In 1940, my father (now deceased) worked for a Los Angeles news agency, the owner of which told him "There won't be a war. Americans don't want a war." To which he replied. "Fine, there won't be a war. But when it comes, I don't have to give you notice." On December 8, 1941, he enlisted in the Army of the United States of America, and served as a combat infantryman and officer until 1945.
The relevance of this to Mr. Eldar's article is simple: it doesn't matter what "the people" want, because they aren't the ones who decide. What mattered then was what Hitler and Tojo wanted. What matters now is not what "the Palestinians" or "all the Arab states" or "incurable lefties" want. They aren't the ones who decide. Even as what matters in Iran's relations with the world in general and the US in particular is not what the majority of Iranians want but rather what the holders of power in that country are set on. What matters in Gaza is what Hamas wants, and Hamas is willing to kill anybody who disagrees, including members of Fatah.
Hamas wants a fight to the death, which they assumed was going to be Israel's. They are unwilling to accept any ceasefire that will in any way infringe on their founding covenants or restrict their ability to continue to randomly attack any and all residents of Israel in pursuit of what they consider to be their legitimate goals--Mr. Eldar's hopes to the contrary.
Mr. Eldar makes the common mistake of assuming that there is of necessity a connection between what he wants and what is possible. He believes that if Israel will just give the Palestinians what he considers a just settlement, they will be happy. If Israel will just accept a "courageous resolution to the conflict" that he himself acknowledges was denounced by Hamas, then (and here the mechanics of the transformation disappear into platitudes and out and out lies) Hamas will somehow become irrelevant or accept what they don't accept or disappear with tomorrow's sunrise and everyone will live happily ever after.
Unfortunately, that is the formula found in fairy stories, which don't have a very good track record in the real world. An agreement is only possible when both parties accept the solution offered in good faith. That condition has not been met. Even Arafat, who gave "enthusiastic support" to the Arab peace initiative, regarded it only as a temporary measure which would eventually lead to an Arab state replacing a Jewish one.
The human race has been settling property disputes with the sword for a long time, and I see no rational evidence to suggest that things have changed or will change in the future. This appears to be one of them.
Richard Smiley
Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
01/12/2009 @ 1:04pm
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