Olmert Was Right To Accept Ceasefire ... But Israel Needs A New GovernmentFrom here in New York, it's not difficult to call on Israel to send tens of thousands of soldiers into Lebanon to fight Hezbollah.
I happen to think Prime Minister Olmert was right to "blink" when he did, and accept terms for a ceasefire. While I have no illusions about the value of UN Resolution 1701, I don't think there was any purpose in sacrificing hundreds more soldiers. While a result in which Israel achieved its aims could justify the loss of many more soldiers, it is quite likely that Israel would have gotten stuck in a protracted war of attrition that it probably could not decisively win. Under the circumstances, accepting a ceasefire was the right move.
Of course, the ceasefire may not take effect tomorrow, and even if it does, Israel will probably have to fight another battle against Hezbollah sometime in the next few years. That bitter reality still does not change that unless victory was likely, Israel could not indefinitely allow 25 percent of its citizens to be refugees or live in bomb shelters, and ensure that thousands more become bereaved parents, wives, children and siblings.
None of this absolves Olmert from taking responsibility for Israel's failures. He, defense minister Amir Peretz, and foreign minister Tzipi Livni all performed abysmally. Furthermore, Olmert's strategy of unilateral withdrawal from Judea and Samaria has been rendered absurd.
Ideally, Haaretz's Ari Shavit's call for Olmert to be immediately replaced as prime minister would occur. But that isn't going to happen. Still, while Olmert will remain prime minister, Israel does need a new government, with new leadership.
During the war, while Livni was invisible, Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu served as a leading spokesman for his country.
While media "experts" expect Netanyahu to slam Olmert when both speak in the Knesset, they ignore Netanyahu's national responsibility. In my opinion, Netanyahu will offer much deserved criticism of the government, but also call for Israelis to work together against their enemies. Netanyahu knows that now is not a time for national discord.
Olmert should bring Netanyahu's Likud and Avigdor Lieberman's Yisroel Beiteinu party into a new national unity government. Only a new government, with new leaders, new ideas and new goals can lead Israel to better results against its enemies.
posted on 8/13/2006
