|
Israelis More Concerned About Their Cabinet Than Volatile Situation
 |
| Sharon-Perez cabinet, seen as source of concern to Israelis
|
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, Feb. 26 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – The Israelis are more concerned about the actions of their own government than they are about the current volatile situation on the ground. This concern has been reflected in many press repotrs and in the growing criticism at home of the cabinet’s decisions, news agencies reported Tuesday.
In an article by an Israeli columnest, Yoel Marcus, in the daily newspaper Ha’aretz, hawkish Israeli Prime Minister came under fire after his speech to the Israelis last week. “In his speech… Sharon bawled out the public for moaning and groaning when it should be resolute and stoic. Sharp words, but misdirected. If there's anyone sowing fear and confusion, it's the guys on top,” Marcus said.
The Israeli writer went on to correct Sharon and put the blame where it really belongs; the Israeli hotshots themselves who, according to analysts in Israel, have nothing to offer to the Israelis but fear and frustration.
Marcus also opened fire on the government in general, and on Sharon in particular, for criticizing the Israeli army, calling such criticism “not legitimate, not to mention unjustified”.
It is of value to mention here that a group representing top-level Israeli reserve officers and intelligence officials is calling for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from almost all of the Gaza Strip and much of the West Bank.
In addition, more than 250 reservists have signed a petition saying they will not take part in what they call missions of oppression against the Palestinian people.
The Israeli political echelons are demanding that the Israeli occupation army achieve the impossible: military victory over an entire nation. Such a victory is not possible when the government has no political objective.
“Massive pressure on the Palestinian Authority last week got the Palestinians asking for a cease-fire. What did we do with it? We let Arafat go to the grocery store and the dry cleaners,” Marcus said.
Echoing the same critical voice, Ze'ev Schiff, another Ha’aretz columnist said Tuesday, “For the first time, one can understand the decision of the heads of the Palestinian security organizations to suspend all contacts with their Israeli counterparts and to cancel the meeting of the joint Palestinian-Israeli security committee that had been scheduled for last Sunday. After the Israeli political-security cabinet decided to maintain the siege on Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, these organizations could not allow themselves to be seen as collaborators: Even if they criticize Arafat, they cannot act as if nothing has happened”.
The argument does not hold water that if Arafat is free to travel abroad once more, he will renew anti-Israeli incitement. Actually, such incitement increased after he was placed under house arrest and then invited the massesto fan the flames of their passions.
Schiff went on to wonder, in a sarcastic tone, whether the Palestinian resistance operations have stopped because of placing Arafat under house arrest.
The Labor Party cabinet ministers spoke eloquently - but retreated. They offered convincing reasons - but voted against their very arguments and themselves in the end. The small concessions they made - ostensibly with Sharon, but actually with Lieberman - contradicted the position they had formulated before the meeting. At no point during the meeting, did they leave the room for a consultation - unlike their actions when the political-security cabinet discussed Arafat's "relevance."
In contrast, Minister Dan Meridor thought that the decision to maintain the siege was the worst of all possible concessions and, therefore, abstained when the vote was held.
In any event, the events that transpired at the recent political-security cabinet meeting proves that this coalition will never come up with a categorical decision that would lead to a serious round of peace talks and a compromise with the Palestinians. It has been proved again that this coalition's sole goal is to preserve the status quo. 
|
