Israel Matzav

What Would Sharon Do?

The election ads began on television and radio tonight. I neither saw nor heard them (I am in mourning for my mother a"h) so I am dependent upon web accounts in order to comment on them.

Labor MK Eitan Cabel attacked Kadima Achora this evening for using Ariel Sharon's image in its advertising. I don't know what Cabel expected them to do. Kadima Achora certainly isn't running on Ehud Olmert's record of incompetence.

But the funniest thing that happened tonight - or actually in Wednesday morning's Jerusalem Post, is the attempt by longtime Sharon sycophant Uri Dan to claim that Sharon would never make a second unilateral withdrawal expulsion of Jews from their homes and gifting of territory to the 'Palestinian' entity state reichlet. I don't like this 'policy.' But given that Sharon said on more than one occasion that he would do exactly what Avi Dichter said Kadima Achora would do if it wins the election (namely go Achora) Dan's attempt to save Sharon's honor - to the extent that there is honor among thieves and he has any left to save - is more than a little disingenuous. Let's look at some of Dan's arguments:

Israel Radio's political analyst Chanan Kristal, commenting on the same program with Dichter, immediately volunteered his interpretation - one that would have done any of the party's spin doctors proud - of Dichter's comments. The upcoming elections are exactly about this subject, said Kristal - about disengagement - and Kadima wants to win as many Knesset seats as possible in order to be able to carry one out in Judea and Samaria and uproot more settlements. [While I have seen some claims on the right that these elections should not be interpreted as a referendum on further expulsions of Jews from their homes, I am inclined to agree with David Bedein that these elections are precisely a referendum on that issue. CiJ]

On the same day Haaretz reported that a government headed by Kadima would look for a way to move away from the road map in return for support from the United States and the European community for unilateral steps by Israel to determine our borders in the West Bank. The rise of Hamas in the Palestinian Authority has turned the road map into a joke, expounded the pundit. [The road map is a joke right now. Who is going to dismantle terrorism in the 'Palestinian Authority' so that we can get to Stage One? Hamas? CiJ]

...

From my close acquaintance with Sharon spanning over 50 years, I have no doubt that at this time he would not agree to depart a millimeter from any of the articles of the road map. [Actually, it was Sharon - in expelling the Jews from Gaza - who made Amram Mitzna's argument that there is no one with whom to negotiate and therefore Israel has to act unilaterally. CiJ] His staunch ally Bush knew that; and let us hope that he will save Israel from its inexperienced politicians.

It is exactly at this time that Sharon would make sure to honor his public commitment: "There will be no further unilateral disengagements."

But when Dichter gets up and announces that he is in favor of uprooting additional settlements in Judea and Samaria in the context of another disengagement, not only is he undermining Sharon's ironclad policy, he is also making a grave tactical error vis- -vis the Palestinians. Now, more than ever, with Israel living in the shadow of a Hamas government and is fighting against it, to make a promise to uproot further settlements is tantamount to awarding Hamas a prize. [Yes, a further expulsion of Jews is giving Hamas a prize. But Dan is so blinded by his loyalty to Sharon that he is incapable of seeing what much of the right saw two years ago: that this is where Sharon's acting unilaterally would inevitably lead. The world - including "Sharon's friend" George Bush - now expects Israel to expel all the Jews from the 'Administered Territories' without an agreement and without any quid pro quo. CiJ]

But let's, in Dichter's defense, assume for a moment that Sharon would indeed have uprooted a number of additional settlements after the elections - would he have gotten up and announced the fact at a time when Israel is waging an international struggle against Hamas's legitimacy? Of course not. [Of course not. Sharon would have been smarter than that. He would have waited until after the elections. Just like he did in Gaza. CiJ]

...

The government has proved bankrupt in its inability to defend the thousands of residents of the western Negev and Ashkelon area from the daily showers of Kassam rockets. [Sharon should have seen the Kassams coming before he expelled all the Jews from Gaza and moved up the front lines. And he might have had he not been so obsessed with keeping himself and his corrupt son Omri out of jail. CiJ] It should hardly be promising voters that it will rush to court a similar fate for Ra'anana and Kfar Saba. [Unless for some reason they have decided to be honest because they really plan to court that fate. CiJ]

I don't know what Uri Dan is smoking, but I would sure like to get some.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:34 AM