:00

A thought for the National left...

Some say a people gets the government it deserves. That is a scary thought in today's Israel. Do we really deserve the "Three Stooges" who since cobbling together their coalition, have never missed an opportunity to miss the point, misread the situation and mistakenly decide upon the wrong course of action?

Well perhaps we do. According to a Poll in Haaretz, a majority of Israelis 52%, support the "Bibi and Barak Show" in regard to the flotilla debacle. Apparently this majority approves of the decisions, the actions and the consequent management of the situation and its fallout.

Incredible but true. And herein lies the problem for the National left as it sets about rebuilding the "left wing" camp in the country. Whereas the majority of Israelis may have the potential to identify with the movement and large parts of its agenda, these same people have a serious problem in identifying with the "left".

I still question whether the terms left and right are still relevant today. In Israel these terms tend to be defined more on security issues. In the wider world however, today there is little to separate the policies of the left and the right in so called modern democracies. Perhaps though, this is a debate for another time.

If the National Left is to be more than a talking shop for the converted. If the movement is serious about reaching out to those potential supporters, who may not realise that they have latent "lefty" tendencies, then the movement and its leaders need to address this issue and find a way to widen the appeal of the movement. A way needs to be found to appeal to the majority of Israelis who according to the Haaretz poll, currently see Bibi, Barak and even Lieberman as competent leaders and decision makers. A way needs to be found to cut through the siege mentality which promotes support for the scare mongers who chose to maintain a status quo where the erosion of Israeli society, Israeli security and Israeli values is assured.

When I attended a parlour session in Tel Aviv, I was not surprised to see that my fellow attendees where in the main, well educated Ashkenazi liberals, academics and professionals. Now, I have not attended similar sessions in the periphery, so I may be mistaken, perhaps the makeup of other parlours was more inclusive. However, if the National left is not to repeat the cardinal errors of the labour movement where it alienated its natural constituents, where it is seen as an elitist movement which does not really represent the interests of ordinary people or the country for that matter, then it needs to change. In "marketing speak", it needs to rebrand. It needs to rebrand "The Left". It also needs to rebrand Zionism. In order to succeed, the National Left should look at changing its approach and perhaps at changing its name... yep, its name.

So what's in a name. Well in my opinion, quite a lot actually. I was interested to learn that the decision to name the country Israel was only taken shortly before Ben Gurion's declaration of independence. Apparently, there was a heated debate with names such as Herzlia, Judea and others in the running, but Ben Gurion decided that there was only one possible name for the country and thank God (or providence if you prefer) the state of Israel was declared (as if it could have been anything else).

One of the major stated goals of the National left is to take back Zionism from the "right", (personally I prefer the term"extremists") who have perverted Zionism for their own political aims; and return the ideology to its rightful home. Quite right too, however for me this is about more than taking Zionism back. It also needs to be about redefining Zionism in the eyes of its detractors, both at home and abroad. At home those who view the left as a naive group of cappuccino drinking Askenazi elite, need to see the National Left as the true Zionists, patriots who have the best interests, the vital interests of the country and "all its people "at heart. Abroad, people need to see that the belief in the upholding of the State of Israel as the national homeland for the Jews, is wholly consistent with liberal democratic values and practices.

So, if the National Left wants to truly recapture the mantle of Zionism, it should do so properly. Rename the National Left as the Zionist Movement and if a political party is to emerge from the movement call it The Zionist Party. A name is only as good as the values and actions which stand behind it. The perception of Zionism today is flawed. The values wrongly perceived to stand behind Zionism today are extremely negative. These perceptions must be altered, they must be rectified.

When the values and behaviour promoted by the National Left in its manifesto are labelled as Zionism, when the two are synonymous, then we pull the rug out from under and the national flag from the hands of the extremists, we negate the need for left and right, we dispose of the negative connotations both at home and abroad. Once the term National Left is replaced with the term, Zionist, Zionism will have been truly returned to its rightful home. Under the brand of Zionism this ideology and approach to the future of Israel will go a long way to repairing the damaged image of Zionism in the outside world. More importantly it can then appeal to and be adopted by a much wider audience at home.

Perhaps then the people of Israel can deserve the kind of government it might just get.

Could nobody find a rope?

2010-05-31T14:36:00.000-07:00

Could nobody find a rope?

Is it just me or what? I mean what the hell where they thinking? Which one of our esteemed leaders thought that dropping a few of our very best (and they are) into a seaborne "wolf pit" would be a good idea.

If you know they are looking for a fight, if you know they are looking for attention, the last two things you want to give them are either a fight or attention. Don't get me wrong, the so called peace activists, anti Israel archivists to be more accurate; and their flotilla had to be stopped, absolutely, no question. But tell me, could we not have found a big rope, thrown it into the propeller of the large ferry thereby stopping it in its tracks, then maybe pick off the little boats one by one, either in the same manner or in some other simple non confrontational manner. Then tow them to Ashdod and deal with the "activists" in a secure environment where you have the advantage, more importantly you are in control. Or maybe I am missing something? Could Be?

Now I am surely not the only one who can think of this and I am sure that you yourself can come up with some imaginative ideas. So the scary conclusion one makes form this fiasco is that our leaders dismissed the idea. I for one would like to understand why. Hell if they really wanted to use their toys, then go on, shoot the propeller out of action. It strikes me as a waste of ammunition, but hey, knock yourselves out, and the propeller at the same time.

Sadly my assumption is that our defence establishment was so "gung ho" and wanted the action so much that it managed to convince the decision makers that this was indeed a good idea. If that's the case then the sad realisation is that our leaders are indeed "not fit for purpose". They are not smart or considered enough in their judgement to make the right call. They are apparently incapable of assessing the pros and cons, sizing up the options, looking at the "worst case" scenario and then making the right decision. This should worry us all. It worries the hell out of me. Please can we have new elections?

Sadly, I must also lament at the woefully inept performance and media response by Israel on the PR front ,yet again! Having gone for the risky option, one would have at least expected that crises management and media strategies would have been in place covering all eventualities. Nope, too much to ask apparently. The performance thus far of our spokespeople and PR machine has only accentuated the fact that no real plans were in place. That is amateurish and irresponsible. One keeps hoping things will improve. Oh well maybe one of our"citizen ambassadors" will deal with the situation properly?

The loss of life is tragic and the consequences dire. The world will condemn us, but for the wrong reasons. If the "Stop The War Coalition" "peace activists" decide d to send a convoy of "humanitarian aid" into Taliban held territory in Afghanistan, I would suggest the British army or the Americans for that matter might have a problem. They would not let it happen and if the convoy refused to stop they would be stopped by force. I dare say the Turkish would not be so keen on a convoy of Kurdish "peace activists" wanting to take "humanitarian aid" to the Kurdish "resistance" in the north of their country. How about Tibetan "peace activists" and China, Chechen "peace activists and Russia? I have no doubt that they would use all necessary means to stop them. I can mention other scenarios and what ifs, but I reckon you get the picture.

I am confident that our soldiers did in fact incur fierce and life threatening opposition once they landed on the ship. If an "activist did in fact manage to get one of their automatic weapons and start firing at them, then they really had no choice but to return fire. The soldiers performed to the best of their ability in an impossible situation. Even if the attacks were limited to knives, clubs, metal bars and axes, then the soldiers had little option but to defend themselves.

Peace activists do not carry weapons and do not plan attacks on security forces! They use non violent means of resisting security forces. They do not try and kill those against whom they are demonstrating. That is what terrorists and extremists do!

The organisers of the flotilla bare a huge amount of responsibility for the deaths and injuries and should be held to account. However the abject failure of the Israeli executive to take the right decisions in this instance played a major part, and our leaders should indeed be held responsible.

Perhaps we should find that rope after all and put it to some good use?

What's left?

2010-05-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

I wonder what left and right mean in Israel today and in fact if the terms are still relevant.

I define myself as a pragmatic Zionist. Just because we might happen to have the moral and historical right to the whole of greater Israel, does not necessarily mean that we should exercise that right. I am though above all proud to call myself a Zionist.

I would rather live in a smaller true Jewish democracy than in a larger state where lip service is paid to the idea of democracy while a two or even three tier system is established. I want my children to live in a society where the highest level of Jewish (human) morals and values are adhered to and where all citizens and I mean all; in the country can enjoy the rights and benefits and share (equally) the responsibilities of a healthy and flourishing society.

I have long argued that it is time for the mainstream to take back our national flag and the mantle of true Zionism. I say mainstream because well the question of left and right sticks in my head.

One thing I do know is that for too long extreme elements have usurped the national flag and bastardized both the Zionist cause and the Jewish religion for their own political ends. There is I believe a majority of level headed people in the country, both religious and secular, free marketeers and socialists, men and women from the centre and from the periphery who object to extremism in all its forms.

So last night thousands attended a self declared "left wing" demonstration organised by the National Left, a new movement set up by Eldad Yaniv and Shmuel Hasfari with the aim of establishing a viable left wing grass roots movement in the country, reversing the decline of left wing Zionist ideology in the country. Just as the flag has been usurped by the so called right, so the left have been increasingly perceived as anti Zionist, "Pali hugging" liberals who have no sense of national pride or love of country. So I was intrigued by this new movement which promotes the Zionist left. In fact one of their slogans for the demonstration (which I should say, I did not attend) was "Zionism is not settlements".

I have read their manifesto, which is available in English on their facebook page smoleumi and I would urge anyone interested to read it. It is not short at 20,000 words, but I am sure you can find the time. I have also attended one of their parlour meetings, where I proceeded, as is my bent; to argue the Eldad Yaniv on the universal difference between right and left in modern democracy. For the record there is in fact a great deal in their manifesto with which I take issue.

