Meretz files no-confidence motion after Netzarim attack

Meretz filed a no-confidence motion against the
government on Sunday following Friday's death of
three soldiers at an army base in the Gaza Strip
settlement of Netzarim after a Palestinian gunman
infiltrated the heavily guarded area.

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Einat Osman, the sister of Sgt. Adi Osman, who
was killed in the attack, said that a month ago
the IDF reclaimed the weapons of female
soldiers serving in Netzarim due to budget
cuts. But IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon told
Israel Radio on Sunday that the army offered a
regular rifle instead of a short one to Osman,
but she refused it.

Haaretz

"is it logical that a battalion of soldiers should guard one settlement where just 60 families live?"

He said that there was a broad, public opposition to the Netzarim settlement and it is thus not right that the government should continue to ignore the public on this matter.

Israel has no historical ties to Gaza. If Israel was wise, it would withdraw from Gaza and seal the border. Let Gaza become the first Palestinian state. Once they are free from Israel's occupation, the Gaza Palestinians have different economic and political interests from the Palestinians living on the West Bank. In due time, they would want to be a separate state, as then East Pakistan (Bangladesh) became separate from West Pakistan.

After two and a half years of seeking a military solution to the resistenace by Palestinians to the occupation, we have still resistance by the Palestinians to the occupation. Some of this resistance takes the form of war crimes, which is inexcusible. Nevertheless, Sharon's measures have failed. The fall of his government and his removal from power is long overdue.

Meanwhile, the Geneva Accords have been hammered out in spite of opposition from the Likud government and with little support from the PA. No reasonable person could expect Sharon to pursue a just peace, yet a just peace must be reached. Impatience with the official rulers has led those of goodwill on both sides to revolt and begin a peace process unofficially. That is a no-confidence measure in both Sharon and Arafat that speaks louder than any vote taken in their respective parliaments.

Israel can choose someone they perceive as tougher than Sharon. Israelis may also remember that the economy was doing well under Bibi.

We face the same Faustian choices in the US next year: More Bush, replace Bush with a Bush-lite Democrat, or have a clean break with the past.

It would be unfortunate if Bibi were to replace Sharon. He's just as unacceptable. He would continue the same failed policies. The only difference between them is that Bibi explicitily rejects a Palestinian state west of the Jordan and Sharon rejects it only implicitly.

What is failing is the notion that Palestinian nationalism can be crushed by force. That is what both Sharon and Netanyahu represent. The choice the Israelis have is continue the samen failed policies, kill or expel the Arabs from the West Bank and Gaza or make peace with an independent and fully sovereign Palestine.

Israelis are as reluctant as Americans in admitting that they supported policies that have failed. Israelis, like Americans, will embrace some regurtitated version of "peace with honor" rather than pack their bags and bring the troops home immediately and unconditionally.