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Last update - 01:29 05/10/2008 The death of the right By Gideon Levy Tags: Israel News, Palestinians  With neither sorrow nor grief it may be announced: The Israeli right is dead. After long and difficult death throes it has finally and laudably come to its end. The mercy killing was administered by one of its senior sons and princes, Ehud Olmert, but the prime minister's belated courageous statements on the eve of Rosh Hashanah were not needed to know that nothing remains of the right's doctrine. The right's new political doctrine was born in sin, the sin of arrogance, of messianism, of militarism and nationalism of the Six-Day War, so its death was predictable. Revisionism, the minority view, became annexationism, the majority view, and the right managed by trickery and sleight of hand to deceive a whole country for a generation, irreparably damaging the cause of peace. Now the celebrations are over and the curtain is coming down. Not only Olmert must repent of his sin, as he has done - an entire country must stand up and say aloud: Oops, we were wrong. The radical left, in whose voice the prime minister now speaks, was correct and predicted the truth. To most of the public it has become clear that no peace will be attained that is not based on the outlines sketched in an ad placed by the Matzpen movement in September 1967. That is how far we have come. But in Israeli society's ideological vacuum, the death of the right does not herald the flourishing of the left. It, too, expired a long time ago. Advertisement One after another, the arguments of the right have collapsed, leaving not one stone of its teachings upon another. All the solutions it proposed over the years were found to be mirages that dissipated long ago. It began with messianic and biblical explanations about the sanctity of the land and our right to all of it. That was and still is the reasoning of that minority detached from reality. No rational person today can seriously argue that sanctity means the right to sovereignty. The tomb of Rabbi Nahman in Uman is sacred - so what? And Jerusalem is sacred to Christians - so what? Reasons of "security" have managed to fool more people. Based on these reasons, control of the territories is a guarantee of security. This foolishness was also proven groundless a long time ago. Technological developments have made it clear to the public that Tel Aviv can be bombed from Baghdad, that there is no security significance in living on the tops of the mountains and the slopes of the Jordan Valley, and there is nothing like living in Yitzhar to endanger the future of the entire country. Later came the withdrawal from Sinai to prove that territory can be a security burden, and certainly no guarantee of anything, and that peace ensures security more than any territory. The greatest danger to security in our history ambushed us, of all times, when we controlled Sinai: in 1973. In contrast, no years were as secure - on the Egyptian front - as the years of peace, without Sinai and even without Sharm el-Sheikh. All the solutions proposed by the right were found to be hollow: First Menachem Begin's and Yitzhak Shamir's futile idea that immigration would ensure a demographic majority, then the idea of expelling the Palestinians - Rehavam Ze'evi's "voluntary" transfer and Meir Kahane's involuntary transfer. "Autonomy," "functional compromise," and the "Jordanian option" were all found to be crazy ideas that have rested in peace. No one is even talking about annexation anymore. Try asking people on the right what they predict, according to their own logic, will really happen 20 years from now and they will not be able to respond. They will mumble a few murky slogans and fall silent. I have never heard a clear answer to this question except "industrial parks," Benjamin Netanyahu's latest craze, which was previously Shimon Peres' idea. And what will happen when the first bomb goes off in them? They will close down, like all their predecessors. But back to the main issue, what will really happen in another 20 years when there will be close to a majority of Palestinians between the river and the sea? The right has no answer. Two states? No! One state? No! What then? A continuation of the apartheid. What are we left with? With a land slashed by a wall, 10,000 settlements on every hilltop, fear campaigns and the sowing of hatred, and one solution: do nothing. Time has worked, does work and will work in our favor. Meanwhile, Hamas has risen and Arafat fell, today Hamas tomorrow Al-Qaida, yesterday Jordan today Iran, yesterday stones today Qassams and tomorrow dirty bombs. The left's ideas are now expounded by the majority; after all, everyone knows that it is either two states or we are finished, as the prime minister says, but meanwhile everyone also agrees that it is better to do nothing. "The time is not yet ripe" - until that option also comes to an end, until we all come to an end. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Israel policy Obama camp dismisses Jesse Jackson's remarks on ridding the U.S. of 'Zionist control.' Welcome to AqsaTube The Palestinian militant group Hamas launches its own version of YouTube.   1.   The Death of the Left 11:16  |  Ben Israel 05/10/08   2.   Gideon Levy is hysterical precisely because his ideas have failed 11:40  |  Robert 05/10/08   3.   Um Wrong Again Gideon, Elections Would Beg To Differ 11:54  |  Baruch Gold 05/10/08   4.   to Ben Israel #1 - as usual 11:54  |  zeev 05/10/08   5.   Not one word of compromise heard from PA leaders 11:57  |  Dr Eric 05/10/08   6.   Deadly sin of the right was whoredom with US Evangelical Darbyist 11:59  |  Ivar 05/10/08   7.   Todays headline in maariv - 50,000 jews in yosh since olmert 12:00  |  Dr Eric 05/10/08   8.   Gideon - arabs said no to 67 borders!! 12:02  |  Dr Eric 05/10/08   9.   #5 the alien from the saudi planet and light relief 13:04  |  victor hardman 05/10/08   10.   Gideon Levy, the "right" in Israel has been (morally) dead...... 13:24  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/10/08   11.   Bagdad can also be bombed from Tel Aviv... 13:28  |  Afflalo, Ya`ish 05/10/08   12.   Is it true that there is no solution? 13:36  |  Cord 05/10/08   13.   to Robert #2 13:55  |  zeev 05/10/08   14.   to Robert #2 - and something else 14:03  |  zeev 05/10/08   15.   Wrong Gideon Levy ...... 14:15  |  Dagma 05/10/08   16.   to Dr Eric #5 14:31  |  zeev 05/10/08   17.   Gideon Levy who lives in his own glass house should not throw.... 14:32  |  Proud Israeli 05/10/08   18.   Never could you be further from the TRUTH..... 15:04  |  Dolly 05/10/08   19.   to Dr Eric #8 - a Peruvian proverb 15:04  |  zeev 05/10/08   20.   Nut cases gone wildy left 15:27  |  Ilan 05/10/08   21.   to Dagma #15 15:32  |  zeev 05/10/08   22.   LEFT is Right 15:59  |  B 05/10/08   23.   Gideon Once Again 16:21  |  Ron 05/10/08   24.   to Dr Eric #8 - 2nd try 17:01  |  zeev 05/10/08   25.   to Ron #20 17:46  |  zeev 05/10/08   26.   ZEEV # 19 - A true Olmertian few and far in-between 17:56  |  Onlooker 05/10/08   27.   Zeev #4, 13, 14 and 16 - Um, don`t look now, but. 18:22  |  Elihu 05/10/08   28.   to Afflalo #11 18:33  |  zeev 05/10/08   29.   Hi, Gideon, nice to read you 18:41  |  Edith 05/10/08   30.   Zeev #13: You`re mistake is that we gave up control in 1994. 18:53  |  Robert 05/10/08   31.   Death of the left/right paradigm 19:26  |  ghostoflutherblisset 05/10/08   32.   The death of the "Right" spectrum only? 19:45  |  Ricardo Kolbe 05/10/08   33.   Once peace accord is established, easier to make actual changes.. 19:54  |  Smadar 05/10/08   34.   zeev @ 13 - To end the Occupation before it ends us.... 20:09  |  Dolly 05/10/08   35.   on Elihu #21 - out of his head 20:24  |  zeev 05/10/08   36.   To zeev # 19 - Olmert was never elected at a National Election 20:47  |  Dagma 05/10/08   37.   to Robert #24 21:20  |  zeev 05/10/08   38.   to Dr Eric #8 - 3rd try 21:23  |  zeev 05/10/08   39.   Zeev #14: You`re so wrong about Gideon Levy & peace messianism 21:47  |  Robert 05/10/08   40.   Zeev #25: If Oslo was "too late", then it was still a mistake. 22:01  |  Robert 05/10/08   41.   to Elihu #21 - out of his head 22:11  |  zeev 05/10/08   42.   Wishing does not make it so 22:27  |  Beni 05/10/08   43.   IF THE RIGHT IS DEAD, WHY IS THE LEFT TRYING TO AVOID ELECTIONS? 22:28  |  Freethinker 05/10/08   44.   G Levy is again very naive.......... 22:47  |  Diego 05/10/08   45.   God bless the Israeli free press and Gideon Levy 23:03  |  Concerned American 05/10/08   46.   to Dagma #29 23:08  |  zeev 05/10/08   47.   Levy lament not enough 23:18  |  Bronxite10 05/10/08   48.   to Dolly #27 23:22  |  zeev 05/10/08   49.   Bless Israeli free press and Gideon 23:30  |  Concerned American 05/10/08   50.   THE SOLUTION IS HERE! 00:00  |  Bob 06/10/08   51.   to Robert #35 00:55  |  zeev 06/10/08   52.   to Robert #36 00:57  |  zeev 06/10/08   53.   Gideon Levy and the Death of the Right 01:11  |  Norman Levin 06/10/08   54.   Zeev #35/6: From 1920-68, Islamist al-Huseini fought Zionists 03:07  |  Robert 06/10/08   55.   Zeev 35/6 con`t. Leftist Messianism = salvation via negotiation 03:25  |  Robert 06/10/08   56.   It is not the death of the Israeli right but .. 04:37  |  Akram Zekaria 06/10/08   57.   gideon levy 07:43  |  mike 06/10/08   58.   #57 mike in michigan 08:14  |  Hastaroth 06/10/08   59.   The death of ..... 08:19  |  Ralph 06/10/08   60.   ZEEV # 48 - Condaleeza Rice....! 08:24  |  Dolly 06/10/08   61.   to Robert #55 - on the PLO Charter: 08:49  |  zeev 06/10/08   62.   To mike # 57 - ` Palestinian` ???Voice of Reasom.. 08:56  |  The Threadmill 06/10/08   63.   to Robert #55 - on blocking 2 states 09:12  |  zeev 06/10/08   64.   to Robert #55 - on the Israeli Right 09:22  |  zeev 06/10/08   65.   Kapo Levy,sonn of a Chech Nazi supporter uses Nazi word "euthanas 09:53  |  Absolute Sweden 06/10/08   66.   Mike #57: 2 problems: Jewish rights + Pals won`t let us stay 10:02  |  Robert 06/10/08   67.   to Robert #54 10:06  |  zeev 06/10/08   68.   Haaretz - RIP 10:28  |  Sol 06/10/08   69.   to Dolly #60 10:35  |  zeev 06/10/08   70.   Robert-Zeev #13 10:52  |  Beth 06/10/08   71.   Zeev #61: I said "Fatah Charter", not PLO - reading comp??? 11:03  |  Robert 06/10/08   72.   to Robert #66 - on Jewish sovereignty 11:16  |  zeev 06/10/08   73.   to Robert #66 - on a binational state 11:17  |  zeev 06/10/08   74.   Zeev #72/73: Some clarifications 14:24  |  Robert 06/10/08   75.   Beth #70: I basically agree with you; just think more than 1 reas 14:56  |  Robert 06/10/08   76.   to Robert #71 14:57  |  zeev 06/10/08   77.   to Robert #74 - more clarifications needed 16:44  |  zeev 06/10/08   78.   Zeev #77: Constitute nationally; Palestinian goals; Minority rule 18:18  |  Robert 06/10/08   79.   to Robert #78 03:16  |  zeev 07/10/08   80.   Zeev #80: "Acceptable norms of democracy?" Don`t make me laugh 10:16  |  Robert 07/10/08   81.   Yes, Gideon Levy Israel is coming to an end 11:57  |  Dutch 08/10/08   82.   Gideon Levy you are right 12:30  |  Dutch 08/10/08   83.   The Right is Dead but it is impossible for any 15:58  |  ARTH 16/10/08

Read & React New IAF system will pinpoint Iranian missile targets in Israel Responses: 46 Report: Israel ready to free all prisoners Hamas demands for Gilad Shalit Responses: 28 IDF troops kill third Palestinian fire-bomber within 3-day period Responses: 95 Is Israel's booming high-tech industry a branch of Mossad? Responses: 28 More Headlines 16:40 15 Israelis taken hostage on Caribbean island 13:18 Report: Israel ready to free all prisoners Hamas demands for Shalit 11:03 New IAF system will pinpoint Iranian missile targets in Israel 15:48 TASE closes with sharp losses as global markets plummet 16:09 Ex-Kadima frontrunner Mofaz urges Yishai to join Livni gov't 08:51 Is Israel's booming high-tech industry a branch of the Mossad? 13:57 Jerusalem man suspected of raping girl in synagogue on Yom Kippur 21:47 Play the news / Will Israel strike Iran's nuclear sites? 15:41 Iran's army air force begins military exercise 13:38 IDF troops kill third Palestinian fire-bomber within 3-day period 12:28 Israeli Arab groups: Riots were bid to expel Acre's Arabs 15:09 VIDEO / McCain, Obama get tough and personal in final debate 10:35 Beer aficionados flock to Palestinian village of Taybeh for Oktoberfest 08:54 Jerusalem concert to feature fantasies of the Temple's lost music 08:56 Two Palestinian girls detained in Israel without trial for months Previous Editions Select Day 15 oct 14 oct 13 oct 12 oct 10 oct 09 oct 08 oct 07 oct 06 oct 05 oct 03 oct 02 oct

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