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Quiet is muck
By Gideon Levy
Tags: truce, Gaza, cease fire 

A great disaster has suddenly come upon Israel: The cease-fire has gone into effect. Cease-fire, cease-Qassams, cease-assassiations, at least for now. This good, hopeful news was received in Israel dourly, gloomily, even with hostility. As usual, politicians, the military brass and pundits went hand in hand to market the cease-fire as a negative, threatening and disastrous development.

Even from the people who forged the agreement - the prime minister and defense minister - you heard not a word about hope; just covering their backsides in case of failure. No one spoke of the opportunity, everyone spoke of the risk, which is fundamentally unfounded. Hamas will arm? Why of all times during the cease-fire? Will only Hamas arm? We won't? Perhaps it will arm, and perhaps it will realize that it should not use armed force because of calm's benefits.

It is hard to believe: The outbreak of war is received here with a great deal more sympathy and understanding, not to say enthusiasm, than a cease-fire. When the warmongers get started, our unified tom-toms drum out only encouraging messages; when the all-clear is sounded, when people in Sderot can sleep soundly, even if only for a short time, we are all worried. That says something about society's sick face: Quiet is muck, war is the most important thing.
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Even before the cease-fire was attained, everyone was raising the blackest of black scenarios: The agreement will not hold, it will be broken immediately, Hamas will arm, Israel has given in. Not one of these assumptions is necessarily reality. Not one prophet of doom could suggest a better alternative to the cease-fire, except more and more unnecessary bloodshed on both sides.

Calm will be maintained only if it is a prelude to further positive developments; therefore, more than anything, calm needs the tailwind of goodwill and constructive statements, not destructive ones. If we continue being so dour, the pessimism will fulfill itself. Much depends on us.

Hamas wants the calm because it serves its goals. That is not necessarily bad for Israel. A few months of quiet and the lifting of the terrible siege on Gaza could create a new reality. Noam Shalit's protest is understandable, but the new atmosphere of calm is precisely the time to finally secure the release of his son Gilad and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners - two positive developments for the two peoples.

Yes, the zero-sum game between us and them ended long ago. It is a shame we are the only ones not to have internalized it. And yes, even the release of Palestinian prisoners, a step always presented on our side as a "price," can be an Israeli achievement, not only a Palestinian one. A new and somewhat better life in Gaza will assure a new life for Israel, too. It is not for nothing that the days when the fence was breached between Gaza and Egypt were the quietest days the Negev had known in two years.

In the wake of the cease-fire, a Palestinian government of national unity may arise and be a real and not virtual partner, the representative of the entire Palestinian people and not half of it. True, Hamas will not quickly abandon its hard-line positions, but under the aegis of a unity government it may surprise people, at least in a passive way. An agreement with such a government will not be an agreement of puppets between Ramallah and Jerusalem, the one known as the "shelf agreement." If it is attained, it will be a real agreement. The cease-fire has already proven that not only is Israel willing to negotiate with Hamas, Hamas is willing to negotiate with Israel. Is this not good news?

If I were prime minister, the kind that believes that without a two-state solution Israel cannot continue to exist, as Ehud Olmert has declared, I would do everything to extend the cease-fire immediately to the West Bank. It is not at all clear why the attainment of calm in Gaza, without extending it to the West Bank, is considered an achievement for Israel. An achievement? A disaster. As long as calm is not achieved in the West Bank, calm in Gaza will totter. In Gaza they will not be able to keep quiet over violent acts by Israel in the West Bank. Is that the reason Israel does not want to extend the cease-fire?

The very thought that has taken root among us, that calm is surrender, should be rethought. Is our strength only in assassinations? Are we headed only toward bloodshed? The opposition to extending the cease-fire to the West Bank also shows, again, that Israel only understands the language of force: It will agree to calm in the West Bank only after Qassams are fired from there as well. What message does that send the Palestinians? You want calm in the West Bank? Please fire Qassams at Kfar Sava, too.

