It doesn't pain everyone, Mr. President (Tom Segev)

[Violet_Crumble]

President Moshe Katsav wrote on Friday that "the pain of the settlers is the pain of the entire nation." It appears that the president knows only those members of the nation who share his opinion; Katsav also thinks we must "apologize" to the settlers in Gush Katif.

In an op-ed published in Yedioth Ahronoth, Katsav said that the settlers "have played a significant role in the achievements of the State of Israel," including U.S. President George W. Bush's agreement to "settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria."

Katsav said Bush also reached his conclusion thanks to the prayers of Jews in the Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb. The president called on settlers to restrain themselves, but expressed much sympathy for the objectives of their struggle. He advised them to stay calm ahead of the struggle over the West Bank and said, "The values for which the residents of Judea and Samaria are struggling continue to be essential for the nation and the state."

These are untenable statements. The settlements play no role in the achievements of the state. On the contrary, the more they multiplied, the smaller the chance of reaching an agreement with the Palestinians and the greater the danger to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

The values of the settlers contradict human rights and liberty. If the pain of the settlers was indeed the pain of the "entire nation," many more Israelis would leave their homes and join them. The settlers and their supporters compared their march to the march on Washington led by Martin Luther King, but the march to Gush Katif was not meant to defend human rights, but rather to preserve an ideology that requires subjugation of others and contradicts cabinet and Knesset decisions. From this perspective, the march more closely resembled the march on Rome led by Mussolini. These are not the values of the "entire nation."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/604616.html

[bemildred]

1. Why are so many politicians sycophantic dimwits?

What is it about politics that attracts these people like flies on a dead lizard?
:puke:

[pelsar]

2. its the default...

think of it...you have to be willing to "get in bed" with people you hate for a particular cause. One minute your screaming how they're idiotes..next minute your having lunch with them.

in israels case....our first politicians were men of quality (ideals, principles, willing to make hard choices-whether one agrees with them or not etc)..but then they didnt "choose it as profession".

during the 70s a bunch of businessman, kibbutniks and generals made a party that was to differernt from the rest, these guys all had a long list of acomplishments and ideals, well respected.. they got into the knesset....

they all soon quit after that......than in itself said enough

[bemildred]

3. I know, I know, but allow me to vent.

It's true, I'm not planning to run for office. The very thought makes me feel a bit ill.