Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., August 24, 2008 Av 23, 5768 | | Israel Time: 04:28 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 09:30 18/08/2008 For whom the telephone rings By Akiva Eldar Tags: Palestinians, Barak Although Hillary Clinton's election campaign was not considered the height of success, the question in her ad, "Who do you want answering the phone at 3 A.M.," has become a central one in the race for prime minister of Israel. Every child in Israel knows why a telephone - a red one, needless to say - rings in the prime minister's house in the middle of the night. Every child understands that there is one subject that cannot be put off until daylight. Behold, he neither slumbers nor sleeps, Israel's guardian against wars and terror, bombs and missiles. In Israel, the prime minister is first of all a defense minister (sometimes, this is even formally the case), and the telephone test has become the equivalent of the tests that cadet officers must pass. Questions such as what to talk to the Palestinians about or who is the right man (or woman) to lead negotiations with the Syrians have been shunted to the margins of political discourse. Thirty years ago, defense minister Moshe Dayan stood alongside prime minister Menachem Begin when the Likud leader picked up the phone and found Egyptian president Anwar Sadat on the line. The man who had earlier crossed political lines promptly sent his mantra, "Better Sharm al-Sheikh without peace than peace without Sharm al-Sheikh," into the dust heap of history. The legendary warrior understood that peace with the largest Arab country is a security asset no less important than brigades of tanks and squadrons of fighter jets, or even territory and oil fields. Prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, who also took the road from the army to politics, reached the same conclusion with regard to Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinians. Advertisement Ehud Barak's glorious military past gives him an advantage in the race for the red telephone at 3 A.M. But past experience teaches us that when prime minister Barak has to make diplomatic decisions that have security implications, his military experience is irrelevant. In an interview with Haaretz in July 2006, the former head of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. (res.) Uri Saguy, said that in 2000, Israel missed a rare chance to sign a peace treaty with Syrian president Hafez Assad. He said he regretted that we establish commissions of inquiry only to examine military failures, while ignoring diplomatic ones. "Imagine to yourself that the agreement with Syria had gone well - what strategic benefit we would have reaped?" asked Saguy, who headed Barak's negotiating team with the Syrians. He then answered his own question: "A strong Israel Defense Forces is important, but military might is not enough to ensure our future." It is hard to find anyplace where the limitations of military might and the military experience of the person whose hand is on the receiver play a greater role than in the Israeli-Palestinian arena. The greatest danger threatening Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic state is that the Palestinians will hang up on it. This danger becomes tangible when a pragmatic intellectual like Prof. Sari Nusseibeh calls for dismantling the Palestinian Authority and transforming the struggle for independence into one for political equal rights. In the flush of victory after the Six Day War, Dayan declared that Israel would hold onto the territories it had conquered until it got "a phone call from the Arabs." This ultimate phone call came in the spring of 2002, from Beirut - when, at the Arab League Summit in the Lebanese capital, the league's 22 members adopted the Arab Peace Initiative. As Marwan Muasher wrote last week in Haaretz, for more than six years, Israel's leaders have had before them a historic document that proposes a formula for ending all conflicts between Israel and the Arabs, attaining a comprehensive peace and security for all sides, and normalizing relations with Israel. The former Jordanian foreign minister, who was among the architects of the initiative, echoed the warning coming from many a member of the Palestinian peace camp - that treading water will bury the two-state solution and play into the hands of Arab and Islamic elements that oppose any agreement with Israel. To make the right decisions about diplomatic agreements with our neighbors, what is needed is not brass epaulets, but rather clear thinking, leadership skills and political courage. Such decisions can, and even should, be made at three in the afternoon. Instead of getting distracted by the question of who is most suited to answer the phone in the middle of the night, we would be better off hearing whom those in the race for the crown intend to call, and what they have to say. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Nail in the coffin? Haniyeh: Arrival of blockade-busting boats spells end of Gaza siege. Operation Shalit Islamic Jihad urges Palestinian groups to kidnap Israeli soldiers.   