The shock of returning home

How clever of Yossi Sarid to condemn both the Gush Katif settlers and mainstream Israeli society all in the same social commentary. Bitter, cynical people never understand true heroes. True heroes build and rejoice. Some people, by contrast, take pride in criticizing and destroying. In the last 57 years Israel has grown and flourished. She has developed from a third world country to one of the most sophisticated, technologically advanced nations in the world. If the brave people of Gush Kativ are forced to leave their homes, (may it never happen), and resettle in the rest of Israel, they will look around and find the good and the potential in their surroundings and build and improve those surroundings just as they did in Gush Kativ. What will you be doing then Yossi? Will you find a way to use your literary talents to build a better world? Or will you still be criticizing the products of your own poisoned imagination?

To bm: The word "return" means to turn back to a place where one had already been (intransitive sense). How can persons who were born in Brooklyn, Odessa, Kiev, Minsk, and everywhere else and who had never set foot in the Middle East and whose ancestors had neither and whose ancestors might have been Khazar converts and who cannot point to a spot in the Middle East and say: "This is where I used to live before I was exiled and now I am back" profess to be "going back" to somewhere they had lived before. Such a claim has no more substance than a vapor. It is purely metaphorical and should be identified as such. And the metaphor is the result of some stories written over two thousand years ago purporting to record events which had happened even earlier. This is the most egregiously preposterous pretext for theft, pillage and murder of the native population. Shame on you. As to the Arabs owning 99% of the Middle East, well, the Chinese own how much of China? Why don't you go there and take some of that land?

Mr. Sarid, it is so interesting that you would qoute the perspective of the meraglim as your own perspective (the land eats the inhabitants. If oyu think the country is so bad why don't you leave - there doesn't seem to be anything keeping you here!

Nicole wrote: "If there was no suicide bombs and terrorism then there would be no check points and no security measures for the Palestinians." Nicole, the tragedy is that you don't recognise your viewpoint as racism. In response to terrorism and suicide bombings there should be security checks on EVERYONE who wants to get on a bus or enter a shopping mall, not just on Palestinians or people who look like they might be Palestinians. If someone commits an act of murder, then the ethnic identity of the perpetrator should have no bearing on the punishment, but in Israel it does. Only Palestinians have their houses bulldozed for murder, it never happens to Jewish murderers, not even Yigal Amir (y'mach shmo). That is the picture of Israeli racism, and it stares you in the face and you can't see it.

Have you ever been to Israel - do you actually know what you are talking about???

Thank God for Yossi Sarid and those like him who uphold the true moral values of Judaism that have been trampled undefoot by the settler debacle which has been and is nothing less than a "chilul haShem" - a desecration of the Divine Name

Jake Very well spoken from a person who daily enjoys the fruits of genocide and theft. What right do you have to live in NYC? What historical or moral right do you and your family have to colonize land stolen from it's rightful native owners? What historical contection do you have to it? Have you ever personally paid reparations or even rent , or enevn apologized to an Native American? What would your reaction be to Native Americans demanding their right to return empty publicly owned land in NY, without expelling any of the colonizers who moved in over the centuries? Would you also consider them to be monsters? Perhaps you should examine your own self with the same scrutiny that you apply to others.

Good riddance. Enjoy counting your Swiss francs, and get your rocks off feeling very superior and pure.

S you write-- "these wonderful people were encouraged to settle there by the various governments for so many years,NO NEED TO RUB SALT INTO THEIR WOUNDS, SUCH CRUEL WORDS". Dear S-- How in God's name can you call these settlers "wonderful people" when they have trampled on their neighbors' rights and lived like lords and ladies while their neighbors have been caged in and are at near starvation all on account of them. Yes, I blame their government too---they should never have created this immoral and illegal system and I will oppose my tax money going to this corrupt government system anymore. Still, I would like to know your definition of "wonderful people"? I can't imagine how it could involve having a good moral conscience. That's just my guess. Dutch

the reason i live in switzerland is exactly what mr sarid is stating in his article...don't worry settlers, you'll soon have all of israel to colonize, people with different attitudes, including the likes of sarid and others who are too intelligent for you will come back to the ghettoes of europe, you can suck their blood then, they'll support you in building another islamic, oops, sorry, i mean halachic country...i'd rather send my kids to a secular, antisemitic school than to one of your midrashas - sorry again, yeshivas...

