Israel Today - Pre-elections



I do not agree with many things that Sharon has done to handle the current situation, actually it is more that I do not agree with many things he hasn't done or hasn't done enough of. However,I do believe he has done a good job changing the way the public discourse and expectations should be with the "Matzav", and he has done a fantastic job at almost destroying Arafat and the PA, but it still is not enough, not by far, (hence the almost). For all his retoric that the Oslo accords are dead, he is still playing the diplomatic game according to the 'spirit' of the Oslo accords, thanks to his own weak spine in not standing up enough to Bush, the most sympathetic President to Israel in this Middle East crisis.

However, I do not want him to be the next Prime Mininster of Isreal come election time, even though he probably will be. Why? Because, even with his history of championing the right, he is still a Mapainik, who will sell Israel short in a phony peace deal in the next few years.

Now, where does that leave me, the Israeli voter, someone who is just as right wing as you? Who do I vote for in the next elections?

Sharon is the most successful right wing prime minister, and the most accepted by the Nation, yet I already voiced my concern with him. Netanyahu is a proven failure as a Prime Minister, proven to be a leader without a spine to stand up to pressure. At least Sharon has stood up to pressure, unlike Bibi. That's it, those are the two options for the next Prime Minister of Israel, and neither of them will stand up to the world against a Palestinian State.

So how do we behave? How are we supposed to hold onto the optimistic thought that the Palestinians won't destroy us, that they won't get a State, that we won't have to evacuate Yesha?

How are we supposed to act knowing that no current Israeli political leader will be able to stand up to the world and the US in not allowing the Palestinians to get a State of their own on our land? Honestly, I ask you, how?

First of all, I have a deep belief that Hashem works in strange ways, and the above scenarios won't end up coming to fruition, against all the efforts of world leaders, including the efforts of Bush, and all Israeli leaders. Just look at what's going on today in the Middle East and the world. World terrorism is growing, whether at the hands of Al Qaida or others. A war with Iraq is almost definate, and a war between Israel and Lebanon/Hizballah/Syria/Iran (if not others) is almost definite (due to the water issue), just postponed due to the Iraq issue. Basically, if you ask me, the Middle East and the world is a powder keg that is waiting to burst in many places, not just in the Middle East. Even though the Palestinian issue is big news today, and probably will stay big, with the culmination of all the above issues, it will suddenly lose some of its importance and some of its world support. I therefore think, due to natural/godly occurences, a Palestinian state will not come about.

However, I do not rely on this belief alone. I'm a firm believer that G-d helps those that help themselvs, and faith alone is not enough, it needs action to back it up.

I therefore come to the biggest problem of all in Israel - the political system and the polticians. I'm a big follower of Moshe Fieglin's Manhigut Yehudit faction within the Likud, because it's aim is to infuse the Israeli political system with people who will lead Israel based on the belief that Israel is not a nation like any other, but rather a nation that is proud to be different, not better, but different. In a nutshell its aim is to transform israel with a true Jewish leadership that makes policies based on Jewish values, and not based on pure political greed, self-interest groups and pressure.

Change takes time. A revolution takes longer. I believe that with Manhigut Yehudit will succeed in revolutionizing the Israeli polical system, but it will take time.

Currently, the biggest enemy of Israel is the fabricated story of the Israel/Palestinain conflict that is accepted by the world and perpetuated by the media.

Until that version is changed, and the true facts are perpetuated by the political leaders and the media, I have to fight using arguments that they can accept. I therefore I sent out the article below. Even though I totally agree with your thoughts below. May the day come soon when people will laugh at such an article as superfluous, as it should be.

Kol Tuv,

Avi Abelow