However, I applaud the document as an attempt to raise and address many of the issues most pressing in Israel today and t suggest tht there is indeed an alternative approach. The document is written to provoke and to challenge the status quo. Yaniv maintains that if you agree with just 60% of the document then you are at heart, a leftist. Now I have never considered myself particularly left wing, however the document has caused me to ponder. Could it be that all this time I have been a closet lefty despite my reluctance to split Jerusalem or give up the Golan. If left and right do still exist in Israel then they exist in a manner wholly different than that in other western democracies. Note that I say other democracies because , although perhaps deeply flawed Israel is most defnitley a functioning democracy. However the emergence of a viable alternative to what exists today can only be a good thing for the country. Having read the document, I intend to examine its points in more detail and assess for myself what, if anything; is left in Zionism.

Barak's ego is getting in the way...

2010-04-11T05:04:00.000-07:00

The male ego is a fragile entity, which requires massaging on a regular basis. But what happens when the male ego endangers the national security and vital interests of the country. Maybe it's time to stop massaging. What am I on about, I hear you murmur?

OK, let me clarify. Observing our esteemed Defense Minister over the past year, I would venture to suggest that this man's ego is getting in the way. It is getting in the way of his role as the leader of the Labour Party and from what I see, it is now getting in the way of his role as Defense Minister.

Last week Barak announced that he will not be extending Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi's tenure for an extra year. Ashkenazi, who by all accounts has done an excellent job, and is credited with the resurgence of the IDF will step down at the beginning of 2011. Word on the street is that Barak does not like the competition, as he sees it; posed by Ashkenazi as a champion of Israeli security. Whereas, Bibi and Barak have suggested that the IDF requires change at the top to ensure its dynamic nature and competitive edge. Apparently the beneficial effects of change do not apply to the Defense ministry.

Now don't get me wrong, these matters require strong, capable and confident individuals who are able to make tough decisions when necessary, however, to my mind, they also have to able to listen to and consider other positions, even if they choose not to take them on board. This is not a matter of ego it is a matter of true confidence and leadership ability. To my mind ego more often tends to mask insecurity and low self confidence. It seems unlikely that the highly complex security issues faced by the country can be best navigated by a man more preoccupied with his own image and position (media please take note) than with the job at hand. Surely these matters require a more considered approach.

I have a great deal of respect for General Benny Ganz, the Deputy Chief of Staff and I am sure he is a worthy candidate and doing a great job. However, we must ask ourselves, do we really want such key appointments filled by "compromise candidates"? To be honest I am not qualified to say which of Generals, Gallant, Eisenkot or Ganz is the best man to fill Ashkenazi's shoes (perhaps I should say boots), or which of them should have got the deputy role, however I do know that it cannot be in the best interests of the country to settle upon a "compromise". The men (perhaps one day women as well) making theses decisions need to put their egos on hold and ensure that we get the best candidate for the job, not the one who may serve the decision makers' own interests. As far as I know The Chief of Staff's job description does not include sucking up to the Defense Minister or making him look good in the eyes of the public.

After last year's election, Barak and his ego, decided that the ideals and policies of the Labour party had to be sacrificed in order that he serve as Defense Minister in the most right wing government this country has ever seen. The country needed him! Barak's decision to join the government dismayed many labour supporters and has seen the near collapse of the party. Barak and his ego maintain that he is the only man capable of heading the security of the nation. For sure this man has an incredible record and has given his life to the defense of the country, for which he has my utmost respect and personal thanks. However just as the IDF may benefit from a change at the top, so may the Defense portfolio. I know the government could benefit from a few changes, maybe more than a few. If Barak and his ego are indeed concerned about his image and legacy, perhaps they should consider their position sooner rather than later.

It is clear to me, the Labour party would also benefit from a change at the top. The only way the Labour party can revive its fortunes and become relevant to voters is if it gets such a change. Perhaps the security of the country would be better served by having a strong and viable opposition which advocated and fought for policies which could change the misguided direction of the country for the better.

It is time for Ehud Barak to take his ego into private life where it can be best exploited. The country on the other hand, is in need of leaders who curb their egos and put their own interests second to those of the nation. Sadly, it would appear that Ehud Barak and his ego is no longer capable of such selfless action. It is time for the mantle to be passed to someone who is, presuming that is, there is someone to pass it to.

Stop them before it is too late!

2009-11-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

How long will it be before the government decides to act. I hate to labour the point and to be honest, two blogs on the same subject in less than a month could get a little tedious. However this is too important to ignore and I'm really pissed off.

So another bunch of young soldiers decide to make a political statement in uniform. The fact that the statement is right wing is besides the point. A left wing statement would have been just as bad (see my previous blog). It seems pretty clear to me that such activities are not isolated incidents by individuals, rather they are instigated by a well organised network both within and outwith the IDF with its own agenda and a willful disregard for the true security of this country.

Ehud Barak has been swift to condemn the demonstration by the soldiers and so has Bibi. The soldiers themselves have been punished with between one month and two weeks in jail. While our Defense Minister makes light of these incidents suggesting they are isolated incidents a disturbing pattern is emerging within the IDF.

This week , the Chief Rabbi of the IDF Brigadier General Rontzki stated that "soldiers who show mercy to the enemy during wartime, will be damned". he was referring to a passage in the book of Jeremiah which says, "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord with a slack hand, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood." Apparently he also referred to the qualities of the ideal combat soldier. "In Israel's wars, warriors are God-fearing people, righteous people, people who don't have sins on their hands," he said. "One needs to fight with an understanding of what one is fighting for."

Now I don't know about you, but I reckon these statements would be more at home within the Iranian Republican Guard, rather than the IDF. The IDF is not God's army, it belongs to the country, the whole country. Soldiers act in the government's name not in God's. Whether religious or secular right wing or left, these soldiers are there to perform the tasks allocated to them by the democratically elected government of the day, not by some religious nut advocating behaviour which belongs in biblical times and should stay there.

It is the IDF's determination to minimise civilian casualties on the battlefield which sets it apart. When British Colonel Richard Kemp testifies to the UN that "The IDF did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone than any other army in the history of warfare.", it is something of which we can be proud. Ehud Barak is keen to point out that Israel is the "most moral" army in the world. It is a pretty hard statement to defend when the army's Chief Rabbi is running around advocating biblical cruelty on the battlefield.

At the very least the Rabbi, a senior officer in the IDF should be seriously reprimanded for such statements. Allowing such behaviour only encourages and emboldens other soldiers such as those who demonstrated and their Rabbis who support and advocate such behaviour. They represent a clear and present danger to Israel's security, not to mention to the moral fibre of the country. The IDF and the government must take a zero tolerance approach to such behaviour. Soldiers who behave in such a manner should be thrown out of their units and the Rabbis behind their behaviour prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Failure to act swiftly and decisively will have dire consequences for the IDF and for the country as a whole.

The danger from within...

2009-10-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

The military figures prominently in Israeli society, some say too prominently and well, there is certainly a debate to be had on that subject. However that conversation, we will save for another time.

It is important to remember that the IDF is an instrument of the democratically elected government of Israel. The IDF does not and should not have a say in policy. It is there to carry out the policies and orders of the government of the day.

In a highly politicised society where people are active and passionate on all sides of the political debate, maintaining the apolitical nature of the IDF is paramount. When the uniform goes on then political views need to be left at the door or gate if you prefer.

The disgraceful display of political protest during the Kfir unit's ceremony at the wailing wall, marking the end of basic training for new recruits; represents a clear and present danger to the security of the state. The overtly political display threatens the very nature of the IDF and its effectiveness as a military unit. When individual or groups of soldiers start choosing what missions they will or will not perform, then the security of the state is under threat. The actions of these young soldiers and their families, who joined their protest from the spectators gallery; only serve to undermine the defense of the country.

The soldiers must be disciplined to the full capacity of the military courts. In addition there should be an investigation to see if the family members who waved banners at the ceremony are guilty of inciting soldiers to refuse orders, and if they are, they should be prosecuted.

I must stress this is not about left and right. This is not about West Bank or Judea and Samaria. This is not about... should settlements be evacuated or not. This is about the very survival of the state of Israel as a democratic state and the IDF's ability to defend it. If you think I am being over dramatic then think again.

As soldier fighting in Beirut during the first Lebanon war in 1982, I remember the huge demonstration in Rabin Square (Malchey Yisrael at the time). While we were up there fighting, we heard around four hundred thousand people demonstrated against the war. We were angry and felt betrayed, well some of us did and then again some did not, in fact several of the guys who were out on leave attended that demonstration before returning for duty not long after. Like it or not, the demonstration was a legitimate display of political opinion in a democratic country, legitimate in civilian life... however not in uniform. And it is imperative that in a country which depends upon citizens from all backgrounds and sides of the political spectrum to serve and defend the nation, that this distinction be maintained.

I am firmly of the opinion that you cannot choose if or where you serve or what tasks you will or will not perform. You can only choose how you will serve and in what manner you will carry out your orders. You can of course refuse to carry out an illegal order. However, what and what is not illegal, again is for the courts to decide, not individuals.

Just as soldiers with left wing opinions should not have been allowed to refuse to serve in Lebanon or today on the West Bank, so too soldiers with right wing opinions should not be allowed to refuse to evacuate settlements or to perform any other task demanded of them by their officers and ultimately their government. You cannot call one side traitors for their actions and then betray your country in the very same manner. Many left wing refusniks have served jail time for their refusal. It is important that right wing refusniks be treated in the same manner.

In recent times there has been far too many attempts to promote political and religious agendas within the IDF. Those responsible must be brought to account and the IDF must defend itself from all such attempts regardless of which side of the argument they may come from.

The President, The Prize & The Damage Done

2009-10-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

I am not one for conspiracy theories, however I cannot escape the suspicion that someone at the Nobel Foundation is really "out to get" the new American President. A Nobel prize for peace was the last thing the new President needed (or deserved) at this time.