Yossi Sarid-- Don't you dare ask us to feel sorry for these greedy and entitled settlers. They have lived off the fat of the land for too long and need to be booted out. While these settlers have lived liked lords and ladies the Palestinian people have lived like caged animals and near starvation. What a shameful lot! No moral conscience! Thank G-d the American tax payers are waking up to tthem too. A recent CNN poll showed an overwhelming number of respondents (94%) saying "no" to footing the bill for the pullout. The poll refers to the $2.2 billion in aid the Israeli government is reportedly seeking to help pay for its upcoming withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Settlers being evacuated from Gaza will receive compensation packages which could reach up to $500,000. How shocking! This injustice get sillier by the moment. What a corrupt sysystem Israel has created with everyone's tax monies. NO MORE Aid to Israel! And boycott all the way---until the West Bank is emptied out too! Dutch

It's not surprising that people would not want these nutcases living in their neighborhood inside Israel. In the case of a lot of people in Israel who are against disengagement I suspect they really don't care much where these settlers go so long as it's not Israel. Who can blame them?

Sarid is wasting time ,energy and emotions. He is talking to people who care not a bit about what Israelis within the Green Line have to endure on account of their own and their governments follies. He ought not to worry about any shock if indeed there is any shock experienced by these stone hearted returnees who have been totally oblivious to the hell endured by the Gazans so that they can live peacefully with their god.

OK OK Amitai. Perhaps I was being a bit extreme in my criticism of your attitude towards Sarid (and, I inferred, the Left). I should cut you some slack since we are probably cousins 250 generations back. That said though, one of the things that has bothered me the most on my two trips to Israel (1969 and 2004) is the degree of inter-community enmity. Sometimes it seems to me that you (Israelis) all loathe each other nearly as much as you loathe the Palestinians. Don't kid yourself about "liberalization" (unrestrained capitalizm) giving you a better quality of life, unless you define better as a homogenized industrial/commercial sector where most everything is controlled by a small plutocracy. That is what things are coming to here. Finally, I salute your good sense in calling for geographic representation in your political system. In many ways your system of proportional representation has been the root of Israeli political ineffectiveness - bringing with it excessive corruption, and pandering to fringe groups.

anna because he was israel devoid of jewish identity. he want a israel who is sum part of her citizens.arabs/mongolians... just like US. THIS IS A WAR AND I TELL YOU IS A WAR FOR JEWISH IDENTITY.

I noticed that Israel Shahaks spiteful little book (yes I have read it...) is a bestseller at the British National Party bookshop. Also it's only book written by a Jew - a "brave" one in their words. 'Objective' Pah! Good on you Tareq (the unracist Tareq of the two)

if the u.s. does provide the income to gazans it will take many years to equal the 105 billion the u. s. hasgiven isreal!!

Btw...we never had coffee Ben...

There's elitism on the Right too...

Yes, the Israel govt.'s offering incentives to American Jews, Ethiopian Kews, Eastern European Jews, etc. etc. to come to the settlements is in opposition to populating occupied territory...

And all this time, I thought Sarid was out for justice, and for an END TO COLONIALISM!

What an appaling verbiage from this MAN, ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING! WHAT HE SAYS IS ADDING INSULT TO INJURY! We know the prevailing economic situation is hard in the country. But,these wonderful people were encouraged to settle there by the various governments for so many years,NO NEED TO RUB SALT INTO THEIR WOUNDS, SUCH CRUEL WORDS! SHAME ON YOU!

What will they do for a living? Sit on their bums and whine. ----- Very unlikely. That's something we see your buddies in the settlements (and some of your buddies not in the settlements) do every day. Palestinians aren't whiners. They just want their freedom. Isn't it about time?

I am not the same Tareq from London, I am Tareq from Jerusalem. Same name, different person. Yair, I too admire Tareq from London for his even handedness with this whole shabang conflict. But may I add that from his book list, I would like to point out that a couple of those books are not completely unbiased. For example, the Israel Shahak book "Jewish History/Jewish Religion" has raised many eyebrows even amongst what I consider to be moderate Jews (which I hope you are). The book undermines some of the basic premises of Judaism. Not a fun read unless you want to understand why Shahak doesnt like Judaism. There are, however, a few interesting points in the book. In short, Read with a pinch of salt. Finally, since you are coming to Jerusalem, you are very welcome to join me for a plate of fresh Hummos in my house. Let me know. tareq_jeru@yahoo.com Tareq, I dont mean any offense, but I wouldnt like it if somebody suggested as "objective" reading a book which undermines my religion.

We in the Police Force can't wait until the settlers step out of line when they return to Israel. They are use to settler justice and not obeying the Police, but they will learn soon enough when they come back and we can't wait to teach them the laws.

The realityh is that the politics of Labor, ostensibly socialist, have not been socialistic at all. They have supported privatization, benefits to the wealthy at the expense of working people, and have joined a government that has allowed Netanyahu to sweep in draconian laws designed to hurt ordinary Israelis. Further, they have done an incredibly poor job of integrating the party with working class people. The labor party is as socialist a party as Tony Blair is, that is not socialist at all. It will be interesting to see if the labor elites attempt to arrest the campaing of Amir Peretz, who rose from the ranks of labor, and understands that the expenditure of funds in the territories has caused the Israeli people within the green line to suffer.

"Typical Left Wing Do Gooder." - Nicole As opposed to they Typical Right Wing Do Eviler.

Yair, You are planning to move to Al Quds (J'Lem) next year? I wish you success. I have cousins who live only a few miles away but are unable to go to Al Quds because of the checkpoints, the apartheid wall, and the brutal Israeli guards imported from Russia. All of this because their blood is not "the right" kind! Nonetheless, enjoy your stay in Jerusalem and I hope you do learn more than what the right wing media spews out in that country (and around the world). If you want to get a good understanding of the "other side of the story" in an objective way, i would recomend the following books 1. Miochael Hoffman "The Israeli Holocaust against the Palestinians" 2. Paul Findley "They Dare SPeak Out: People and Politicians speak out against the Israeli Lobby" 3. Israel Shamir: "Pardes" 4. Israel Shahak: "Jewish History/Jewish Religion" 5. Amira Hass "Drinking the Sea at Gaza" 6. Variolus "The Politics of Anti-Semitism" 7. Norman Finkelstein "Israel-Palestin" 8. Michael Hoffman "Judaism's Strange Gods" 9. Lenni Brenner "51 Documents" 10. Justin Ramaindo "Terror enigma" 11. "The Other Israel" Tom Segev 12. "Apartheid Israel, Possibilities for the Struggle Within" by Uri Davis These books should provide a balanced view from people that have lived in or studied the conflict. It will help counter the lies that the Media have spread about the "roots of the conflict" for many years. Safe Passage and I am very happy that someone as inquisitive and challenging as yourself is moving to Israel-Palestine in the near future...They need more people like you to help challenge the fanatics that currently control that land.

No, no Jon Jaye, you have this wrong. All those things are neccesary for fighting terror. Its all about terror. Does anyone seriously believe that even if there were no more terror attacks, Israel would give up its colonies or further confiscation of land???

Finally, we have an admission of the exploitation of Palestinian workers by the Israelis. Having expropriated their land, uprooted their olive and citrus groves, stolen their olive crops at gunpoint, allowed (by intent) their produce to spoil in the sun at the checkpoints, isolated them from their fields with walls and fences and soldiers, Israelis have left the Palestinians with no option but to work for slave wages in order to sustain their families. No, paying them slave wages doesn?t make them any less slaves. The Palestinians have long been a captive work force, exploited to prop up the Israeli economy. Land expropriation is a means to this end, destruction of productive agricultural land is a means to this end, the wall is a means to this end. This has been going on for decades.

I've been reading messages on this website for a while now, to get a better view of what is happening in Israel/Palestine. I'm particularly interested because I'm making Aliyah in October and will be living in Jerusalem for the first year (as this is where I was offered a job). Now, although my parents and friends are very liberal people, I feel I've only ever been given the Jewish explanation of the conflict. Hence my search (particularly among Palestinian respondents) on this website. Unfortunately, as is the case with most Jewish commentaries, a lot of the replies are laden with very skewed and highly subjective messages. Of course this is understable: if you're being occupied and live under military rule, while having to endure incessant attacks, I imagine cross-border empathy and academic objectivity is not a priority. However, unfortunately it complicates my search for objective information about the modern history of the Palestinian people. As your messages seem to be very fair and balanced (I was honestly impressed), could you recommend any litterature, for example, by renowned Palestinian authors? I'm looking for truthful and historically correct accounts that will make me understand Palestinian society a bit better. Thanks in advance, Ma's Salama, A future neighbour.

