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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 02:07 17/12/2007 A more activist Meretz By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Yossi Beilin There is probably no one else in Israeli politics like Yossi Beilin - a brave weakling, a leader who never swayed the enthusiastic masses, and yet who still managed to carry away the center of the political map and get it to adopt his political path. Beilin's direction was laid out in the Beilin-Abbas agreement. Its main point was to aim for a final-status agreement, oppose any unilateral move, and have two countries for two peoples within borders approximating those of 1967, with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine and West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. These are the outlines that the world adopted as the desired solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Some say that an agreement in this vein will be reached only after more blood is shed; some say it will not be attained until terror has disappeared from the world; some hope it will never be attained, but in the meantime no more logical a solution has been presented. These statements are correct even after Beilin stepped down from the Meretz leadership yesterday. Advertisement In contrast to other leftist leaders, Beilin not only demonstrated and charted ideology, but also initiated and implemented steps, actually spurring on governments, and never declaring, like Ehud Barak after the failure of Camp David, that there was no one to talk to. He always sought, on the Palestinian side, someone with whom he could formulate a new agreement, to move something ahead, one step and then another, and another, the main thing being to pursue the way to a solution of the conflict, without giving up Israeli interests or the right of Israel to use force if necessary. Beilin went to Meretz for lack of choice; this opposition party never really suited him. After he was not selected for a realistic slot on the Labor Party list, he looked for a political home from which he could promote a new agreement. But as the leader of a small party he did not have the power to make an impact, even if his personal influence on decision-makers remained significant. All the social issues that made Meretz what it is - a groundbreaker in civil and human rights, gender equality, civil marriage and separation of religion and state - remained orphaned during his term as party leader. Meretz did not retain its status in these areas after Shulamit Aloni, Dedi Tzuker and Yossi Sarid left. Zahava Gal-On is right when she says that Beilin's departure is a chance to make Meretz relevant again. Meretz today also has an important role to play in setting the public agenda and in fighting for values which tend to be easily neglected because of a too-heavy security agenda. These include continuing to work for a separation of religion and state, continued concern for the protection of the rights of minorities, freedom of information, freedom of expression, protecting the status of the High Court of Justice in the face of those who would try to limit its influence, unceasing concern to preserve Israel as a country in which there is also equality before the law for those who are not Jewish. All these issues are waiting for a more active leadership. The fact that Beilin supports Haim Oron as his successor should not necessarily influence Meretz members when it comes to selecting their new leader. Anyone for whom civil and human rights are important should choose the candidate who has been seen to have fought for these issues more than others. Perhaps then Meretz will manage to attract new young voters to its ranks. Bookmark to del.icio.us Organic memory Israeli research is among '50 most significant scientific breakthroughs in 2007.' Floating the PA International donors pledged $7.4 billion to help boost the PA economy .   1.   In the light of haaretz editorial policy this is hypocrisy 10:04  |  Rowan Berkeley 17/12/07   2.   Beilin for beginners 10:54  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/12/07   3.   Meretz 10:58  |  Petya 17/12/07   4.   Peace will come in the Middle East....... 11:01  |  Swiss (Dino) 17/12/07   5.   #1 ash tree at the gates of paradise in the wrong country 11:03  |  victor hardman 17/12/07   6.   sounds like a man with insight 11:08  |  eric 17/12/07   7.   Yossi Beilin did not contribute much 12:18  |  Shoshana Thomasson 17/12/07   8.   #6 eric shines a bright light from nm 12:32  |  victor hardman 17/12/07   9.   Margie,your honest Beilin has said "This is not war 12:35  |  Absolute Sweden 17/12/07   10.   eric 12:56  |  sh 17/12/07   11.   Beilin - A cowardly Oslo criminal and uberleftist degenerate 13:10  |  MakeHimLiveInSderot 17/12/07   12.   Sounds like a very decent man 13:10  |  Nick Ferriman 17/12/07   13.   Meretz is and was Relevant 14:06  |  S. Cohen 17/12/07   14.   DR.YOOSI BEILIN IS MAN OF ACHIEVMENTS 14:25  |  abeer 17/12/07   15.   # 10 thank you for clarifying, sh 14:49  |  eric 17/12/07   16.   Beilin Legacy - Death Destruction & Anarchy 14:52  |  DR ERIC 17/12/07   17.   Beilin Legacy - ORPHANS, WIDOWS So many FAMILIES DESTROYED!!! 14:56  |  Dr Eric 17/12/07   18.   Beilin be gonee 14:56  |  Al Ramy 17/12/07   19.   Beilins Legacy - NOT CONFESSING GUILT FOR THE OSLO DISASTER!!! 14:58  |  Dr ERIC 17/12/07   20.   Bravo Yossi Beilin!- an extraordinary Israeli 15:12  |  Dorothy 17/12/07   21.   Dorothy 15:58  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 17/12/07   22.   Margie- Making unconditional ultimatums 19:13  |  Dorothy 17/12/07   23.   Meretz Mishegoss 19:23  |  Tod Zuckerman 17/12/07   24.   Beillin is a peace criminal 00:23  |  Frank 18/12/07   25.   Foward Meretz 02:27  |  Danite 18/12/07   26.   Dorothy 02:31  |  Danite 18/12/07   27.   margie 02:33  |  Danite 18/12/07   28.   #5 `victor hardman, belfast` 07:17  |  Rowan Berkeley 18/12/07   29.   # 8 you`re absolutely right, victor hardman 09:36  |  eric 18/12/07   30.   Danite- 14:26  |  Dorothy 18/12/07

Today Online IDF strikes kill at least 13 Islamic Jihad, Hamas militants Responses: 186 Bradley Burston: Killing the Palestinian who wishes you dead Responses: 21 Rosner's guest: The PA's goal is the destruction of Israel Responses: 36 Yoel Marcus: Israel doesn't need a new Vietnam called Gaza Responses: 43 Officials: Israel to allow construction in W. Bank settlements Responses: 87 More Headlines 14:01 IDF kills at least 13 Islamic Jihad, Hamas militants 14:29 Barak tells U.S. envoy that Israel is bracing for Palestinian retaliation 12:33 Vice Premier suggests swapping land with PA to keep settlements 13:19 Doctor at Jewish NPO in Ethiopia nominated for CNN 'Hero' award 14:08 Knesset okays establishment of 'Big Brother' database for police 11:25 Rights group: IDF isn't enforcing law on troops in W. Bank, Gaza 12:30 Bomb placed under car kills 2 men in underworld-related incident 12:27 'Code of silence' thwarts police corruption investigations 05:14 State Prosecutor urges officials to speak up in probes into IDF 11:40 Remaining Jews in Russia and Ukraine are 'proud to be Jewish' Previous Editions Select Day 17 dec 16 dec 14 dec 13 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec 07 dec 06 dec 05 dec 04 dec

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