Now for the record, I like the man. I think he is extremely capable and one of the best things to happen to US politics...no, to world politics in a long long time. He is a leader who wants to effect real change. He speaks well, there is no one better. He inspires like no other and he has indeed introduced the notion, that perhaps there could be hope for the world after all.

So, does he really deserve a Nobel Prize for peace?? Sorry but I think not. As far as I am aware the Noble prize is given for achievement not for promise or potential. Perhaps what he should have received is "most promising newcomer", that he is for sure. However unless that promise leads to results then hey, potential unrealised is well... nothing.

Not only is this a bizarre and questionable decision, in my opinion it is also an extremely dangerous one with wide ranging consequences for the conflict regions in the world.

If we look at Barak Obama's policies in regard to the various conflicts currently in need of a solution, then one surely cannot come to the conclusion that he has had success with any of them.

I will mention but a few high profile conflicts and apologise to the millions of suffering innocents for omitting so many other conflicts which also cry out for action.

In Afghanistan the US and coalition forces are on the back foot. Obama is being asked to send another 50,000 to 60,000 troops. This one will not end soon, not well anyway. In Iraq, things look better, but can we say this will continue or that for that matter any improvement is due to Obama or his administration. North Korea continues to do as it pleases, with little or any fear of "consequences". Perversely, detaining journalists without reason seems to bring its own rewards from the US administration. Iran is running rings around the US administration, and the international community; successfully buying time for its nuclear programme in the process.

Which brings me to the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the worlds "favourite" conflict, and which, lets be honest is the one which concerns me most. I am also under the impression (perhaps mistakenly) that it is his approach to this "hot potato" which won him the admiration of the Nobel Foundation. To me it is ironic, as I strongly believe that his naive and flawed approach is making it much harder (as if such a thing were possible) for any kind of agreement to be reached.

When he started out, lets just say that there was a great deal of good will towards the man and his administration. People wanted to believe that this guy, although not the messiah, was pretty much as close as we could hope for in this day and age. Well as Monty Python said "he's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy".

He's not naughty really, he just doesn't understand how he is supposed to behave. He tries hard, however in his desire to be a "good boy" and to change the face of world politics which are at the moment, lets face it, pretty damn ugly; he is unwittingly causing a huge amount of damage which will take years to fix, particularly in the Middle East. Well Mr President, it is time to grow up, and fast.

He came on strong to Israel insisting that all settlement activity cease. While pissing off the Israelis ( he did however stand up in Cairo and confirm America's unbreakable bond with Israel) , it really pleased the Palestinians and the Arab world. At last they thought, we have an ally in the White House. He made pleasant overtures to the Arab and Muslim worlds. He offered a hand out to Iran and Syria. So, a good start by all accounts. reasons for optimism perhaps.

Well what has happened since? Nothing... well in fact nothing would be an improvement. Things are getting worse not better. The Arab world, which Obama had hoped would make small concessions towards Israel has snubbed the President and toughened their stance in regard to Israel and any form of "normalisation". Obama has now backtracked in regard to settlements and is negotiating a compromise with the Israelis. The Israelis are now slightly happier, however poor Abu Mazen. The President of the Palestinian Authority has been led up the garden path by Obama and has been left far weaker than he was before Obama's arrival on the scene, which lets face it was not that strong to begin with.

With what he understood to be the full support of the US administration, Abbas mistakenly insisted he would not meet with the Israelis until a total freeze in settlement activity, including East Jerusalem. He was then forced, by the Obama administration; to back down and meet with Netanyahu, seriously undermining what little authority he has left in the eyes of the Palestinian people. Obama succeeded in providing a political victory to Hamas, who looked on and then said to the Palestinian people "we told you so".

So Obama's record so far in the Israeli Palestinian conflict is pretty poor. He has undermined Mahmoud Abbas, leaving him weak with elections on the horizon. His showing of support for the Palestinians has led them to harden their position and up their demands. With the "support" of the White House, they see far less reason to compromise. The Arab world has also decided that they can take advantage of the new administration's policies and demand more of Israel. Israel has gone into bunker mode feeling threatened by Obama's approach and its consequences.

President Obama started out with the best of intentions. I truly believe that. However we all know where a road paved with good intentions can lead. If the Nobel laureate wants to seriously tackle the Israeli Palestinian conflict then he will have to rethink his strategy and act swiftly to repair the initial damage he has caused. Only by taking a firm and even handed approach with all sides can he hope to achieve any progress.

The solution cannot be based purely upon "Land for Peace". Along with land there must also be "Peace for Peace". This demands a wholesale change in attitude on the side of the Palestinians and the Arab world. Israelis want to know that if they give up land they will receive peace and not rockets in return. The Palestinians must be made to understand that it is not just the Israelis who will have to make difficult sacrifices in the pursuit of peace. The Israelis need to know that the status quo is no longer an option and that Israeli settlement in the West Bank need to come to an end. The Arab world must realise that they can no longer use the Palestinians as an excuse for inaction and Israel as the scapegoat for all their ills. The international community also needs to realise that its unhealthy obsession with this conflict only serves to exacerbate the situation.

This is a seemingly impossible task, however of all those who have come before, it seems to me that just maybe, President Obama has a better chance than most. He needs to remember however, he is dealing with a tough neighbourhood where compromise is seen as weakness and where waxing lyrical and good intentions are no substitute for smart, determined and well executed policies.

When did we decide to give up on our children?

2009-09-01T04:13:00.000-07:00

Today I took my children to school for the opening of the school year. Loaded down with new books for the year there is no way they could have managed without help from their parents. We are among the fortunate ones in Israel. The school is well managed (all things are relative), well equipped and all in all provides a positive environment in which our children can learn and flourish.

I say fortunate because by all accounts the story is not the same across the country. In Petah Tikvah, Israeli children of Ethiopian decent have been refused places at schools in a wanton display of of racism. They cannot come to school because they are "black", because they are primitive. This kind of behaviour belongs in the southern United states of the 1960s, not in a supposed modern democratic society in the twenty first century.

In Sderot, test were introduced for children applying for places for year 1, something that by my understanding is technically illegal in the country. The local authority get round this rule by applying the tests as workshops not "tests", thereby flouting the law. the end result is that many children, looking forward to their first year in "big school" are left without a place and their parents left fighting again for their children;s basic right.

In the Arab population I understand that there are over one thousand pupils left without a place in school for this year. This is a totally unacceptable situation which must be addressed as a matter of urgency, just as the above incidents must be.

However it seems to me that the problem runs far deeper and that, Israel's approach to the young in the country is deeply flawed and in desperate need of improvement, if not a complete overhaul. Only today I read in the paper that according to the UN, Israeli youth have one of the highest rates of Heroin use in the world, with 1.9 percent of 12 -18 year olds having used the drug. In addition Israel a country of circa 7 million uses more ecstasy tablets than the UK, with a population of circa 60 million. last night a powerful documentary programme revealed the extent of street violence in Israel, directly related to the consumption of alcohol by young people. Anyone who viewed the attack by a gang of drunken youths on an innocent bystander could not help but feel shock and horror. The murder of Leonard Karp by a gang of drunken youths on a Tel Aviv beach promenade also attests to the shameful situation on our streets.

So when was it that we decide to give up on our children. The greatest natural resource we have is not just being wasted, it is being sabotaged. The continued cuts in education and social welfare continues to take its toll on out young. When I became a parent for the first time a friend pointed out to me, "how my child sees me live my life is how he understand life needs to be lived". Perhaps this is also the situation for a country. When our young witness the adult population behave in a certain manner, well it is no surprise that they will tend to follow suit. There are great people in this country for sure and great youngsters, who are for sure the most precious and important asset in the country. This asset must be nurtured and protected, not forgotten and cast aside for short term expediency.

However , the lack of commitment to education and social welfare in this country is taking its toll. The disintegration of our education system is impacting directly not just on our youth but on the young adults who have now left a system which thirty years ago was one of the best in the world and today sadly languishes at the bottom of many a league table. The lack of funding for education and social welfare ultimately has its price in rising crime levels and decreasing levels of achievement in science technology and the arts. All of these are areas in which this country has excelled to date allowing Israel to contributed far beyond expectations to the world at large. If the current situation is allowed to continue, not only will we be living in a more violent society with questionable values. We will also be living in a country which will cease to excel. Excellence begins in first grade, even earlier in our kindergartens.

We ignore this situation at our peril. Parents need to take more interest and have more involvement in their children;s lives, providing clear boundaries and guidance. They need to demand of their that their schools educate their children, not just in order to pass exams but in order to develop them as individuals and responsible members of society. The country's leaders must create an environment where the idea of a civil society is not just promoted but brought into being. In a civil society it is the responsibility of those more fortunate, in this case those who's children have the benefit of a good education; to ensure that such education is available to all.

The future of every man, woman and child in this country is at stake and as such it is incumbent on each and every one of us to ensure that as parents, as teachers, as citizens, we do not give up on our children.

Fatah should get radical...

2009-08-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

Benjamin Franklin apparently suggested that "one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result."

And then there is Abba Eban, who said that "the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity."

Personally, I am a great fan of the adage, "change your behaviour, change your results".

With this in mind, could it really be that the Fatah conference held this week in Bethlehem, the first since 1989; will perpetuate the same self destructive behaviour of the past twenty years. So much has changed for Fatah and the Palestinians over the past twenty years, sadly not too much for the better. Two Intifadas, the Palestinian Authority, failed peace negotiations, the humiliating defeat by Hamas in the 2006 elections and consequent loss of Gaza to Hamas in armed conflict, and perhaps the greatest loss of all, the death of their leader Yasser Arafat; have left the organisation and its supporters weak and divided. This week's conference was supposed to reinvigorate the organisation and revitalise its image and support in the Palestinian territories.

However from the start the conference has been mired in controversy. Hamas refused to allow some four hundred delegates to leave Gaza, insisting they would only do so if Fatah released one thousand Hamas activists currently held in prisons in the West Bank. The young guard of Fatah, the ones looking for real change; have accused Abbas and the old guard of manipulating the delegate list in order to assure they maintain their positions of power on the Revolutionary Council, the Palestinian Parliament. To top it off, Abbas and his cohorts have refused to have any meaningful debate regarding policy or to allow the finances of the organisation to be examined, much to frustration of reformers and those who wish to see twenty years of perceived mismanagement and corruption called to account.

Having said all that, all is not as dark as it may seem, well I suppose that depends upon you perspective.

On the bright side, there are somewhere close to two thousand delegates at the conference, many of whom are there for the right reasons. The act that the conference is happening at all is a major step in the right direction. Most importantly, it can be argued that never before has Fatah been in such a strong position in the eyes of the international community. The world sees Abbas as the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people and refuses to deal with Hamas (at least officially). With the new regime in the Whitehouse, Obama's desire to reach out to the Arab world along with his apparent commitment to a Palestinian state as part of a peace deal with Israel, Abbas and Fatah are being actively courted by western governments, as the moderate voice of the Palestinians. For the first time, Palestinians dare to hope that there may indeed be a fair broker in the Whitehouse, who will push Israel to make the concessions it perceives are necessary for a peace deal to be done. The pressure at the moment certainly appears to be on Israel, particularly in regard to settlements and the issue of Jerusalem.

One would assume that Abbas and Fatah would be able to take advantage of this new found popularity and support in the world. Looking at the conference over the past few days.... well one has to wonder. Over the past couple of years Hamas has stolen Fatah's thunder as leaders of "resistance" against the Zionist enemy. The fact that this so called resistance has led to nothing but disaster for the citizens of Gaza appears unimportant and Fatah officials are falling over themselves to reclaim their position at the top of the resistance tree. Hence comments from Fatah officials about armed struggle and continued resistance. There have been suggestions that Fatah needs to examine an alliance with Iran,a major supporter of Hamas. In addition the conference has accused Israel of murdering Yasser Arafat. There has been a flat refusal to recognise Israel as a Jewish state or to negotiate with Israel until all settlement building is stopped. including in Jerusalem.

These position may appear legitimate to some, however the concern is that the Obama regime's perceived willingness to lean on Israel along with current international support (or the perception of such) is driving the Palestinians to overconfidence. They see the wind is in their favour and therefore no need to compromise on their demands. Just the opposite in fact. There is a feeling that the Palestinians can in fact increase their demands and harden their position, then wait for the world to pressure Israel to concede further.

This is a flawed strategy. Just as the world's patience with Israel in regard to settlements and the peace process has run thin. So eventually will patience and support for the Palestinians. There are going to be real and difficult concessions on both sides. For Israel it will be territory, settlements and Jerusalem. For the Palestinians it will undoubtedly be the refugee issue along with some territorial compromise.

This message has been sent loud and clear to Israel. Eventually the same message will be delivered to the Palestinians. If Fatah fail to recognise this, they will miss a real opportunity. The world wants to see an end to this conflict and is prepared to pressure Israel on many issues. However the world also fundamentally supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state living in security.

Perhaps the Fatah conference should be coming up with bold initiatives in order to move the peace process forward, rather than finding excuses, however justifiable; not to talk. Instead of trying to recapture the radical resistance platform, which thus far has proved nothing but disastrous for their people; Fatah would be wise to get truly radical and come up with policies and actions to establish itself as the undisputed leader in the move for a genuine peace which can end the occupation and provide their people with a state and a better future.

Thomas Jefferson said (yes i know there is a debate as to whether he said this or not) that "in a democracy, the people get the leaders they deserve". The Palestinians' efforts at democracy thus far have not born this out too well. The Palestinian people deserve much better. Fatah should be working much harder to deliver.

When good people do nothing.....

2009-08-02T05:51:00.000-07:00

According to the Irish political philosopher Edmund Burke, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing". Apparently, there is in fact some dispute as to whether Burke actually wrote, or said these words and that perhaps he has been misquoted. But I will not dwell on that for the moment............Personally I don't give a toss, because whoever came up with the notion is as right today as in they were in the eighteenth century perhaps even more so.

And so it goes in Israel today. Saturday night's horrendous attack on a centre for young gays and lesbians in Tel Aviv; resulted in the murder of Nir Katz 26 and Liz Troubishi 17 along with I believe fifteen wounded teenagers. some seriously. The gay and lesbian community is in shock and now has to contemplate a scary new reality. Demonstrations will be arranged and most likely well attended. Cafes and bars will echo as the chattering classes lament the horror of an attack which "defies belief.", asking how can this be?

Unfortunately, the sad truth is that this attack does not defy belief. As one looks at Israeli society today one cannot help but notice that it is sick and I am not talking about the non kosher type of flu which threatens the country in the coming winter. No this sickness has been developing over a number of years now. The main symptoms are cynicism, apathy and a feeling of powerlessness in the face of an ever increasing spiral of violence, hatred, crime, and corruption.

The murderous hate crime of Saturday night, although aimed at the gay community needs to be seen as a result of this sickness, one more, albeit extreme; example of the increasing violence on our streets which touches all of society, but which sadly, appears to be accepted by the majority of the population as a new fact of life, something which we are powerless to stop. And therein lies the problem.

A society does not lose its sanity or moral direction in an instant, it happens over time. Such is the nature of this sickness which unfortunately affects most of us. We are suitably outraged and horrified by events at the time, but hey, what can we do? For sure a depraved attack like that of Saturday night cannot be predicted. However when we see our society slowly descend into a violent abyss, and fail to act, then we should not be surprised when such events come to pass.

But what to do? Well, some say we get the society we deserve. Perhaps and then again perhaps not. Surely it is time for the "good people" (all things are relative) who make up most of society to take action, to say no..... this is not how we want to live. It is time for society to act in its own interests, to demand of itself and its leaders that the trend be reversed and the situation improved for all.

At the end of the day his comes down to personal responsibility. If we all take responsibility for our own behaviour with a view to improving ourselves, then surely our world cannot help but improve. When each and every individual member of society understands that there are consequences for all their actions and then acts to improves him or herself just a little then the effects will be felt throughout society. When each and every individual take personal responsibility then good things can happen. As the saying goes..."change your behaviour, change your results".

It is time for society to establish zero tolerance for violent behaviour in all its guises. Violence in schools has reached epidemic levels and must be stopped. Reports of teenage gang rape and sexual violence is now commonplace. Domestic violence and violence against women needs to be addressed properly. It must be abundantly clear that such behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. it must also be clear to all who would commit such acts that they will be caught and thqt their punishment will be severe indeed. Gangland violence which has caused so many innocent casualties of late must be dealt with. the streets must be made safe with criminals once more fearng the justice system. Violent demonstrations must be condemned and those who use such demonstrations for violence an intimidation must be appropriately punished. In addition political, religious or ideological leaders who encourage and incite such behaviour must be called to account.

It is time for people to shed the cynicism and apathy which permeates throughout society and to replace hatred and violence with tolerance and mutual respect. It sounds kitch, (I have a dream!)I know, but that is the cynicism talking.

To succeed will be hard indeed. It will require an iron will as well as huge investment both financially on the national level in education, social welfare and law enforcement along with a personal commitment from each and every one of us. The cynics will say it is a waste of time and effort. However failure to act will bring more of the same and in the end will have dire consequences for us all.

Football, Art and Reality

2009-07-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

As a kid, I remember playing football in the street with friends. This was a staple of the long summer break. In those days there were not too many cars to disturb the game and the only real problem would be if we mistakenly kicked the ball into the neighbours garden. Safe to say that our neighbour was not a great football fan, or a fan of kids for that matter. He was a scary guy, well for a bunch of ten year old kids and once in his garden the ball was lost for ever.

Bill Shankly, the late great manager of Liverpool in the 1970s once said..." some people think that football is a matter of life and death...i assure you it's much more serious than that"

You may be or not be aware of the advert currently running on Israeli TV which depicts soldiers patrolling the separation barrier (wall, fence, whatever you choose to call it). The soldiers stop when a football flies over the concrete and a game (kind of) football ensues. The ball is sent over the wall and comes back, more soldiers are called to join the party.

There was a great deal of controversy regarding the advert with many calls for it to be cancelled as a racist advert depicting a ludicrous scenario. Well this week Palestinians in Beilin, a village very much affected by the barrier decided to test the theory of the advert. I should note that Beilin has been the scene of regular protests against the barrier by Palestinians and "left wing" Israelis.

A group of Palestinian men started a game of football beside the fence (where they were situated was actually fence not concrete). Anyway, they began playing with various degree of skill, "keepy ups" and the like. Eventually the acid test came and one of them kicked the ball over the fence in the direction of Israeli soldiers who were guarding the fence. The Palestinians then waited with baited breath to see if, just as in the advert a cross border (more accurately cross barrier) game if footy would ensue. After all as the advert says its "what we all would like" (excuse the paraphrasing). Well they did not have to wait long. Over the fence they flew...not a football but tear gas canisters. Yep the IDF replied in the true and tested manner, in front of the news cameras no less. In fairness the idea of standing guard at the barrier and finding a projectile, albeit a football flying over the fence in my direction may make me nervous. What if there is a bomb inside? What if my officer sees me kick it back? What if they are just trying to make fools of us. What if I kick it and don't get it over? What if, what if and what if?

And there we have it. It does not matter how the marketing men and women want to depict the situation and t does not matter how many what ifs we ask ourselves. The situation in reality is pretty dire. There will be no cross barrier football games or any other kind of games for that matter in the near future. The status quo remains no matter how much we want it to be otherwise.