(cont.) FINALLY, you asked for my solution: Well, I have a couple. The first would be a true democratazation of media forces in Israel. This would include a much more liberal liscensing and censoring arrangement for radio, telvision and the print press. THe government could continue to operate their army radio and television stations with their accompanying management boards....But they must COMPETE with a private sector...and this can only be acheived thru more liberal media democratazation. 2. Reform the Knesset procedurally to have geographic representation. I want a representative that campaings in my town, with my areas concerns at heart that is responsive to the needs of his community and gives us a voice in the Knesset. I want to be able to drive to his local headquarters and communicate with him/her and get answers (or at least apply pressure) from him/her to questions or concerns that I (or anyone) might have. 3. If and when settlements are evacuated I will welcome settlers home to Israel. These people are my countrymen, my co-religionists, many who fought in the army to protect interests that past governments (including LABOR and despite protests) deemed acceptable. You may disagree with them, their political outlook, their religious observance, their way of life...In fact, you might even be happy that their former homes were destroyed....But, the fact of the matter is, these people must be GREETED back into the Israeli fold....Not slapped in the face and BLAMED for all of our problems upon their return. The Yossis are always willing to forgive, calling for rapprochement with Arafat, noting that he changed and must be seen as a partner. They have called for "understanding" with the Palestinians, and building bridges between them and Israelis despite feelings of hatred, incitement, coupled with years of violent rhetoric in the media/education system. Why, then can't Yossi have rapprochement with the "evil settlers"? Finally David you noted that you "feel sorry for me".... No need to feel sorry for me, my buddy in Tuscon. Thanks for your pity but you can take it back and use it for yourself or whatever other creature might need it. I am proud of who I am...I have a loving family. I love living in Israel. I know who I am. I have my feet on the ground. I see the turmoil and political and aeconomic problems and violence in this country, but I am able to come home on Friday night and enjoy Shabbat with my family. I am thankful for this. I disagree VEHEMENTLY with Yossi Sarid and despise him and his vision for this country...But as an ISraeli and as a Jew, I am able to recognize that there is a greater truth. I would invite the man into my house, argue with him to no avail and then offer him a meal or to drive him back to North Tel Aviv...My problem, however, is that I doubt either of the Yossis would have the compassion to extend the same to me.

David Kohn, You wrote: Isn`t his kind of the same old story? Who were the people who embraced Fascism and Nazism in the 1920`s and 30`s -- big money elites, along with (and eased into power by) the petit bourgeois and unemployed working class. DAVID I will adress both of your points: 1. Oh, I see, so the fact that I come from a working class Morracan family and am questioning the policies of the elite means that I am somehow on the dangerous path to Nazism? This is a baloney attack and if it were used in another political context (i.e, connecting Israeli policy to the suffering in the HOlocause) then I'm sure you would react harshly. Guess what David, in most countries with some semblance of democracy the ruling party was elected by some conglomeration of people from a variety of classes and backrounds. So what.....There were middle class people that voted for the Nazis...Should middle class people NEVER vote again....There were poor people that fought for Franco...should poor people, therefore, just defer their political decisions to other people? People at the bottom who think and and act viscerally rather than cerebrally seem to always get suckered into supporting the people who screw them the most. I feel sorry for you. - Ah, I see....I am at the "bottom" and act "cereberallY". So I am a "sucker" and an "animal"...So people that aren't in the elite and don't "understand their situation" as well as professors and scholars like the Yossis somehow are jsut to "stupid", "backwards" , "unenlightened" and "visceral" (i.e. MIZRACHI) to really make wise decisions for themselves.... So we should just defer our judgement to them.....Guess what David, people DO occasionally vote for a person that may, in hind-sight, look to be against their interests. For example, why would relatively wealthy Israelis repeatedly vote for Socialist governments and Meretz, etc....Clearly, high social spending breads high taxes whcih usually has a great effect on the wealthy, tax-paying public....The reason may be one of the following: 1. They are in positions of political/socail power that allows them to benefit from government largesse 2. They are so economically comfortable that they have the "luxury" of voting against their economic interest in favor of what they deem is "best" for other persons (often at the great expense of these OTHER people) 3. They vote for who they historically voted for before they inhereted their largess

Sean, you said "One doesn`t need to be a left-winger to care for Israel`s poor; to care for the Jews without jobs and homes and food." Jews without homes? Like the ones who are being thrown out of their homes in Gaza? Who will be losing their livelihoods? Yossi Sarid has said very clearly that he very much wants to see these Jews trampled underfoot because he covets his political privileges. Sean what are you doing for Israel's poor? How much do you put into the pushka every week? Do you even have a tzedaka pushka in your house? Leftists love to talk the talk but they never walk the walk. BTW Sean it is "Shanda far di goyim" if you are going to quote Yiddish at least get it right.

Why don't you ask these questions to the millions of arabs living in the countries around Israel, living in a land hundreds time biger than Israel? why they don't support that people with the billions and billions they have? Because they use this people to destroy Am Israel, in Israel and in all over the world. We have the right to protect us, to live in our land, a right that you never gived us.

