THE STRATEGY OF STATEHOOD

Sharon's peace: Strategy not concept: Ariel Sharon was once a political hawk. Today Israel's prime minister embraces peace and the acceptance of a Palestinian state. Is this the same man? (Micah D. Halpern June 18, 2003, Jewsweek)

For Ariel Sharon, General Arik Sharon, peace is not a concept. It is a strategy. And Sharon has chosen peace as the strategy for achieving security for Israel. To his mind, pursuing this policy of peace is the only way to achieve real stability in the long run -- no matter how slowly it moves and how dangerous life in Israel may be at this stage.

Most politicians, even the best of them, fail to rise to historical challenges. They fail to make the kinds of decisions that will transform and improve their society. Most politicians are afraid. They are bureaucrats turned leaders, often plastic in style, who spend most of their day pushing proverbial papers around their desk, making certain not to irritate too many constituents in order to insure their reelection and the reelection of their party.

Few politicians will put their political career on the line to actually achieve the controversial goals in which they believe.

Sharon has done just that. We are privy to extraordinary political activity, which is also a rollercoaster.

Sharon is no longer an ideologue who believes in the right versus the left of Israel. He feels a responsibility for all Israel.

For all the ritual denunciations of statehood for Palestine, we've yet to hear anyone make a coherent case that Israel will be a better or safer place ten or twenty years from now if it is still an occupying power. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 19, 2003 7:56 AM