The only game the army seems to be playing lately is a bizarre version of "cat and mouse"with settlers intent on building and rebuilding "illegal" outposts. The game has got pretty physical of late and most likely will become even more so.

I should say that I am a supporter of the barrier in principle. The massive reduction, near eradication of terror attacks in central Israel speaks for itself. However as the Israeli high court has pointed out, the route of the barrier needs to take into account the people on the ground. To them the consequences of the barrier are far greater than the loss of opportunity for a game of footy with Israel's finest.

So what can we learn from this recent attempt at reality imitating art (yes sometimes advertising can be described as an art form). Well, Israel needs to do what it can to ensure the security of its citizens, something that in my opinion the barrier does extremely well. However as a democracy (yeh I know, but nothing is perfect) we owe it to ourselves to ensure that while ensuring our own security, we do not destroy the lives of those on the other side. Love or hate them, they are and will remain our neighbours. We can hope and dream, however until we do something concrete (no pun intended) to address the status quo and change it, then such experiments are doomed to failure. The answer lies in brave politicians grasping the nettle and addressing the situation in a real and meaningful manner. This does not mean Israel alone. If the Palestinians want their "ball back", they are going to have to get their leaders to grasp their own nettles and do what it takes to provide their own people with, in fact all of us neighbours; a far better future. A future where the beautiful game is played without barriers and art and reality are far more in sync.

To quote Bill Shankly once more..."it's a great day for football, all we need is some green grass and a ball". Perhaps our leaders should take note.

The Rabbi, The Minister and the need for a constitution

2009-07-07T00:16:00.000-07:00

Jews and Arabs should live separately! Religious Jews and secular Jews should also live separately! Women should not serve in the Army! Parking should not be allowed in Jerusalem on the Sabbath!

Well lets see?

A couple of weeks ago, the IDF Chief Rabbi Avichai Ronski stated that in his opinion women should not serve in the Army. A blatantly sexist remark and insult to thousands of Israeli women ho serve in the IDF. Forget the fact that in many areas of the IDF women play a crucial role. For sure the majority of women in the army fill support roles (to the chagrin of many feminists), however it is important to understand that the majority of men in the army also perform support roles. This fact does not make these roles any less important or the contribution of those who serve any less valuable. Ronski has an agenda and his agenda has little to do with the spiritual welfare of the IDF. The general policy of the IDF has always been that there is no place for politics in the army. The attempt to introduce religious and right wing doctrine through the back door, or more accurately the IDF rabbinical door, is cynical and represents a clear and present danger to the army and the country as a whole.

This week's statement by the Housing minister Ariel Atias that he intends to stop "the spread of Arab population" is nothing if not blatantly racist. He contends that Jews and Arabs must live separately. Further still he contends that religious and secular Jews must also live separately. No melting pot for the Shas minister, no multi cultural experiments, no live and let live no love thy neighbour. No! No! No!

No to the very ideals set out in David Ben Gurion's declaration of Independence

"THE STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. "

The statements sand behaviour of these high profile leaders from the religious community represent a clear and present danger to the state of Israel, a danger equal to that of any terrorist bomb or missile, maybe even greater.

Such statements embolden supporters with dangerous consequences...When religious men physically assault women on for refusing to sit at the back of the bus or because they do not like the way these women have chosen to dress, then the country is under threat. When right wing propaganda is distributed amongst IDF troops about to go into battle (left wing propaganda would be just as bad), the country is under threat. When a citizen of Israel, whether Jew, Arab, Muslim, Christan cannot live where he or she chooses, or other has his or her rights denied in any way, the country is under threat.

It is time to stand up to those who seek to change the very nature and fabric of the state.

Ultimatley it is high time that Israel establish a written constitution which will forever safeguard the key elements and values of the state as set out in our declaration of independence ..... "for the benefit of all its inhabitants".

A question of law

2009-06-08T06:09:00.000-07:00

It is apparent that the rule of law in the "only democracy" in the Middle East is under threat. Hardly surprising some may say, when we have an ex president on trial for rape, an ex priminister under investigation for corruption, a foreign minister under investigation for corruption and so on and so forth......

Still, it is inconceivable that people take the law into their own hands in a democratic country. It is also essential that the law be applied to all citizens in equal measure

In the same week that twelve Israeli Arab Israelis were indicted for the alleged lynch of terrorist, Eden Natan Zada in Shfaram four years ago, prosecutors dropped charges against settler Ze'ev Braude, who allegedly shot two Palestinians during a dispute at a house in Hebron in December 2008. Apparently there is video evidence of Braude's actions.

On Saturday six policemen and a photographer were injured by Orthodox protesters demonstrating against the opening of a municipal car park in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Seven Orthodox protesters were arrested. It has been announced that IDF officers working in the West Bank are to be provided with bodyguards for them and their families. Protection is to be provided following right wing demonstrations outside officers' homes and threats against them and their families.

These are just four current examples. There are many one could choose for the purpose of this discussion.

The incident in Shfaram followed a terror attack where Zada a nineteen year old soldier murdered four Arab Israelis on a bus. He was then subdued by local people and arrested by police after which a riot ensued and Zada was beaten to death. There are those who see no difference between the actions of locals and those of civilians in Jerusalem who shot a bulldozer driver who used his bulldozer for a terror attack. I myself tended towards such a position. The fact that Zada had already been arrested and handcuffed and was then beaten to death roughly an hour after the incident is apparently the reason for the indictments. As terrible and cowardly as Zada's cold blooded act of terror was, in a civilised society revenge is no excuse or justification for unlawful killing. I have every sympathy with the people of Shfaram and trust that the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the event will be taken into account when it comes to sentencing.

I can also understand the feeling of frustration and accusations of double standards when prosecutors decide drop a case against a settler on the West Bank who has shot two unarmed Palestinians. Apparently there is video evidence of the crime yet there will be no prosecution. This is fodder for those who accuse Israel of double standards and racist policies. I have no idea if Mr Braude is guilty or innocent, however surely where two people have been shot and there is video evidence of the event, our justice system should demand that the case go to trial.

As for Orthodox Jews demonstrating on the "Shabos". I am not sure that this is what their god intended for them on the holy day of prayer. However as they live in a free and democratic country it is their right to demonstrate. It is not however their right to commit acts of violence on policemen or secular Jews who wish to live their own lives. The appeasement of such acts will only serve to embolden such behaviour leading to even greater chaos and violence on our streets.

The fat that IDF officers working on the West Bank now require protection in their private lives is a sad indictment indeed of where we have got to in regard to observance and upholding of the law. Intimidation from any quarter is unacceptable, whether it comes from right wing activists, settlers, ultra orthodox protesters or left wing activist during anti separation fence demonstrations. There are laws in this country which must be adhered to. If people choose to break these laws then there must be consequences and where appropriate punishment.

However the application of the laws must be without prejudice and must be seen to be applied to all citizens in equal measure. From issues of illegal construction whether in Jerusalem, the West Bank, Tel Aviv or the Sharon, the law must be applied in the same manner. When it comes to acts of terror or intimidation, it should not matter whether the perpetrators are Jews, Arabs or any other. The criminal acts must be seen for what they are with the law being applied accordingly.

For all its short comings, we do in fat live in a free democracy, which allows people to live their lives as they see fit, to voice there opinions without fear and to object and demonstrate their objection when feel the need. In my opinion this works in the favour of all despite the knowledge that there are those who would exploit these very freedoms in order to deny them to others.

Surely the state's ability to provide protection and security to all its citizens through the fair and impartial enforcement of its legal system is key to the development of a truly civil society.

Dear President Obama

2009-06-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr President

I admire you oratory skills and your powers of persuasion. Were I an American citizen, I surely would have rallied to the battle cry of "Yes We Can" and voted for you. Further I must say that it takes real balls to stand up in Cairo and state that America's bond with Israel is "unbreakable". So to with your statement on the holocaust and those who would deny it. Big ones Mr President...huge!

I also admired your call for Israel to cease settlement activity and for a two state solution to be implemented. You have been attacked as being anti Semitic or anti Israel for these statements. personally I think these accusations are baseless, ignorant and hateful. Lets face it at least fifty percent, if not more of the Israeli population agree with this position.

If you will indulge me I do have a few concerns in regard to your speech.

Firstly I was rather concerned with your comparison of the Palestinian struggle to that of African slaves in America. I fail to see the comparison. Perhaps having had time to reflect on your speech you will understand why such a comparison would be deeply offensive to Jews, Israelis as well as generations of African Americans who's ancestors lived and suffered through the terrible crime of slavery. If I am not mistaken millions of Africans died as a direct result of the slave trade, not to mention those who ended up suffering the horrors of slavery. So you may want to rethink that one.

I noticed that your call on Israel to end settlements was quite specific. Although difficult indeed, one could see a scenario whereby such a thing could perhaps come to pass. As I said, more than half the population of Israel agree with you .

I just wish you had been as specific with the Palestinians and the wider Arab world. Lets start with the Palestinians. You call upon them to "abandon violence". You continue that " Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed." I felt that this is a strange thing to say for an American. If I am not mistaken America fought a war with the British in order to get its own independence. The Irish fought the British to gain theirs. Algeria fought the French, Kenya the Birtish and.....well you get the idea. As I see it, the problem is that in the modern world terror works. There is no shortage of ex terrorists turned statesmen running countries throughout the world and what would appear to be a lack of resolve to truly confront it over time.

Please do not misunderstand me, I am not advocating terror or supporting its use by the Palestinians. In truth I believe it does them far greater harm than it does to the Israelis. and ultimately only serves to undermine their position. I should also point out the terrible double standard in relation to terrorist acts committed in the US, Europe or Asia and those committed in Israel or against Jewish targets. I am pointing out the inaccuracy of your statement as I cannot be the only one to have picked up on it and I doubt that your cause is served particularly well by such errors.