"Slaves" who worked on the Jewish farms had the highest paying jobs in all of Gaza. Now that their "exploiters" will be gone who will provide their livelihood? The UN, the US taxpayer. What will they do for a living? Sit on their bums and whine.

the jews returned to their land and if you can prove palestine i will buy you a guiness as for the arabs - they have 99% of the mid east is this not enough? bm

It's been 38 years too late and finally the indegenious Arab Palestinian population has had enough. So get out :) The facts of history speak for themselves it is Israelis who migrated to Palestine. They are the colonizers. The colonized will always resist. So deal with it. Either end the occupation and give peace a chance, or there will always be conflict in Israel/Paleestine.

"With their own eyes they will see hungry little boys and girls." When was the last time Yossi visited the soup kitchen in Mea Shearim and with his own eyes saw hungry little boys and girls, and elderly people? Oh I know: never.

Israelis do not think of "Palestinians" as slaves. Maybe Yossi Sarid does. He is sick.

To JJ, If you?re looking to blame sectors for ruining the economy you are looking in the wrong direction. I would start at the billions of dollars that the government used to bail out the morally and financially bankrupt Kibbutzim. Next, I would look at the bang up job Amir Peretz does locking down all business in the country for days on end, or weeks on end if you look what the leftist Peretz did to our ports. How many hundreds of millions of short term damage there? (Forgetting for a minute the long-term damage.) Then I would look at the damage done by Peres, Sarid, Beilin, and co. where they personally managed to raise the level of the intifada from simple stone throwing on cars to the point where now hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent now to reinforce the roofs in Ashkelon and Sderot against Kassam missile attacks, not to mention the incredible amount of money being wasted on implementing the almost useless Shachar Adom warning system that is being deployed all across the South. But why stop there. Leftist socialism is what has set back the economy so far that so many people go hungry. So don?t blame settlers for your irresponsible policies, politics, and peace-now messianic utopianism that has only brought death and financial damage to the citizens of this country. Oh, and as a side point. ?Fun?? At least you?re admitting that to you ?disengagement? is just a tool to physically and financially physically hurt a sector you politically disagree with. That?s just sick.

Laura, without in anyway trying to retract from your obvious grief and anger I say this. I have had family killed by Jews/Israelis (prior to the establishment of the state and since). I have also had cousins who are in their 20's spend almost half of their lives in Israeli detention for throwing stones. I won't apologise for supporting their cause/dream of freedom and opportunity in a viable Palestinian state. I say to you "would you let your neighbour occupy your land and build on it year upon year"? "Would you allow your children no chance of prosperity and education due to military occupation while your neigbours children prosper". Past grievances should never be forgotten but some forgiveness is required or there will never be progress.

How far away from the Israeli reality you are, Mr. Roth!. You should hear people in this country -not in the Swiss paradise- talk about these "pioneers". Just then, you would be able to understand how much damage they have caused to our country. These lunatics respect no law, no government, no human being. Did you know that some of them said that it wouldn't matter them to live under the Palestinian Authority? Do you know that they call Israel "there" and even refer to Israelies as "they"?.

Thats leech, honey. L E E C H. And talk about "spewing hatred" etc. Don't you know that sending a message in all uppercase signifies screaming? What is your contribution to the progress of humanity -- a lot empty pride spiced with anger...

So what is your solution Amitai? Your resentment of the old Ashkenazi elites is so powerful that you embrace policies and leaders which lead to your (your communities') further and more profound poverty, exploitation, and neglect? Isn't his kind of the same old story? Who were the people who embraced Fascism and Nazism in the 1920's and 30's -- big money elites, along with (and eased into power by) the petit bourgeois and unemployed working class. People at the bottom who think and and act viscerally rather than cerebrally seem to always get suckered into supporting the people who screw them the most. I feel sorry for you.

Mr. Sarid's article misses the fact that these Israeli citizens were invited to move to Gush Katif and were given many benefits that other communities in Israel also received for all different reasons. These citizens have also spent 17 years under attack by Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza. Who's reality is Sarid really describing?

"The Gush Katif farmers belong to best in the country. And the pioneers of Judea, Samaria and Gaza have built up what is now there with their own hands. " What a laugh! Its well known that palestinian workers built almost everything in Israel and in the occupied territories between 1967 and the 1990's. Ofra, Beit El and every other illegal settlement was built with arab labor. After them came the workers from Romania, and then the asians. Come on, who are you fooling?

