Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., May 11, 2008 Iyyar 6, 5768 | | Israel Time: 07:52 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 09:16 07/05/2008
Israel is stronger than its ills
By Haaretz Editorial
Tags: olmert

In the weeks preceding the publication of the new suspicions against the prime minister, it seemed as though Israel was progressing toward a peace agreement with the Palestinians and perhaps even with Syria. Now it is very hard to believe that a government in the process of being dismantled can carry this load on its shoulders. The country's intensive and welcome preoccupation with government corruption is determining the national mood on this Independence Day more than any ceremony and celebration.

The 60th anniversary celebrations are accompanied by a bad taste, and it is no coincidence that they are being held under a media blackout stemming from the needs of the investigation of the prime minister. A few days before the holiday, Arcadi Gaydamak bought half the Pensioners Party, and at the same time it was decided to charge former finance minister Abraham Hirchson with stealing public funds. When the police claim that removing the gag order from the investigation of the prime minister on Memorial Day will undermine the memory of the fallen, it sounds like a mixing of issues that itself corrupts the public discussion.

The present Independence Day will be celebrated by the citizens of Israel as it is every year, ignoring the investigations of corruption, because basic pride at the success of the Zionist enterprise still beats in their hearts. A random government, more corrupt or less so, is temporary and replaceable, as long as democracy maintains its vitality. In this sense Israel still serves as an example and a model for more veteran countries.
Advertisement
A government that is being dismantled cannot be expected to bring peace, but apparently the historical processes that are taking place in the region and in the world are stronger even than it. The isolation of Hamas, which still wants to destroy Israel, the worldwide enlistment against the Iranian nuclear program, the peace talks with the moderate wing of the Palestinian people - which wants to establish an independent state alongside Israel and to live with it in cooperation in the same conflict-ridden parcel of land - the peace signals from Syria, which have met with a positive response on the Israeli side, and also a new U.S. administration, which may provide momentum for peace with Syria that the current administration refuses to provide - all these arouse the hope that the State of Israel is stronger than its ills.

This is likely to be a year of opportunity, in light of the fact that all of the country's prime ministerial candidates, on the right and the left, and all the U.S. presidential candidates, on the right and the left, support peace with Syria at the price of withdrawal from the Golan Heights and its demilitarization. The existence of a steadily growing bloc of moderate Arab countries, the understanding that Iran and Hamas constitute a threat to them and not only to Israel, breathes new hope into the attempt to achieve peace in the region.