Anyway, moving on....oh good luck by the way with Hamas recognising Israel. I am sorry to say that I cannot see it happening. Oh and with the Saudi plan. I agree it was a good start, however given the Palestinian absolute refusal to give up their so called "right of return", again I'm afraid I find it hard to imagine the Arab world doing it for them. I am sure they would have no problem in betrayng their Palestinian brethren. Let's face it, it wouldn't be the first time. However one has to really question if the wider Arab world really does want the Israeli Palestinian conflict to end. If there was peace, then what would their people have to complain about. What would the UN Human Rights Commission have to focus on. It seems to me that the ongoing, Israeli Palestinian conflict serves the Arab world, or at least the powers that be in the Arab world extremely well.

This brings me nicely to some of the other issues you brought up in your speech. I understand this letter is quite long and will endeavout to be brief.

Again I commend you for raising some of the difficult issues.....

Democracy.......for my taste I must admit that it felt not a little patronising.....not to mention that to my knowledge your host is a brutal dictator who does not allow any serious form of opposition. So perhaps people may have been somewhat confused. As I write this I am trying to think of just one functioning democracy amongst the so called moderate Arab states who I understand you see as your allies. I must admit to struggling.

Extremisim.......Again well spoken. Such things need to be said. However I am sure you are aware that your ally Saudi Arabia turns out a veritable production line of extremist Wahhabi clerics who go out into the world to preach extremist ideology. I understand that Saudi money also funds the extremist Madrases in Pakistan.

Religious freedom.......Once more, great topic.....However again, if we take your ally Saudi Arabia for instance...sorry to keep harping on about them. They allow no freedom of religion. As a Christian does it not concern you that you and your co religionists would not be allowed to hold a service in Saudi Arabia and in fact wold be arrested for doing such a thing. If one looks at Hamas rule in Gaza, Christians are being systematically targeted by the regime and are in fear for their lives. Hamas are looking to Islamify Palestine, which bothers most Palestinians. On the West Bank to, the Christian population is being squeezed with many choosing to leave if possible.

Women's rights.....Yet once more a brave issue to raise, but again you may perhaps want to take a look at you so called allies' practices and attitudes towards women. I am not an expert on the subject, however it strikes me that women in the Middle East require more than brave words. I appreciate that there are cultural and religious issues to overcome and your desire to be diplomatic in that regard, however in addition to education and opportunity, you may have wanted to mention other important issues affecting women in Muslim society such as honour killings, forced marriage and slavery, but hey you made a good effort.

And there's the rub. You did indeed make a stellar effort and as usual your delivery was bang on. However your words seem to me, to be based in some kind of western liberal fantasy land. In my experience the Middle East is no such land. The harsh realities of life in the Middle East require a great deal more than nice words (however brave) and good intentions. We all know where such intentions can lead.

Mr President, if you are serious about peace in the Middle East and better relations with the Muslim world,.... for what it is worth..... these things will not come through appeasement and patronising attitudes, but through clear policies which make the necessary and specific demands of all parties....... yep including the Israelis.

The current expediency of "making nice" with Muslim dictators and tyrants who make a mockery of your vision and what I believe to be genuine desire to make real change; will not serve you or your country in the long term. It will only encourage entrenched positions and greater demands form the Arab world. Such behaviour in my opinion will also ensure that the status quo remains in the Arab world, where the people who deserve so much more from their leaders are caught between the tyrants and the extremists with no real hope of change.

Personally, I do not believe that you wish to sacrifice Israel to the tyrants or the extremists, however compromising Israel and its security to make ground with such forces I fear will backfire in the end. But hey you are new at this and I am sure you will get the hang of it in the end. I wish you all the luck in the world.

May your fantasies become our reality. In the meantime however excuse me while I live in the real world.

North Korea, Iran and the lessons we must learn

2009-05-31T02:26:00.000-07:00

Last week was busy week on the Korean Peninsula, not to mention the corridors of power in Washington and at the UN. Following North Korea's nuclear test and subsequent missile test launches, people are angry....no let me correct my self, they are very angry, even very, very angry.

Condemnation has flowed thick and fast from a wide number of interested, ney concerned parties. The UN security council is considering its options. President Obama has signalled that such behaviour will not be tolerated. South Korea has retaliated by joining the Proliferation Security Initiative, whereby it will (at least in theory) stop and search North Korean ships it thinks might be transporting Nuclear technology. US Secretary of Defense Gates stated that the US "will not accept North Korea as a nuclear state". In regard to the transfer of nuclear know how he had this to say..."the transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to states or non-state entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States and our allies. And we would hold North Korea fully accountable for the consequences of such action.".

One should point out that North Korean scientists were present when Israel bombed a Syrian nuclear facility in 2007. They also work cloely with the iranians on their nuclear programme. Korea's past and current client list for nuclear and missile technology includes Pakistan, Egypt, Syria and Iran

So with all this anger, world condemnation, tough statements and threats of further sanctions, surely the Democratic People's Republic of Korea must be quaking in its boots, desperately seeking to make amends and change its ways...right?

Well not exactly. In response to the responses North Korea as done the following. It has nullified the cease fire agreement of 1953, which ended the Korean war. It has stated that any attempt to stop and search its ships will be seen as an act of war which would result in harsh retaliation, as would any punitive actions by the UN. Regardless of its missile and nuclear capabilities, North Korea has the capacity to wreak havoc on its neighbour and adversary South Korea. It has somewhere around ten thousand artillery posts dug in along the 38th Parallel. Its missiles can also comfortably hit Japan. It has been reported that North Korea is now planning the test launch of an inter continental ballistic missile. I wonder what kind of harsh response that will evoke. Rumour has it that North Korea may be threatened with a stiff reproach from China. I am sure that'll do the trick.

So what can we learn from this debacle. Well apparently very little if the actions of the US and its western allies is anything to go by. The one country however which seems to be taking note and learning lessons is Iran. The only country to come out in support of North Korea's recent actions, Iran sees that there is every incentive in the world to go after nuclear capability. Lets think for a moment. Iran looks at its neighbours' situation. Afghanistan has no nuclear capability and was invaded in 2001. Iraq, again no nukes, invaded in 2003. For a country looking to develop influence and a power base across the Middle East and further afield, this does not look good. However when it looks at its ally and research partner North Korea, it is a different story altogether. North Korea does have a nuclear capability (perhaps only rudimentary), it flouts agreements and UN resolutions whenever it feels it expedient and continues development of its nuclear weapons programme. Well, as we all know, North Korea has not and will not be invaded.

Far from being angry, the world at large is to damn scared to really call North Korea on its actions. Fear of a conflict along the 38th Parallel has so grabbed the US, and its regional allies that it will do just about anything to avoid such a scenario. It is right to do so, however the manner in which the world is going about it is seriously flawed. The more they show fear the more North Korea feels it can push. If history teaches us anything it is that dictators and tyrants only respect strength and not fear. The world needed to stand up to North Korea before it had nuclear arms. Today in truth it may be too late to truly deal with the regime in Pyongyang and an uncomfortable compromise may have to be negotiated. if such a thing is possible.

So if you were Iran, what conclusion would you come to from the North Korean example? It is good to have nukes!!! If you have nukes, the world will not f**k with you. If you have nukes and a somewhat questionable agenda (in the eyes of the world), you can pretty much do as you please. So why not pursue them. It makes sense. IN fact it makes no sense not to.

For Iran it definitely makes sense to have them........... although ironically, there could be a scenario where it may not make sense to pursue them. The world has a window of opportunity to stop Iran's bid to attain nuclear status. Iran has to know that the price of pursuing nuclear capability is too great and as such it is not in its interests to continue with its programme.

The US, the UN and the world at large much make it crystal clear to Iran that their nuclear programme is not to be tolerated and that it must cease, that the consequences of continuing will be harsh indeed, not just in words and resolutions, but also in sanctions and if necessary action. The risk and potential cost of such a strategy is great, however the eventual cost of a nuclear Iran will be far far greater, both in terms of regional and world stability and ultimately in human life

One can only hope that the current crisis in Korea enables the world to understand that it cannot afford to allow a similar scenario to develop in the Middle East.

Edinburgh...Just say no to Loach!

2009-05-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

Ken Loach is an intelligent film maker, an idealist and left wing activist? Well maybe? In regard to his films, it is a matter of taste. In regard to his intelligence and activism, well maybe one has to wonder about Ken Loach's motives.

Loach's move to boycott an Israeli grant to the Edinburgh film festival, the purpose of which was to enable Israeli director Tali Shalom Ezer to attend the screening of her film Surrogate, which I gather is a film about love and sex with no mention of the conflict. This fact notwithstanding, Loach sees the acceptance of this grant as an affront to the Palestinian nation. Loach is entitled to his opinion (if but totally misguided). His use of influence with the Edinburgh festival is a gross abuse of his position as well as a flagrant act of censorship. I wonder why as a supporter of Chechen independence he does not advocate the boycott of Russian films. What would have happened if certain people had objected to his interpretation of the Irish revolution in "The Wind That Shakes the Barley"?

Loach is just one more example of a so called left wing artist abusing his position in the pursuit of a political aim. His support for the Palestinian cause may be honourable, however his refusal to acknowledge that there are two sides to this particular conflict is laughable for a man of such supposed intelligence. While he supports Hamas and Hezbollah, two organisations which actively work to undermine just about all the values and freedoms Loach apparently believes in so passionately, he wantonly ignores their treatment of their own people. The murder, kidnap and religious oppression of Palestinians and Lebanese by these organisations is an acceptable price for Loach and his comrades. In truth it is Loaches patronising neo colonialist attitude to the Palestinians and the greater Arab world which is shameful. Loaches hatred of Israel borders on anti semitism. His desire to censor the Edinburgh film festival is shameful. The festivals capitulation to this bigotry is even more so. Loach does not speak for the film industry as a whole. he speaks for himself and a bunch of left wing misfits whose rabid hatred of Israel undermines just about everything they claim to stand for and most of all the legitimate rights of Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace and dignity.