Israel is withdrawing from Gaza under fire. I think that's the main point.

When the Palestinians care more about their children, than they care about killing Jews, then no children would be killed. Until then, Why doesn't Sarid criticize the parents for sending their children to their deaths in order to collect their bounty from Arab and Mullah dictators.

Amitai, you wrote such a great response. But I think that since life in Gush Katif is such paradise, all Israeli Jews (except for Yossi who would rather die) should move there to benefit from such a wonderful life! Oh, but gee, we shouldn't forget that the residents of Gush Katif have been shot at, bombed, morter shelled etc for so many years. Maybe it's not such a paradise as Yossi paints.

Sarid is a loser who opposed killing Yassin and Rantisi. Sarid is the dream of every Arab dictator. The PLO assumed that Israeli society was like Sarid and couldn't tolerate a conflict, where Israeli civilians were murdered on a daily level; that we were weak- that we would capitulate. Now, what has Sharon done? He fought back on THEIR terms. The world reacts to Jews defending themselves, as though the Palestinian terrorists are the victims. I say to these people. "Would you tolerate a neighbor orchestrating, funding, and blessing homicide murderers targeting your civilian population? Would you tolerate a situation in which women and children were being blown to pieces in your cafes, pizzeria's and shopping centers? Would you tolerate street side celebrations by your neighbors, frequently displayed on your TV screens, rejoicing at the carnage that they had inflicted on your people?" They Palestinians insisted on war. I personally have had friends, neighbors, and acquaintances murdered by Arab terrorists. I personally have had friends, neighbors, and acquaintances injured by terrorists. I won't apologize for fighting back.

SARID HAS BEEN A LEACH ON THE STATE OF ISRAEL FOR YEARS. HE HAS BEEN SITTING IN HIS SEAT IN THE KNESSET WHERE HE SPEWED VENOM AND HATRED INTO THE POT OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. HIS CONTRIBUTION IS SMALLER THAN THAT OF THE LITTLE PINKY OF ANY SETTLER IN GUSH KATIF OR ELSEWHERE.

Nicole, You state that no terrorist attacks=Peace. If only this situation was so simple. Firstly- peace on what terms? I mean almost 50% of Israelis are having a very hard time withdrawing from Gaza. Now I understand that if they were given 100% guarantees that they would be free from any attacks from the Gaza strip then this percentage would decrease but how about witdrawal from the West Bank and East Jerusalem. I don't think that Israelis are comfortable with this whether Palestinian fire continues or not. Another thing to think about: no occupation-no resistance- no terrorist attacks- peace

Joe, habibi the settlers may be productive but sure who wouldn't be with the guts of 10 billion dollars spent on them in the last 30 years. Even if they did make any profits they'll never repay the money they took out of the Isreli economy. I smile every time I see the ads on Ha'aretz asking for money to feed poor Jewish kids- why don't the settlers cough up? After all, they are the ones who stole the welfare budgets of the poor when the Israeli welfare state was dismantled. no money for dimona but any amount of it for Gush Katif. If the settlers are so productive they can reestablish their businesses in their own country. Gaza settlement is dead. Get used to it. the West Bank is next. Won't it be fun evacuating Ariel and Bet el!

These poor darlings! Compensation paid, tears shed, relocation assured. The country makesd them out to be victims being unjustifiably driven from their homes as refugees. Sarid points out the reality that will greet them in an Israel of gross inequities. Perhaps these orange darlings, who were living high as they lookd over their shoulders and gloated over their superiour position vis a vis the more than a million others who had to contend with their own reality, will relocated to the hills of Samaria and hanker down there. Afterall, the government continues to break its commitment to the Road map by their mad pace building and construction in their largest colonies. And isnt the US government giving Sharon an additional $2.5 billion to honey the tongues of these discontents? In addition to the more than $3 billion Sharon has doled out to him. The Shrub in Washington says it should be earmarked for the Bedouin in the south and the Druze in the North. Yeh, right. So the orange gangs movin on out, shouldnt worry too much. As for the increasing number of Israelis being evicted and finding themselves on the street, well, they always have Netanyahu to save them.

One doesn't need to be a left-winger to care for Israel's poor; to care for the Jews without jobs and homes and food. The responses of the rightwingers on this site reveal them to be Jews who trample Jews underfoot to get what they want. Who would have thought that after the holocaust we'd covet our posessions so much we'd kill our own just to keep them? You are all, as my zayde would have said "Shkande vir di goyim" Indeed you are.