The aspirations of most Israelis for peace today have genuine partners in the Arab world, whose stance is no longer dependent only on the composition of some government or other in Israel. If the gauntlet is picked up on both sides, perhaps we will finally see that same new Middle East that the president of the state has praised so highly.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Siniora vs. Hezbollah
The Lebanon prime minister accuses Hezbollah of staging a coup.
Plant down - again
Palestinians say tha Gaza power plant has closed due to a fuel shortage.
  1.   Peace? not in our time.... 09:37  |  Jason Elkhart 07/05/08
  2.   No justice, no peace 09:39  |  Marge Kenan 07/05/08
  3.   Israel is even stronger than sensationalist misleading 09:44  |  PETER SM 07/05/08
  4.   On a day like today there are only 2 things to say...... 09:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  5.   An optimistic article with very few clues 10:07  |  Hastaroth 07/05/08
  6.   M. KEENAN FOR 60yrs the Palestinians COULD have their own state!! 10:10  |  PETER SM 07/05/08
  7.   Swiss Dinosaur,thanks for the wishes,but... 10:13  |  Hastaroth 07/05/08
  8.   out of joy and sorrow a great nation was born 10:20  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/05/08
  9.   Opportunity 10:28  |  Altalena 07/05/08
  10.   # 7 Hastaroth 10:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  11.   The difference between "anti-Israeli" and anti-Zionist" 10:54  |  Yonatan 07/05/08
  12.   The corruption of politicians in Israel was relatively small i 10:55  |  Max the Horoscope 07/05/08
  13.   TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL 10:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/05/08
  14.   #4 On Your Next Birthday Swiss 10:59  |  Reality Check 07/05/08
  15.   The Memorial Day Sirens have just sounded 11:05  |  Yonatan 07/05/08
  16.   TO OUR ENEMIES 11:19  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/05/08
  17.   LIKE THE US, ISRAEL IS IN THE BRINK OF DISASTER 11:19  |  indrajaya 07/05/08
  18.   Israel`s natural allies? 11:29  |  Clickfool 07/05/08
  19.   #10 to the Swiss Dinosaur 11:37  |  Hastaroth 07/05/08
  20.   C.FOOLS natural allies 11:45  |  PETER SM 07/05/08
  21.   So you have your own crooks! 11:47  |  El-Birawi 07/05/08
  22.   # 20, PETER SM (RE: CLICKFOOL) 12:10  |  indrajaya 07/05/08
  23.   # 14 Reality check, a few examples of our Swiss "mediocrity"..... 12:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  24.   Editorial`s Drug to Drowse Article is part of Dhimmitude 12:16  |  Joseph.E 07/05/08
  25.   indrajaya,"Israel is afraid to death to Iranians..." 12:49  |  Akiva P 07/05/08
  26.   Swiss(Dino 12:54  |  Sarah 07/05/08
  27.   #18 Clickfool 13:04  |  Sarah 07/05/08
  28.   Bizarre assumption about next US Govt. 13:05  |  Rowan 07/05/08
  29.   Haaretz editorial: Israel is strong, let`s make it weaker 13:12  |  Boris 07/05/08
  30.   # 19 Hastaroth 13:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  31.   Even the Arab world sending sincere congrats to Israel as well! 13:29  |  Karl 07/05/08
  32.   Make Talk,Not War (or Peace) 13:30  |  Ronnie Wolman 07/05/08
  33.   #4 13:36  |  Hilda 07/05/08
  34.   # 26 Sarah 13:41  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  35.   "Israel is stronger than its ills " 13:46  |  Esther 07/05/08
  36.   I was too quick to appologiize 13:47  |  Hilda 07/05/08
  37.   El-Birawi: Real Gangsters 14:00  |  Ronnie Wolman 07/05/08
  38.   # 33 # 36 Hilda ?????????? 14:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  39.   #14 Swiss 14:14  |  Reality Check 07/05/08
  40.   Ronnie Wolman,good to see you! 14:19  |  Akiva P 07/05/08
  41.   Happy Birthday Israel 14:43  |  Rozz 07/05/08
  42.   # 39 Reality Check 14:44  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  43.   swiss d and his SHINING example to the WHOLE world 15:00  |  CK Tan 07/05/08
  44.   #42 Swiss 15:12  |  Reality Check 07/05/08
  45.   #30 swiss d is LYING about Jerusalem. Again! 15:20  |  CK Tan 07/05/08
  46.   NORMALIZATION FIRST 15:22  |  B 07/05/08
  47.   #28 Rowam 15:27  |  Jim 07/05/08
  48.   # 43 CK Tan Throwing stones ???? 15:31  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  49.   "growing bloc of moderate Arab countries"? 15:51  |  Gray 07/05/08
  50.   Albert Einstein is ours Dino 16:59  |  Dror 07/05/08
  51.   Dino needs to put his boots on the ground 17:43  |  Panther Jet 07/05/08
  52.   # 44 Reality Check 18:15  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  53.   # 50 Panther Jet 18:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  54.   #48 swiss d - you ARE mistaken. It is your COMMON SENSE 18:29  |  CK Tan 07/05/08
  55.   # 50 Dror 18:38  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  56.   Dürrenmatt, Dr Mobius and then there is the Mad Dino 18:41  |  PantherJet 07/05/08
  57.   wittgenstein 19:18  |  dbrane 07/05/08
  58.   # 56 Panther Jet, I`m afraid Mad Dino is a product of your..... 19:29  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  59.   # 45 CK Tan, our "seldom-understander"..... 19:34  |  Swiss (Dino) 07/05/08
  60.   #50 Dror 19:40  |  Reality Check 07/05/08
  61.   #34 Swiss (Dino) 19:59  |  Sarah 07/05/08
  62.   yom haazmaut sameah le kulam, bemeuhad ihudim!!! 20:22  |  vladimir 07/05/08
  63.   peace is possible... 20:46  |  ravi 07/05/08
  64.   Israel`s right to exit 21:37  |  Peter 07/05/08
  65.   You`ve got it backwards Ravi 21:39  |  Scharker Yid 07/05/08
  66.   G-d Bless The State of Israel 22:14  |  Danite 07/05/08
  67.   29 Boris 22:16  |  tbora 07/05/08
  68.   Peace will be achieved when assured mutual destruction achieved 22:46  |  BIG 07/05/08
  69.   G-d Bless Israel! 23:05  |  CHGODMK 07/05/08
  70.   YEVARECH ET MDINAT YISRAEL.Mazal Tov On many many achievements 23:36  |  PETER SM 07/05/08
  71.   Hope for Peace on 60th Anniversary! 23:48  |  Smadar 07/05/08
  72.   #57 dbrane 00:12  |  PantherJet 08/05/08