The festival needs to have the strength of conviction to say no to intimidation, no to censorship and no to Mr Loach!

Visiting Jackie

2009-04-28T03:31:00.000-07:00

Tuesday April 28th was remembrance day, a day when we remember and reflect upon our fallen soldiers and victims of terror. On this day cemeteries throughout Israel are full of bereaved families, friends,visitors, honour guards and ceremonies to commemorate the dead. I recently returned to live in Israel and this is the first time I have been in Israel on this day for Ni on ten years. For sure while living abroad I had acknowledged the day from afar, however I had forgotten the power within the day.

So on Monday I went to visit Jackie, or to be more accurate, I went to visit Jackie's grave in the military cemetery in Holon. Sadly it has been a long time since I last visited. First off, the rate of building in Israel has meant that just finding the cemetery took much longer than expected. The cemetery is now situated just off the Ayalon highway in what for me is a totally new road set up. I took me a while before I could actually find the place. Once there, again it took me some time before I actually found the grave. Alas the cemetery had grown somewhat since my last visit. So as a man (who of course tends not to ask for directions) even when talking about the location of a grave site, I decided to find the grave on my own. How hard could it be? Eventually I found Jackie's grave, but not before having passed and examined a good number of graves. Reading the names, ages, where and when these unfortunate souls perished, I was struck with emotion, for the terrible cost in human life which apparently comes with establishing and maintaining the Jewish state.

According to the head stone, Yaacov (Jackie) Saban died on August 14th 1982. This alone confused me, because I was pretty sure he had dies in September. Admittedly a great deal of time has passed since then, perhaps my memory fails me. He was shot between the eyes by sniper fire . I was with Jackie that day, we were soldiers in A company of the 50th Paratroop Battalion. I want to share one thing which has stuck in my mind for all those years. The morning of Jackie's death, I met him on his way down to our quarters. He had been guarding at Brigade headquarters. However an officer had noticed that Jackie had not shaved that morning. He ordered Jackie to return to his platoon as his appearance was unacceptable. When I asked Jackie what he was doing, he told me what had happened. He then turned to me and said "do you realise that I could be killed today just because I didn't shave this morning." By evening Jackie was dead. I will spare you the details. At the end of the day I reckon they will only mean something to those who were there and perhaps to Jackie's family, who lost their son all too early and were denied the opportunity to see him grow over the past twenty seven years.

As I arrived, the military cemetery, it was a hive of activity as the army prepared the site for the memorial service to take place the next day. Row by row, young soldiers, both boys and girls; laid flowers and planted a flag carefully upon each grave, making sure to stand for a moment and upon an order salute the grave before moving on to the next row of graves. Fortunately for me, the had also placed white plastic stools beside each and every grave, I suppose for family members who might want to sit a while with their loved ones. This afforded me the opportunity to sit with Jackie for a good while and silly as it sounds; have a conversation with him. As you can imagine it was somewhat of a one sided conversation. I am not sure what I had expected. Being there with Jackie after all those years was both cathartic and somewhat disturbing. I could not help but wonder where Jackie would be today had he lived. he was a vibrant energetic and funny guy. A charmer and big ladies man. What kind of life would he have had? Where would he be today? I then, in a somewhat self indulgent manner pondered my own life, asking myself and Jackie for that matter if, as one who had the opportunity to live his life; had I made the most of it? I won't bore you with the conclusions, however, sitting with Jackie also brought to mind two other army friends who died. Corrie Braga who was with me in basic training died a few weeks after excelling as best soldier in basic training. Oleg Abramov and I did officers school preparation together. Unfortunately we were both removed from the school
for being too new in the country. Both recent immigrants we did not have the necessary security clearance. We were both extremely disappointed at the time. Oleg was then killed in action in his first round of reserve duty.

Now I am just one guy who had a fairly ordinary army service, albeit in a combat infantry unit. But I have three dead friends all of whom I served with and one of whom I was with when he was killed. If I know three then others know three or more and when you add it all up, the fact is that all Israelis know people that have died. We are all closely connected to the fallen of the country who we remember on this day. That is what makes this day so powerful and meaningful day. These are not distant or detached images of other people fighting for us in distant foreign lands They are us. We are them. We all bear the scars and the pain of loss to some degree and sadly that is one of the wonders and the horrors of this country.

Remembrance day is immediately followed by Independence day. The seemingly implausible and impossible task of moving seamlessly from pain and mourning to joy and celebration happens. I am not quite sure how it happens but it does in what is for me a magical transformation.

For my part, Jackie has been a rather bizarre constant in my life. His memory and that of Corrie and Oleg as well as others who have died or have been wounded saddens me greatly, however I am glad to be back in touch.

Any ideas??

2009-03-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

When will we realise that the time has come to stop the rot. As things look at the moment it would appear that we will wait until it is too late at which time we will do too little and in the end achieve nothing.

Lately there has not been a great deal to smile about in Israel. After more than 1000 days, Gilad Shalit is still in captivity. Our politicians appearing once more to have clutched defeat from the jaws of victory. The supposed military success in Operation Cast Lead appears to have born no real fruit on the ground. Missiles are still falling on Israeli towns and Gilad Shalit will not be at the Seder table next month.

In regard to Operation Cast Lead, disturbing accusations are appearing in the press in regard to the behaviour of "the most moral army in the world". Whilst prosecuting the war, it would appear that the rules of engagement were less than clear and that certain units were involved in dubious and perhaps criminal acts against the civilian population. If true these events cast a dark shadow over our military and the moral and ethical levels under which it operates. For sure the vast majority of our soldiers are brave and professional, particularly when thrown in to incredibly complex and difficult combat situations in which they find themselves, given the nature and tactics of the enemy they face on our behalf . However as the instrument of a democratic government, which is what the IDF is; these accusations must be investigated fully.

Not unrelated, I read to day in Haaretz that many of our wounded combat veterans form the 2nd Lebanon War are being led a merry dance by the authorities in their search for care and compensation for their injuries. This situation is nothing short of shameless.

At the same time, one month after our elections, Israel still has no government, no budget for 2009. The country is in the midst of the most difficult economic conditions since independence, with no apparent plan of action. Negotiations continue on forming a coalition with money and ministerial appointment up for grabs. Those involve seem to have no qualms about selling themselves to the highest bidder. the only government Bibi can put together is one that is wholly unacceptable o the vast majority of Israelis and one tat will no doubt fail and result in another round of elections within a year. No doubt these elections will yield just as confused a result as those just past.

In short the country is "up shit creek" seemingly "without a paddle". What has happened to the country? Why has it lost its way and why are there apparently no real leaders prepared to make a stand, ignore the pundits and lead with policies instead of following the polls.

Only when these individuals appear on the scene, people able to set out a vision and and a pragmatic route in order to achieve that vision.

Today Israelis are cynical, exhausted, frustrated and apparently lost. The country is gong off the rails and it is up to the citizens of the country, civilian, political and military alike to look in the mirror and ask what has gone wrong. More importantly they then need to think of how we can fix it. At the end of the day the solutions to the the most challenging period, perhaps in the history of the country can only be created from within. However it takes a different kind of person to those currently thrashing around in the political quagmire that is Israeli politics. the country cries out for leadership and will happily follow if a true leader is prepared to step forward.

Perhaps you know someone?

Get wet! Go out and vote!!!

2009-02-10T01:26:00.000-08:00

The only democracy in the Middle East goes to the polls today. What a wonderful example to its neighbours in the region, democracy in action. Perhaps, perhaps not?

Today I went to the polling station to cast my vote. I was pleasantly surprised to see a line of people waiting to fulfill their civic responsibility and vote for the party of their choice, for the people they want to represent them and make the tough decisions on their behalf. As I joined the queue, the conversations where more or less the same. "Have you decided yet"? "Nope I suppose I will decide once I get into the booth". And herein lies the problem. After three weeks of campaigning, thank god for the war otherwise it would have been six weeks; the overriding feeling in the country is that there is noone to vote for, that there is no party which offers a real alternative to the status quo. The options before the country as far as Priminister is concerned; are lets just say, less than inspiring. Bibi was a terrible Priminister, Barak was no better and Tzipi, well for most of us the question is, who the hell is Tzipi. This campaign has been run purely on personality and to hell with the issues. For most people there is little to separate the three main candidates and their parties and therefore, the question is why vote at all.

One alternative however has emerged and for me at least it is a very scary one. Avigdor Lieberman and his Yisrael Beteinu part is the real success of this election. The slogan, roughly translated as "No allegiance, No citizenship" has resonated with the public. This slogan is aimed mainly at the Arab minority in the country, however he has also recently used it to attack the ultra religious, something which also scores high marks with the secular population. For sure the Israeli public has been pushed farther to the right, particularly post disengagement form Gaza, but that is another story. However could it be that neo fascism is entering the mainstream of Israel politics. Does Israel now have its very own Jorge Heider? Are all the critics of Israel right when they call us a racist state?

I would like to think that Lieberman's rise is more of a desperate reaction to the lack of leadership in this country over the past few years, to the Palestinian's failure to create a civil society in Gaza after Israel left the strip in 2005, that at the end of it all the appeal of a strong charismatic character is no more than a fleeting glitch in Israel's political history. Only time will tell and Lieberman is expected to do extremely well in these elections and is most likely to play the role of "king...or queen maker" in the coalition. His rise to prominence should act as a wake up call to all decent people who understand that in order for Israel to function as Jewish democratic state it must be a democracy for all its people, especially its minorities. For one can judge the strength of a democracy by the manner in which it treats its minorities and those in the country who stand against the very nature of the state.