AMITAI COHEN,WHAT A BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN RESPONSE,YOU ARE A STAR!!!!

Tareq, Unfortunately, Israel has always suffered from Palestinian Terrorism. Before the first intifada there were many terrorist attacks on Israelis and that is why Israel has to be so stringent with its security measures. I ave said it before and I will say it again: No terrorist attacks = no checkpoints, No terrorist attacks = no security fence = No terrorist attacks = Peace.

Thanks Amitai - Could not have said it better myself.

If you are the real Ann Coulter, then you are smart as well as good-looking.

earth to christin... obviously he is saying that the settlers exploit the very cheap labor avalailabe in Palestinian areas and exploit the workers themselves and that now they will have to pay decent wages and have legal workers. Did you read the article?

He's right. He went a little too far perhaps, but I can't say that he's wrong.

Yossi is so good at evicting Jews from their homes in the Gaza Strip, that we want him here, with us, at the Muqata! Yossi brough us all his friends from Tunis and Algeria to lead the "Palestinian Authority." Unfortunately for us, they may be Yossi's friends, but not ours. The PA "police force" have raped, pillaged and plundered our villiages and cities, force us to pay "protection security" fees, or they shoot our kneecaps and rape our women and daughters. Why did you bring them us? Ask any Palestinian who isn't connected to the PA apperatus, whether it is better now under 10 years of PA rule, or under Israel Military "occupation." Remember Kalkilya 10 years ago? No roadblocs anywhere, and Jews and Arabs did business with each other? You went ahead, and RUINED EVERYTHING with your Israeli leftist ideas of "whats better." Thanks Yossi, Jameel.

We all know why Sarid wants millions of Palestinians in Israel. They'll all vote for Sarid.

Nicole, Are your statements really true. When the original intifada broke out were there any suicide bombings? This is the time when Rabin told the IDF to "break their bones". Was that a legitimate response todemonstrations to the occupation where the only violence would be the throwing of stones and the response rubber bullets?

Good article. Is the reality, and they will have phase it, like it or not. Maybe, some of the folks with a nice orange ribbon, will get together to try and ease for them even more the shock.

Amitai, you wrote: "... most people in this country who have (unlike you) actually felt the effects of the poor economic planning in this country HATE YOUR GUTS YOSSI ..." Perhaps that is indeed the trouble with our people. Our public is voting again and again for exactly those people who ARE responsible for "the poor economic planning". Do you remember that song of the 1960s "What did you learn in school today, dear little boy of mine"? Part of it went something like this: Our government is always right and never wrong; Our leaders are the Finest Men; And we elect them again and again... I suggest you start to pay attention to the Yossis - BOTH of them: Sarid & Beilin...

Sarid's father was a member of the MAPAI (Labor Party) elite. Son Yossi grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth and never had to do a day's work in his life. He has spent his whole life in politics. The enclaves in Israel dominated by his MERETZ pals like Israel Radio, TV and Army Radio are filled with highly paid people who do no work (what does Israel need Army radio for-it exits so that children of the Leftist elite can do an easy "army service" without getting in any danger-whereas the Gush Katif people serve in combat units out of proportion to their numbers).

A voice of truth and sanity. Thank you Yossi Sarid

What a miserable place Yossi Sarid lives in. No wonder he is so bitter and angry. Instead of complaining that Settlers have it ?so good?, he should fight for the average Israeli to have the ability to achieve similar conditions wherever they live. Perhaps Sarid needs to ask who is really restricting the productivity and rights of ?Israelis?. 8000 Jews in Gaza are so incredibly productive that they've built up successful international markets and recognition for their products and its quality. At least 10% of Israel's agricultural exports and 50% of sales in some products alone are from products produced by Gaza Jews. The taxes the government of Israel makes and takes from this community is tremendous. To imply that this is a community of parasites is a disgusting lie. And on foreign and Palestinian workers? These so-called ?slaves? spend some time working in Jewish Gaza and send home more money in a year to their poor families then they would normally see in a lifetime. Is that evil? If it were so bad for them, they wouldn?t keep flocking to go there. Israelis certainly won't take these "menial" jobs working in the fields. Meanwhile, Sarid and his government cronies suppress the ability of the average Israeli to live peaceful and productive lives. Sarid complains of super-restrictive zoning laws that prevent Israelis from adding porches to their homes. Perhaps its time to change the zoning laws instead of complaining that Settler zoning law is lawless (which is just another Sarid untruth in this article by the way). Sarid is against elderly Israelis being able to hire low cost foreign care-givers. Sarid doesn?t seem to promote community care like you see in Gaza, where destitute Jewish families are helped out by their better endowed neighbors, so families aren't generally evicted for lack of rent. Perhaps Sarid needs to ask who is really restricting the productivity of ?Israelis?. Sarid endangers everyone by helping arm our neighboring enemies with guns. Sarid is against forceful action in Gaza to stop Palestinian terrorism. Sarid wants to rip people from their homes because he doesn?t like their politics. Sarid claims that Jews living in Gaza threatens Israel, yet Sarid is one of those responsible for the PA being so dangerous to us today. Perhaps the cure isn't kicking productive and constructive Jews from their homes but to teach Sarid to stop kicking his fellow Israelis instead. All of Israel could be a land of Milk and Honey - Sarid should get out of the way. How Shocking.

