Richard Williams- Good Assessment
Reader comment on item: [The Gaza Withdrawal:] A Democracy Killing Itself

Submitted by J. Conklin (United States), Aug 17, 2005 at 21:14

I agree with Mr. Williams' assessment- probably the most level-headed recognition that Israel has been better off since withdrawing from Lebanon. Also, we need to remember that Sharon effectively marginalized and annulled Yasser Arafat so that his end was as close to ignominious as we could have hoped. That having been said, Daniel Pipes is not wrong for seeing this as a long term victory for the Islamist worshippers (in this age). Of course, if they didn't see the 6 day war as the hand of the God of Israel, then they never will see anything He does. It didn't help that Moshe Dayan gave away the Temple Mount (my vote for the stupidest thing an Israeli leader ever did), or that Begin gave away the Sinai (Israel's border on the Red Sea, as promised by God). Hopefully Arik will put aside politics and heed the warning of Bibi, that Gaza will become a funnel state for terrorism around the world. The rest of the world may yet pay for pressuring Israel to make these unilateral concessions. Maybe Europe will finally wake up to its Christian heritage so as to avoid dhimmitude in the near future.

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