So this about something much deeper than only a cease-fire. This is about Israel's image. The negative Israeli response to the cease-fire once again raises a deep suspicion: Perhaps Israel actually does not want peace?
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  1.   ANYTHING THAT CAN`T KILL YOU, WOULD MAKE YOU STRONGER 10:02  |  indrajaya 22/06/08
  2.   Arab League Ordered To Dhimmi Kadima To Take Down Shia Bomb 10:21  |  Joseph.E 22/06/08
  3.   Very very true.... 10:40  |  Johnboy 22/06/08
  4.   George Orwell 10:44  |  Clickfool 22/06/08
  5.   Agreement 10:47  |  Ralph 22/06/08
  6.   If not now, when? 11:03  |  JW 22/06/08
  7.   Excellent Article, Mr. Levy 11:06  |  Palestinian in UK 22/06/08
  8.   Are you blind and deaf? 11:08  |  Ofer 22/06/08
  9.   Green Grass 11:39  |  Shimon Cleopas 22/06/08
  10.   Yes Gideon, sometimes I wonder if ... 11:41  |  Edith 22/06/08
  11.   Hamas has indicated they would accept a two state solution 11:45  |  Natallie Durson 22/06/08
  12.   #2 Joseph 11:46  |  Edith 22/06/08
  13.   The abused 11:46  |  sh 22/06/08
  14.   Perception among Jews is that Arabs want timeout not peace 11:59  |  Sam 22/06/08
  15.   scared for a cease fire 12:02  |  rm 22/06/08
  16.   The usual Sunday taqqiyah from a known Hamas fifth column 12:04  |  Freethinker 22/06/08
  17.   Clickfool: read Orwell! 12:08  |  Orwell`s Fan 22/06/08
  18.   Can you blame many Americans for wanting to dump your warmongers? 12:12  |  Dutch 22/06/08
  19.   israel has seen nothing yet 12:38  |  ravi 22/06/08
  20.   # 10, EDITH 12:46  |  indrajaya 22/06/08
  21.   Idiots at Haaretz: We want peace if it`s real 12:56  |  dyinglikeflies 22/06/08
  22.   clickfool who is the saner one 13:03  |  yirmi 22/06/08
  23.   clickfool what would orwell make of your killings in iraq 13:05  |  yirmi 22/06/08
  24.   the certainity of war 13:44  |  barry 22/06/08
  25.   Israel is like a naughty child 13:46  |  Marilyn 22/06/08
  26.   Gideon , Gideon 13:49  |  Nephtaly 22/06/08
  27.   The talkbacks speak volumes 13:55  |  Arie 22/06/08
  28.   Peace for peace 13:59  |  Dr Eric 22/06/08
  29.   #11-Natalie Durson-And you have proof? 13:59  |  Arie 22/06/08
  30.   dyinglikeflies..21... get real yourself 14:02  |  ravi 22/06/08
  31.   israel can defend itself!! 14:03  |  Dr eric 22/06/08
  32.   Shame on those that side with terrorists!! 14:08  |  Dr Eric 22/06/08
  33.   THE ARABS STARTED THE INTIFADA they will suffer the results!! 14:10  |  Dr Eric 22/06/08
  34.   Why does the PA deserve a prize for terror!! 14:13  |  Dr eric 22/06/08
  35.   Why should the arabs deserve trust? 14:17  |  dr eric 22/06/08
  36.   The dogs of war are uneasy 14:17  |  chelemer 22/06/08
  37.   Israel wants peace with those who want peace!! 14:19  |  Dr Eric 22/06/08
  38.   Why does Gideon support Israel`s enemies?? 14:25  |  dr Eric 22/06/08
  39.   Which Israel Mr. Levy? 14:25  |  Mark Lincoln 22/06/08
  40.   dr eric... get real as well 14:26  |  ravi 22/06/08
  41.   Israel is never going bk to 1949 borders! 14:28  |  dr eric 22/06/08
  42.   # 14 Sam...it also looks that way to me 14:29  |  Lynn 22/06/08
  43.   A PA state on theWB is not on the best interests of the arabs! 14:33  |  Dr eric 22/06/08
  44.   Giving up territory has not brought Israel good relations 14:35  |  Sam 22/06/08
  45.   The PA offers no chance for feedom or democracy!! 14:40  |  Dr eric 22/06/08
  46.   Occupation is the best solution for Israel and arabs! 14:46  |  Dr Eric 22/06/08
  47.   For Yirmi, Zebulon, Harzion, Yashekel etc # 22 14:51  |  Clickfool 22/06/08
  48.   Naive 14:53  |  Paul Easton 22/06/08
  49.   Oy - Dr Eric is another trading style of Yirmi, Zebulon etc 14:54  |  Clickfool 22/06/08
  50.   For Sam # 44 15:01  |  Clickfool 22/06/08
  51.   Great Wake up Israel article 15:28  |  US Fred 22/06/08
  52.   If history repeats itself 15:30  |  Boaz 22/06/08
  53.   to clickfool - #49- keep up the hate! It will get u no where!! 15:32  |  Dr eric 22/06/08
  54.   to clickfool - The more you hate is the more Iam compassionate!! 15:34  |  Dr Eric 22/06/08
  55.   Israel must build credibility before Shalit is released 16:17  |  Warren Dew 22/06/08
  56.   Clickfool 16:20  |  Sam 22/06/08
  57.   #50 clickfool - stolen land????? 16:31  |  dr eric 22/06/08
  58.   Clickfool - SHAME on you and your like!!!! 16:34  |  Dr eric 22/06/08
  59.   # 14, Arab Perception 16:49  |  Another Arab 22/06/08
  60.   good job, gideon levy 17:06  |  noor 22/06/08
  61.   The evolving Israeli Gaza policy 17:19  |  Tosefta 22/06/08
  62.   Ofer, you dont know what hamas even is!! 17:21  |  noor 22/06/08
  63.   I second Marl Lincoln`s posting (#39) 17:42  |  Michael N 22/06/08
  64.   #38 Dr. Eric , The wrong perspective 18:13  |  Dutch 22/06/08
  65.   Arie that is complete nonsense 18:19  |  Marilyn 22/06/08
  66.   Finally the nail is hit on the head - talk the talk but no walk 18:28  |  Amsterdam Jew 22/06/08
  67.   Peace Plan: The US should appoint Slowman as peace mediator 18:29  |  Gideon Levy 22/06/08
  68.   When war is normality, peace is a frightening step 18:49  |  David 22/06/08
  69.   Reply to #8 - Ofer, It Must Be Genetic 18:50  |  Tod Zuckerman 22/06/08
  70.