A Peek into a Mind

I’ve got more then a couple of requests already asking me for opinion about the Aqaba Summit and Road Map plan. Well, I’ll be very sort since I’m dead tired (1:35am now).

Ok, first I must say I’m doing my best the past month or so to stay away from political issues. Of course, my ability to do that is limited since the political issues are part of my daily life, but I’m still trying. Basically, I think an agreement with the Palestinians is something most of the Israelis (including me) yearn to for years already. I do believe a Palestinian state should be - and will be - formed. Actually, I find it hard to believe any sane person in Israel (including right-wing supporters) will deny the fact that a Palestinian state will be formed. The real debate in Israel right now is about what price will be acceptable.

The current process is not different from any previous process we’ve been through. It’s not even a special one or a big one. Just another attempt. I really really wish the results will be historic and that real progress will be made here, but I’m not getting my hopes too high. We’ve been there, done that, and all we got was this bloody Intifada.

Sharon is doing some serious steps, though. I’m very pleased to find out that both he and Mofaz (Security Minister) are proving to be reliable and moderated. They’re going to face the heat from the right-wing and the Mitnahalim (settlers). I’m also pleased (so far) from Mahmud Abas (Abu Mazen) and Dahlan, which are showing signs of going the right direction, of meeting in the middle. Still a very long way to go, but it’s not every day you see the sides willing to try head towards the middle at the same time.

So why am I pasimistic? Because the Palestinians have a proven record of craping their own future. They keep being the victims of their leadership and groups. It only takes 1 serious terror attack (like the dozens the terror groups are trying to execute as I write this) to turn the Israeli public opinion against any agreements. And I get it that Arafat is doing his best now (and he still holds much power in the Palestinian street) to trash this agreement, in order to prove nothing can be done without him.

Wait a minute - Was he also the guy that crapped the Palestinian state that was about to be the end product of the Oslo Agreement?

And still, I’m the last person that will go around that Oslo was a mistake, despite the fact that it failed big time and that it turns out Arafat started rasing terror organiztions a second after he signed it. Why? Because we tryed. And we’re still trying. I’ve used to be quite sympathetic to the palestinians. I’m still sympathetic on a case by case stories, though not anymore to them at general. I want peace for me, for Israel. I’m not doing the palestinians a favour - I’m trying to save my own people. That’s why Oslo wasn’t a mistake, just a failed agreement (well, like all the ones we signed with the palestinians…) That’s why I’m pro-agreements even if it sometimes look hopeless at first.

Some of you might feel angry now, saying I only blame the Palestinian side while the Israeli side isn’t that clean. Well, the HUGE difference is that if Israel signs an agreement, it has enough control to force it on the fractions that are against it. We have Police, an Army and the Shin-Beit (Security service) which has a special “Jewish Section”.

But can the Palestinians control all their fractions??
Not yet, they can’t. That’s why their signature on the agreements is worth much less.

As I write this, the security forces report that since the Aqaba Summit, the number of terror attacks alerts was increased dramatically. The Security minister even ordered a sealed off of the palestinian territories (no permittion to enter Israel) until further notice. When the palestinians can’t control thier own organizations, we have to defend ourselves.

Imagine this: Your country is being under constant bombing from a near by nation. They hardly attack the army, they mainly bomb civilians. Now, a group of that nation is willing to discuss (it’s still just talking) peace, but can not control the army. It needs to ASK the army to be a “good boy” and stop fighting. And the army doesn’t have to agree, it’s up to him. Would you sign a peace agreement with that group, which isn’t really controls the army? Would you be willing to give things, like land and money, to that group when there is no doute the attacks on the civilians will stop?

Of course not. You’d like to see that group proving it actually controls the army first!
Same here - Abu mazen have to prove he can subdue the terror organizations before any real agreements will be signed.

Ho, and I’m not going to shed any tears for any illegal Jewish post that will be cleared. God knows I’m not one of the supporters of those 5-caravans-2-people hills. I’ve already expressed my opinion about Kiryat Arba and some of those psycho guys running around there with stoned eyes. However, not everything the Palestinians (or those idiots from “Shalom Achshav”) call an illegal settlement is really that. If it was up to them there would have been no Israel, in the first place.

Ho well, it’s getting late now. I’ll go to sleep. You guys probably got still lots of questions (according to the emails I get) and probably got your own opinion on the situation. Feel free to ask or to share it. I’m not gonna censor anyone (as always) and I’ll make an effort to answer. Later. When I’ll wake up and feel like writing again.