1.   What every schoolboy knows 09:47  |  Shalom Freedman 18/08/08   2.   ISRAEL`S DETERRENCE HAS GONE FOREVER 09:47  |  indrajaya 18/08/08   3.   Eldar beating a dead horse 10:18  |  Sam 18/08/08   4.   "Israel can`t servive on just millitary strength".Ed. 10:51  |  Akram Zekaria. 18/08/08   5.   great title - but you blew it 10:57  |  henry 18/08/08   6.   akiva and the moon fairies dance again 11:02  |  victor hardman 18/08/08   7.   The wiiter suggests (perceived) peace without Israel 13:58  |  Harvey 18/08/08   8.   Saudi Plan will replace the need for at least half of the IDF 14:33  |  Ivar 18/08/08   9.   Saudi Plan will replace the need for at least half of the IDF 14:33  |  Ivar 18/08/08   10.   #3 Akram Zekaria 14:54  |  Labhras 18/08/08   11.   The Greatest Danger To Military Strenght Are Politics Of Dhimmit 15:02  |  Joseph.E 18/08/08   12.   the telephone call is the wrong number 15:46  |  zionist forever 18/08/08   13.   Israel wants new proposals just as Arabs want new ones 16:22  |  Sam 18/08/08   14.   Ivar the champion of the saudi plan 16:26  |  zionist forever 18/08/08   15.   2 Arab states 16:59  |  Rachel Carter 18/08/08   16.   Between our military might 17:09  |  Fred Michaelsberg 18/08/08   17.   Nobody can survive on just military strenght 17:14  |  Edith 18/08/08   18.   # 16, FRED MICHAELSBERG 17:30  |  indrajaya 18/08/08   19.   In actuality, both Israeli generals Dayan and Rabin planned 17:43  |  Smadar 18/08/08   20.   10# Labhras. I don`t blame you for your post. 18:45  |  Akram Zekaria 18/08/08   21.   #16 Fred - there is no god and military 18:50  |  spyguy 18/08/08   22.   Israel-military ans "survival" 19:09  |  Michael Greenberg 18/08/08   23.   #20 Akram Zekaria 19:24  |  Labhras 18/08/08   24.   Causing the "3AM Call" 19:38  |  Gray 18/08/08   25.   to Shalom Freedman #1 (2nd try) 20:27  |  zeev 18/08/08   26.   to Akram Zekaria #4 20:55  |  zeev 18/08/08   27.   Israel survival depends on only one 23:41  |  Shimon Cleopas 18/08/08   28.   Israel is on the path to One-State 01:04  |  Victor 19/08/08   29.   Peace 01:11  |  Nezam el Jenini 19/08/08   30.   To Ivar...WHAT???!! Such nonsense! 01:59  |  spade 19/08/08   31.   GRAY.The call began with Arab pogroms centuries ago 02:46  |  PETER SM 19/08/08   32.   IVAR where does Hamas accept recognition & peace with Israel 03:00  |  PETER SM 19/08/08   33.   spade-You raise important point for religious Jews 03:37  |  Sam 19/08/08   34.   Peaceful neighbore are the best security. Israel can not be one 03:41  |  American in NY 19/08/08   35.   AM in NY.Israel is at peace with Egypt & Jordan. Genuine peace 04:51  |  PETER SM 19/08/08   36.   Well Peter, Still having trouble with..... 06:32  |  Gray 19/08/08   37.   to PETER SM #35 06:41  |  zeev 19/08/08   38.   and israelis think time is on their side.... 06:55  |  ravi 19/08/08   39.   Shalom freedman gets it wrong again..... 08:43  |  Dutch 19/08/08   40.   DORIS gets it right.A charter for obliteration of Israel by Islam 10:51  |  PETER SM 19/08/08   41.   #39 dutch`s HALLUCINATIONS trumps the FACTS (2x) 11:59  |  CK Tan 19/08/08   42.   to Sam #33 13:17  |  zeev 19/08/08   43.   to Zeev 26 Always quotations from the defeatists.. 04:55  |  Akram Zekaria 21/08/08   44.   23# Labhras "..as I thought you are not interested in Peace" 05:44  |  Akram Zekaria. 21/08/08   45.   to Akram Zekaria #43 08:09  |  zeev 23/08/08

Read & React Ma`aleh Adumim mayor to appeal new West Bank fence route Responses: 202 Haniyeh: Arrival of blockade busting boats spells end of Gaza siege Responses: 183 Livni: World pressure on Israel, PA could spark third intifada Responses: 169 Mofaz: Israel must show a tough stance against regional foes Responses: 104 Karim Sadjadpour: Iran doesn't want to bomb Israel, just vote it out of existence Responses: 109 More Headlines 03:42 Israel's missile shield against Iran: Three Americans in a trailer 03:36 Israel: We let protest boat reach Gaza to stymie bad press 02:19 Russian embrace of Syria tightens, but for what purpose? 02:00 Haredi rabbis call for renewal of ban on Jews entering Temple Mount 01:35 Despite row over cuts, gov't likely to approve 2009 budget 22:49 ANALYSIS / Obama played it safe, but is Biden good for Israel? 21:59 Paul McCartney announces he will perform in Israel next month 08:17 Country or family? Israeli soldiers may have to choose which to defend 19:50 New film follows Holocaust refugees-turned-soldiers 15:06 Still aiming for 2008 peace deal, Rice heads to Israel, West Bank 21:56 Haniyeh: Arrival of blockade-busting boats spells end of Gaza siege 03:52 Israel should back extending UNIFIL presence in Lebanon, defense officials say 03:30 U.S. entrepreneur makes aliyah seeking 'next big invention' 17:36 Islamic Jihad urges Palestinian groups to kidnap Israeli soldiers Previous Editions Select Day 22 aug 21 aug 20 aug 19 aug 18 aug 17 aug 15 aug 14 aug 13 aug 12 aug 11 aug 10 aug

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com MBA in Israel in English APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion |