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Last update - 09:26 07/07/2008 We have lost our cool By Yehuda Ben Meir Tags: Jerusalem, house demolitions  In the past Israel was famous the world over as a society that knew how to maintain its equanimity and to behave in a balanced, judicious and restrained manner even in very difficult situations, in the face of terror attacks, infiltrators, wars, terror, threats and grave security challenges. It is no coincidence that Ariel Sharon always used to say that "restraint is power, too" - all, of course, in the right dosage. This unique quality, which aroused admiration all over the world, was the secret of Israel's strength and power, and to a large extent the secret of its success as well. Recently the impression has been strengthening that Israeli society is beginning to lose the equanimity, good judgment and psychological equilibrium that characterized it for so many years. This has been accomplished with the generous assistance of a frighteningly irresponsible, sensationalist, loud and populist media. It has been demonstrated both on the issue of the captives and in the unbalanced reactions to last week's attack in Jerusalem. The issue of our captive soldiers is very complex. It must be handled with great sensitivity vis-a-vis the families, and with no less determination vis-a-vis our bitterest enemies. Populist slogans such as "Don't let indifference kill them," or "At any price," as well as the various demonstrations that have been held, do not contribute anything at all and in fact only undermine the supreme goal, which is bringing them back home. Anyone who follows the media could get the impression that Gilad Shalit is being held by the State of Israel, and that only because the prime minister is preoccupied with his own problems has he not taken the time to open his cell and release him. Advertisement It is not indifference that is preventing Shalit's release, but the exaggerated demands of Hamas, which no Israeli government can accept. The sooner Israeli society goes back to exhibiting determination, and the more Hamas is convinced that there is a limit to its ability to blackmail and to the price Israeli society is willing to pay, the sooner the day will come when Gilad Shalit returns home. The unbalanced reaction to the attack in Jerusalem is another example of the weakness and absence of equanimity that are undermining Israeli society. A normal country does not pay the burial costs of a terrorist, nor does it give his family a survivor's allowance. There is no need for passage of a law for that, it's a simple matter of common sense and survival instincts. But that is a far cry from demolishing the home of the terrorist's family. There are cases when demolishing a terrorist's home is justified, but in this case the demolition is not only an unjust act that is contrary to Jewish ethics, it is also and mainly an unwise one. Demolishing the house will not deter anyone, it will only intensify the hatred among the residents of East Jerusalem, and unnecessarily so. The terrorist was a drug addict, a rapist and a criminal, who operated alone and on his own cognizance, and who according to all signs, did not receive concrete or moral support from his immediate surroundings or his family. So what is the justification for demolishing the family's home? We would do well to cite the cry by Moses and Aaron to God, which we read in the Torah portion only a week ago: "Shall one man sin and wilt thou be angry with all the congregation?" Those of us who want with all our might to preserve a united Jerusalem have a strong interest in illustrating to the entire world that Jerusalem is not like other regions, and that even the Arab residents of East Jerusalem enjoy the same rights as the residents of Israel. The time has come to return to what we used to be: a society that knows how to deal with challenges while maintaining equanimity, restraint and good judgment. The writer is a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Farewell ambassador Even the Arab envoys came to say goodbyeto Israel's UN ambassador Dan Gillerman. A tale of two mothers Israeli documentary 'To Die in Jerusalem' earns three Emmy nominations.   1.   EXACTLY, YOU HAVE LOST YOUR COOL 09:36  |  indrajaya 07/07/08   2.   Excellent article! 09:38  |  Sarah 07/07/08   3.   House 09:41  |  Ralph 07/07/08   4.   Give The Terrorist`s House To The Victims` Survivors 09:53  |  Yishai Kohen 07/07/08   5.   What about the terrorist Eden Natan-Zada home? 10:57  |  Tupac 07/07/08   6.   Yishai: Would u agree that Eden Zada was a Jewish terrorist? 11:03  |  Tupac 07/07/08   7.   what cool? 11:10  |  ravi 07/07/08   8.   Destroy his home only after you go destroy Eden Natan-Zada`s home 11:11  |  Tupac 07/07/08   9.   TERRORIST 11:18  |  daat y 07/07/08   10.   yishai cohen... great idea... 11:21  |  ravi 07/07/08   11.   Only in Israel 11:28  |  Rachel Stevens 07/07/08   12.   Uncertainties 11:49  |  Ilan 07/07/08   13.   Fantasy 11:58  |  Sylvie 07/07/08   14.   What to do? 12:43  |  AY 07/07/08   15.   Psychological warfare 13:02  |  AY 07/07/08   16.   Investigation required 13:04  |  Joe 07/07/08   17.   Indojerk @1 on loosing it!! 13:14  |  Ari ben Yisrael 07/07/08   18.   Remember the days 13:31  |  John 07/07/08   19.   Arab residents have the same rights! 14:11  |  lakshmi 07/07/08   20.   demolishing homes 14:33  |  Dik 07/07/08   21.   #4 Yishai Kohen 14:35  |  Labhras 07/07/08   22.   Interesting trend of articles and op-eds here... 15:31  |  Johnboy 07/07/08   23.   As I posted here last week.......... 15:33  |  Avrum 07/07/08   24.   Finally someone speaks sense! 15:48  |  max 07/07/08   25.   Johnboy 16:06  |  Avrum 07/07/08   26.   Sylvie 16:45  |  x-ray 07/07/08   27.   The schoolgirls killed at Naharayim were victims of a `madman` 16:55  |  x-ray 07/07/08   28.   When BBC lost its cool 16:59  |  Aren Haich 07/07/08   29.   Israel`s challenges. 18:28  |  sandra chitayat 07/07/08   30.   Sharon and "restraint " :) :) :) 18:37  |  David 07/07/08   31.   Article was very good... 18:58  |  Silvienne 07/07/08   32.   Yishai Cohen has the RIGHT idea 20:01  |  Feiglin Supporter 07/07/08   33.   Squatter Labhras,settlers are fighting Arab expansionism 20:11  |  Norman 07/07/08   34.   Collective punishment is never approriate. 20:19  |  Deborah 07/07/08   35.   Agreed! 20:56  |  Laura 07/07/08   36.   The ball is in the Arab`s court, not Israel`s. 20:59  |  Gilad 07/07/08   37.   Very ignorant article 21:14  |  American Attorney 07/07/08   38.   I AGREE LET THE HOME STAND AND GIVE IT TO THE VICTIMS 22:35  |  PalestniansAreA Myth 07/07/08   39.   israel famous for equanimity and restraint? 22:58  |  norman A. Blumberg 07/07/08   40.   His Home 02:01  |  Jim 08/07/08   41.   Israel should destroy Haniyeh`s house 02:18  |  August West 08/07/08   42.   Was Israel ever, "cool?" I think not. 03:37  |  Maureen Ann 08/07/08   43.   #25 I`m not talking about the talkback posters, Avrum 03:43  |  Johnboy 08/07/08   44.   Terrorists homes must not be destroyed but given 04:36  |  Akram Zekaria 08/07/08   45.   NEKAMA 04:53  |  Adam 08/07/08   46.   35# Laura.Do you still think that Israel is dealing 04:56  |  Akram Zekaria 08/07/08   47.   Where can I find this "other" Israel 06:05  |  PADDY 08/07/08   48.   Arab East Jerusalamites do not want to be.. 08:32  |  Ihab 08/07/08   49.   #47 and where did you find "this",Paddy? 09:06  |  Hastaroth 08/07/08   50.   #49 Hastaroth If you think I need glasses, you need a guide-dog! 10:15  |  PADDY 08/07/08   51.   #8 23:10  |  rokok 08/07/08

Read & React Ahmadinejad's deputy: Iran is a friend of Israel, is not interested in war Responses: 62 OPINION: Essential things Israelis and Iranians should know about each other Responses: 82 Uzi Beniziman: Iranian bomb threatens the world more than it does Tel Aviv Responses: 1 Emmanuel Sivan: Israel's negotiator exploited Nasrallah's weaknesses Responses: 1 Zvi Bar'el: Assad aims to create impression only he holds key to Mideast peace Send response More Headlines 08:15 No breakthrough on Iran nuclear talks in Geneva; another round in two weeks 02:44 Iran and the U.S. / Conflicting signs 08:14 Hamas: Shalit talks on hold, Israel not meeting truce terms 05:35 Olmert's defense: It's becoming clear that Talansky is a pathological liar 10:56 Israeli tycoon Yitzhak Tshuva plans to populate Arava desert with 3 million Israelis 10:28 Model Zionist: Bar Rafaeli poses for Jewish swimsuit calendar 00:18 Ahmadinejad's deputy: Iran is a friend of the U.S. and Israel 04:15 Kadima MKs: We'll overthrow PM if no primary is set 00:12 Gordon Brown makes first Israel visit as British prime minister 03:50 Education Min. now seeking to adopt Leviev Jewish identity program 08:32 Court upholds ruling to evict Palestinian family from East Jerusalem home Previous Editions Select Day 18 jul 17 jul 16 jul 15 jul 14 jul 13 jul 11 jul 10 jul 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul

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