Avigdor Lieberman is doing the country a huge favour. He is providing a very clear view of the future, that is a the future that can emerge if the vast majority of Israelis who do not share his racist and frankly abhorrent views, do not make the conscious decision to reject apathy, insist on a higher quality of representation and work to ensure that it comes about. Thugs like Lieberman can only rise to power in a vacuum. If nothing else this election has shown that the vacuum exists and that it is up to us, the citizens of Israel to fill that vacuum for the better, else Lieberman and his storm troopers get there first. It is not too late!

Go out and vote, even if it means holding your nose while doing so.

Shut the fuck up! please (on Gilad Shalit)

2009-02-09T01:56:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or are our politicians and our media behaving in an extraordinarily irresponsible manner when it comes to the issue of Gilad Shalit?

Apparently a deal is imminent. Apparently the deal is stuck on four prisoners the Israeli government is not willing to release. Apparently, if we had not given Hamas such a hiding in operation Cast Lead they would not be negotiating on the issue of Gilad. Apparently Operation Cast lead is what has brought Hamas to discuss the release of Gilad. Apparently it has nothing to do with Israel, rather the internal struggles between Hamas in Gaza and Hamas in Syria is what is holding up the release. Apparently, apparently apparently, yata yata yata.........shut the fuck up! for god sake or rather for Gilad's sake.

Gilad Shalit has now been in captivity for 960 days. One cannot possible imagine what the poor kid has gone through. Nor can one help but admire the strength and character shown by his family as they have struggled with the impossible in order to bring their son home. Please god or the universe, this will happen in the near future...however!

The negotiations are no doubt complex and difficult. Hamas are keenly aware of the importance of one Israeli soldier to the country, so much so that feel perfectly comfortable equating one Israeli life to one thousand or so Palestinians. I might suggest that if Israel dared to make such an equation the world would soon have something to say about it. However that is the reality in which we operate.

The annoying thing, to me anyway; is that it would appear that out politicians, with the elections tomorrow, see that they may be able to make some political capital out of this situation. God they make me sick. Ehud Barak claims that it is Operation cast lead which has made it possible to negotiate Gilad's release. I wonder who he thinks should take credit for that then? David Ben Eliezer, suggests that it is the severe beating Hamas received at the hands of the IDF that has brought this about. Tzipi, Bibi, Barak, all of them, "do not wish to negotiate in public" however they all have their own way in which they want to take some credit for the possibility of Gilad's release. Let's not forget Mr Olmert who really wants to take credit for a release before he ends his political career and goes off to defend himself in the courts. Who knows, perhaps it will help him with the judge.

And then we have the Israeli media who follow role out their experts who pontificate on the negotiations, what is going on, what they want, what we want, how it will work and how it could go wrong. All in the interests of ratings, not Gilad, not the country, not the interests of the public, but for ratings.

Do none of these self interested self obsessed morons recognise the potential harm to the current negotiations. Every time a minister or politician in this country speaks out on the issue, he/she weakens our bargaining position. Every time a news caster roles out another expert to hypothesise on the negotiations, it has the potential to weaken out bargaining position.

When Gilad is finally home, (inshallah) then speak all you want and fight for the credit for his release. We the public will wait to hear and will gladly postpone our right to information if that can bring Gilad home sooner. The only ones who currently have the right to know what is going on is Gilad's family. You can tell us all about it once they have their child in their arms.

Bottom line, until it is done, shut the fuck up!!!!!!!!!!

Its a crime!

2009-02-03T04:05:00.001-08:00

Hamas are, in UK colloquial language, "taking the piss", and the world is allowing, even encouraging them to do so. A grad rocket fired from Gaza which hit Ashkelon today is just one more in the series of breaches of the current cease fire. It would appear that indiscriminate firing of rockets on a civilian population does not necessarily offend the world community, at least not if they happen to be fired at Israeli civilians.

The Irish now think that Europe's view of Hamas needs to be revised. Tony Blair thinks they need to involved in the current peace process. Could it be that terror works? That's a whole different conversation, however it wold appear that it does for now. A cruel and cynical regime which usurped power in a violent coup in Gaza, which uses its civilian population as a human shield, which goes around executing its political rivals at will and which ultimately promotes an Islamic Jihadist agenda against the interests of its people and their national aspirations; still manges to find sympathy and legitimacy from Europe and the wider world. How can this be?

There are surely smart people in Europe and around the world who have the capacity to understand the Hamas doctrine and its political goals, who understand that it has minimal interest in the national aspirations of the Palestinians and is far more interested in the Islamic agenda. There are surely enough human rights activists and "liberals" who stand against victimisation of women, honour killings, Sharia law involving stoning, beheading and amputation, who are against the killing of homosexuals, who believe in freedom of speech, of thought and of religion. There are must be a great many "liberals" who support the establishment of a Democratic Palestinian state?

Yet in the face of overwhelming evidence that Hamas believe in none of these things, these so called "liberals" choose to ignore the inconvenient truth about Hamas, its agenda and its murderous practices against its own people, let alone the "Zionist entity". Hamas leaders now stride around claiming victory in the recent conflict n Gaza, surely a ridiculous notion. Although if you look at the manner in which Hamas is now looking to dictate terms of any cease fire, at how they are continuing to fire rockets into Israel, and at how the world appears to be reacting, then perhaps Hamas will indeed clutch victory from the jaws of defeat. Make no mistake, Hamas was seriously beaten and damaged in Israeli operation Cast Lead. It will be a true crime if the wider world then helps Hamas to present a case where they are able to present gains from the conflict. As the legitimate President of the Palestinian people, Mahmoud Abbas says, Hamas has gambled and is gambling with the lives of Palestinians in a wholy irresponsible manner. For the world to encourage them to do so strikes me as rank stupidity and a serious crime against the Palestinian people.

Get a grip, help the Palestinians, not Hamas?

pro this pro that.......it's talking that matters

2009-01-30T05:10:00.000-08:00

Let me throw something at you......In order to be truly and practically pro Palestinian you need to be pro Israel. Conversely, in order to be truly and practically pro Israel you need to be pro Palestinian.

That is in in a nut shell. The futures of the two peoples in the region are inextricably linked, so love or hate each other, we either swim together or drown the same way. For the moment I reckon we are flailing around in the water together and a huge wave just tried to take is out. Its not just the water though. We are caught in a sea full of sharks hovering around waiting to pounce. So what to do........

At the start of the war in Operation Cast Lead, I received some reaction to my blog from a friend of mine in London. Now my friend happens to be what we would probably term as pro Palestinian. It would be fair to say that my friend was somewhat angry both at the IDF, and the Israeli government. It must also be said that she was none too happy about my blog. She made her arguments and vented hr anger, none of which I might add held any water with me. So we had two opposing views from people passionate and certainly angry about the situation. Back and forth we went with the involvement of a couple of third parties. Not unexpectedly, nothing was resolved.

Yesterday I got an email for my friend, asking if we were still friends and then enquiring after me and my welfare. Now this is the point. We are indeed almost diametrically opposed on the conflict and both hold strong views. However above all we are people and we are friends. We argue, we disagree and then we get on with it. There are thousands, if not millions of people out there who are on opposite sides of this conflict. They argue and they fight. To be sure on the ground in the region they kill and mame. I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of that at the minute (my blog, I can do what I bloody well please). The point I am making is that regardless of how bad the fight and how great the par between the sides, there is always an opportunity to talk and to discuss. I am not sure about you, however I will always take, curses and insults over bullets and bombs any day. And don't tell me there is noone to talk to, because at the end of the day you can only make peace with your enemies!

Another friend of mine suggested that it is ultimately easier to make peace out of a state of war than out of a state of attrition. Perhaps this last episode and all its horror can drive the parties to find a way to talk and bring an end to the madness.

Thanks to my friend in London for reminding me..........

The message must be loud and clear!

2009-01-29T02:41:00.000-08:00

So......when is a truce not a truce? Well, when one side thinks it can get away with breaking it without consequence. Israel saw this happen with over two hundred and thirty rockets fired by Hamas during the six month Hudna, which Hamas decided they could do without after December 19th. Israel says it will answer every breach of the current cease fire in a strong manner, but hey, what are they going to do? What can they do?

There are those who say,particularly within the IDF (if we can believe the rumours): that operation Cast lead did not go far enough, that Israel wasted an opportunity to defeat Hamas ouright. Well, "if ifs and buts were pots and pans, there'd be no need for tinkers" as my old gran used to say.

We have a problem, as with all gangs, Hamas need to retain its "street cred". For sure they made sure to get their message out to their rivals in Gaza during the conflict by wandering around the hospitals. looking for Fatah wounded and killing them. They appear to have executed around thirty five and then shot another hundred or so in the feet. This appears to be their equivalent of what we fondly know as "knee capping". Although opportunistic, it was also seen as somewhat ineffective (perhaps not for the families of their victims). Hamas however desperately need somehow to spin a victory out of the debacle that was Cast Lead. The only way they are able to do this is by continuing to be seen to be continuing "resistance". Hence one dead Israeli soldier and another four wounded and a rocket landing in the Negev earlier today.

The world will expect Israel to show "restraint". hell you know what I think of that argument. No i is imperative that Hamas are made to pay and pay heavily for every and any breach of the current cease fire. Let there be no doubt that Hamas lost and lost big time. Let the world see and most importantly let the Palestinians of Gaza see 9as if they had to be reminded) that Hamas have lost and have only brought them death and destruction. Once this is clear then, and only then may we see some kind of progress both in terms of a cease fire, a proper one; in the ability to improve conditions for the Palestinians in Gaza and an agreement which leads to the release of Gilad Shalit. The message much be loud and clear to all.