The price occupation is exacted from Israel is terrible. There was a time when Israel was on a par with the Scandinavians welfare states. In order to hold on the illegal settlements most of the programs were scrapped due to the impossibility to pay for social services while at the same time subventing the colonies at the tune of billions of US$ a year. This occurs while people go hungry. A not foreseen consequence of the occupation was the end to Israeli independence. This was clear during the first gulf war, when Israel was coerced in enduring missiles bombing from Saddam Hussein?s army. The propaganda machine presented it like an autonomous Israeli decision while it was effectively an American one. Israel was told that any military retaliation will be met by the withdraw of needed funds. Since 1967 day, the Israeli national interest is more and more subaltern to the USA strategies and interests in the middle east. During the Iran- Iraq war Israel was a conduit for arms smuggling toward Iran and worse, Israel was effectively implicated in the demise of the sandinistas and in the repression of the democratic movements and insurgencies in central America. Even in Iraq there are information stating that Israeli private military corporations are implicated in torture and intelligence duties. Israel has always prided itself for the purity of its arms so a question comes to mind, is it pure to help someone like the major D?Aubuisson or Mobutu to keep power?

The likes of Sarid and co should be tried for treason! If there was no suicide bombs and terrorism then there would be no check points and no security measures for the Palestinians.

Oh, thank you Mr. Sarid for letting everyone know how difficult things are in Israel. An what, pray tell, Mr. Sarid, do you do for a living?...Work in the coal mines?, hock wares to people in the souk, load freight in the port?....How often have you waited in an unemployment line for you pittance that you seem so adept at preaching to the world about....When you fly to Europe for a conference, is your life savings spent on the trip...When you are done lecturing about the glories of socialism, do you go and punch in on the clock, Mr. Sarid. You are correct, Mr. Sarid, it is unfortunate that the settlers will have to experience the Shock of "The Real israel"...What is even more unfortunate is that arm-chair socialists like yourself never will either...They have too nice a view from their appartments in Tel aviv. Sorry Yossi (actually plural Yossis), the people that need a reality check are people like you. The real Israelis that you seem so "adept" at introducing the "settlers to"...i.e. the Moraccon workers, Yeminites, Arab Laborers, Russian technicians, Bukharia cab drivers, market workers, factory workers, etc....perhaps you need an introduction to them as well, Yossi. Most people in this country who you claim to speak for despise you...Yes you may have cheerleaders at Tel Aviv University and the trendy cafes of Ramat Aviv Gimmel, but most people in this country who have (unlike you) actually felt the effects of the poor economic planning in this country HATE YOUR GUTS YOSSI, and if you ever came to their villages, neighborhoods, etc. you would find that you have far less in common with them and their every-day struggles then even the most fanatical settlers.

is that how Israelis think of Palestinians - as slaves for Israel's pleasure? that is sick.

In fact, he may even get elected.

Excellent analysis, and to make things happen Israel needs to support Amir Peretz as he is the only one who can make the citizens understand the link between corrupt settlements system, and social equality with the hope for peace and prosperity. He is one of what called in Israel ?second Israel?, and can get that part of the population of Israel finally to vote for the left. Many of them still can not bring themselves emotionally to vote for the left because of past alienation, and Peretz can switch their allegiances. Having said that, he needs the help and support of prominent lefties likeYossi and of people from the academia to get him cross the finishing line.

The Gush Katif farmers belong to best in the country. And the pioneers of Judea, Samaria and Gaza have built up what is now there with their own hands. What Sarid does here is just one thing: Slander. And so does the entire Israeli lunatic left. Slandering not just the settlers, but an entire population sector of Israel. "It is important for the evacuees to know that in Israel it is still necessary to obtain permits in order to build." - Is this also true for Arab construction or just for Jewish construction?