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Olmert's Failing Grade
By Yaffa Shira Fredrick, New Jersey
How often have I been told to think first, speak second? If only some political leaders could do the same. As a religious Jew, I follow Israeli politics quite closely and I am growingly agitated. Ehud Olmert, the current Prime Minister, is threatening to return a large chunk of the West Bank to the Palestinians. Why? For good behavior? For electing the world famous terrorist organization Hamas to govern the Palestinians?
What could be the logic of such a decision? I recognize that Olmert is an intelligent man who served as mayor of Jerusalem for quite a few years and that he would not make rash decisions - but on this I question his reasoning. The disengagement from Gaza - while an act of the Sharon administration - was Olmert's idea. Sharon claimed that disengagement was a necessary because it cost Israel millions of dollars each year to protect the approximately 8000 Israelis living in a territory of well over 2 million Palestinians. There is definite logic to this reasoning.
While the cost of protecting the Jews in such a dangerous area was the root of the disengagement, the action has produced perverse outcomes. For example, could it be said that Hamas' landslide victory in the Palestinians' elections last January was because of the disengagement? Do Palestinians now feel that terrorism pays? And what about the sizeable number of displaced Israelis who are currently homeless? The government aid promised to them has not been delivered in its entirety. Why has Olmert not delivered?
Furthermore, Olmert let the Palestinians hold their elections in Jerusalem, the Jewish holy city no less. He allowed Hamas, which openly denies the State of Israel's right to exist, to walk right in and uproot the corrupt Fatah. Once again, I ask why? He knew the Palestinians were frustrated with a government that embezzled millions of dollars instead of providing necessary humanitarian aid to their people. While he may not have known how much of a loss Fatah would suffer, it's almost as if he bent over backwards to help Hamas win.
And now Olmert wants to return land to a people represented by a terrorist flag. Even if Hamas has "mellowed" a bit since they have been elected and even mentioned they might acknowledge Israel, is that any reason to once again displace thousands of Israelis with strong ties to the area? Israelis, like every other nationality, spend their lives building safe homes for the families they love. They do not invest that time only to have it torn to pieces in front of them.
Yet, Olmert is planning to do just that by taking Israeli families and displacing them. Of course, the government will have to pay reparations. However, given its current track record, I question whether reparations will ever reach those families.
Olmert should not begin a new project until he has finished his old project. Sharon would not have done so and he should take a lesson or two from his predecessor. He must find housing for the Israelis families removed from Gaza and take action against Hamas - he must make medical research and technologically a priority for Israel. In so doing, he will prove to the world that Israel is a progressive country that has entered the 21st century. There might still be an Arab-Israeli conflict, but at least no one can accuse Israel of surrendering to governments run by homicide bombers or slowing down the advancement of one of the few Middle Eastern democracies.
