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Last update - 09:22 22/07/2008 No margin for error? By Moshe Arens Tags: hezbollah, hamas, israel  There was a time, not so long ago, when the Israeli leadership enjoyed a margin for error in its decisions. Israel was strong militarily and economically, was deterring its enemies from taking military actions against it, and could afford to take risks. And even mistakes made by the leadership were not going to have catastrophic consequences. Not like in the early years of Israeli statehood when there was no margin for error. In the days of the Sharon government there was enough confidence for Ariel Sharon to announce that since there was nobody to negotiate with, Israel would unilaterally determine its borders, use the Israel Defense Forces to evacuate settlements, and make itself "more Jewish and democratic." It was a time when Ehud Olmert, then the deputy prime minister, declared that "we are tired of fighting and tired of defeating our enemies." Those of us who were concerned about these mistakes could comfort ourselves by the thought that Israel was strong enough to have a margin for error - we could even afford to make mistakes. But since Olmert assumed the office of prime minister, the government's mistakes have been accumulating at such a rate that our margin for error is rapidly disappearing. Although relations between us and our enemies are not always "zero-sum games," when it comes to those enemies who are dedicated to Israel's destruction, we are truly dealing with "zero-sum game" situations. What is good for them is bad for Israel. Advertisement Unfortunately, some of Israel's enemies make no bones about their intention to bring about Israel's destruction. Iran, under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's leadership, Hezbollah and Hamas are in that category. When their fortunes improve it is bad for Israel, and the margin of error at Israel's disposal shrinks. In the years of the Olmert government the fortunes of Hezbollah and Hamas have improved as a result of mistakes made by Israel. The debacle of the Second Lebanon War has been interpreted by Israel's enemies as a sign that Israel could be defeated on the battlefield. Hezbollah's hand was strengthened in Lebanon and its influence there increased. The newly elected Lebanese president, Michel Suleiman, recently declared that Hezbollah had "freed southern Lebanon of the Israeli occupation." He continued, referring to Hezbollah, that "under no circumstances can I accept that those who defend their land and free it from occupation should be treated as 'terrorists'" (L'Express, no. 2975). The release of Samir Kuntar in exchange for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers only served to increase Hezbollah's prestige in Lebanon and much of the Arab world. The disengagement from Gush Katif and the forcible evacuation of 8,000 Israelis from their homes there contributed to Hamas' victory in the Palestinian elections, their subsequent takeover of the Gaza Strip, and encouraged them to launch rockets and mortar shells against Israeli towns and villages in the Western Negev. Israel's agreement to a cease-fire with this terrorist organization further strengthened them and increased their standing among Palestinians and in the Arab world. Israel's margin for error is shrinking. And now comes Olmert's adventurous policy toward Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. It is true that the Israeli-Syrian relationship is not necessarily a "zero-sum game." Some moves could end up being good for both countries. But the fact that Syria until recently was considered in most of the Western world to be a part of the "axis of evil" could only work to Israel's benefit and discourage the Syrian dictator from undertaking overtly hostile steps against Israel, and eventually make him more flexible when the time came for negotiations with Israel. Throughout the world, his support for Hezbollah and the allegations that he was behind the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri were not going to be soon forgotten. It was no accident that Imad Mughniyeh, the Hezbollah arch-terrorist, was in Damascus when he was recently assassinated. Syria's record on human rights is also well known. So helping to improve Assad's image cannot work to Israel's benefit. Now, while Assad is being boycotted by the U.S. and most European countries, along comes Olmert and insists on beginning negotiations with him. If anyone wonders how Assad was so suddenly rehabilitated and greeted by President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris, the answer is to be found in the Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem. When French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was recently questioned on that point, he replied that "we cannot be more Israeli than the Israelis" (L'Express, no. 2975). Olmert's shameless chase after a handshake with Assad at the Paris conference added embarrassment to the unease that most Israelis feel at his antics. The Olmert government may not be able to survive many more weeks, but in those weeks, at the rate they are going, they might very well exhaust the small margin for error Israel still has left. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A hero or a pharaoh? An Iranian film praising Sadat's assassin has touched off a row between Egypt and Iran. Primary colors Barack Obama looks to reassure Jews of his commitment to Israeli security.   1.   ADI DIDN`T IT WAS OLMERT WHO CHASE AS`AD 09:48  |  indrajaya 22/07/08   2.   Olmert has been an absolute disaster for Israel 09:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/07/08   3.   Arens is right again and again 10:17  |  rich 22/07/08   4.   I agree with most of Moshe Arens article except one thing 10:29  |  Natallie Durson 22/07/08   5.   #4, Durson, "not in their own interest" 10:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/07/08   6.   Don`t be too harsh on Olmert 10:55  |  Saladin 22/07/08   7.   #4 nutullie never gets it right and writes bunkum 10:58  |  victor hardman 22/07/08   8.   I think the blaming of Olmert is getting out of 11:02  |  Che Vive 22/07/08   9.   #6, Saladin 11:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/07/08   10.   # 5 - Kohn - I agree with you 11:11  |  Natallie Durson 22/07/08   11.   # 5 - Kohn - On second thought 11:15  |  Natallie Durson 22/07/08   12.   10-Durson 11:34  |  Dan 22/07/08   13.   #11, Durson 11:36  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/07/08   14.   NOT SINCE 2006, BUT 2000 11:51  |  indrajaya 22/07/08   15.   #5 Cipora Julianna Kohn 14:03  |  Chet 22/07/08   16.   Syria was Courted by The West 14:03  |  Ronnie Wolman 22/07/08   17.   # 15, CHET 14:18  |  indrajaya 22/07/08   18.   #17 indrajaya 14:25  |  Chet 22/07/08   19.   Jeez, Chet 15:50  |  Star of David 22/07/08   20.   # 19 Star of David 16:34  |  Chet 22/07/08   21.   To # 2 CIPORA 16:34  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 22/07/08   22.   Margin for Error 16:38  |  Johnny Weintraub 22/07/08   23.   own interests 16:49  |  arik 22/07/08   24.   Saladin 17:05  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 22/07/08   25.   no. 17, Indrajaya - conspiracy theorist 17:09  |  Sam C 22/07/08   26.   Saladin 17:17  |  Jane 22/07/08   27.   Was it an American interest to get involved in `Nam? 18:50  |  Alex 22/07/08   28.   The ultimate insult to the french. Gotta love it!! 19:17  |  Voice of Reason 22/07/08   29.   22 Alex 20:14  |  sabra 22/07/08   30.   # 22 Alex 20:16  |  Chet 22/07/08   31.   Thats the legacy of Oslo 21:31  |  Scharker Yid 22/07/08   32.   moshe arens 21:57  |  philip weberman 22/07/08   33.   Olmert`s behavior is desperation of an Idiot 22:01  |  Claudia 22/07/08   34.   prisoner exchange 22:01  |  Gunter Hiller 22/07/08   35.   #20, TEACHER 22:11  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/07/08   36.   to all you idiots 22:40  |  Israeli 22/07/08   37.   Cipora Kohn # 5 re: Durson, when has any country ???? 22:42  |  American in NY 22/07/08   38.   Cipor kohn # 13 Israel just could find other allies--too funny 22:51  |  American in NY 22/07/08   39.   T0 Claudia 22:57  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 22/07/08   40.   ANY 23:14  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/07/08   41.   saladin 23:23  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 22/07/08   42.   Uh Arab-American in NY, quite wrong 23:31  |  Scharker Yid 22/07/08   43.   #21, TEACHER 23:16  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/07/08

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