Wait and See - Is this a third way?
Reader comment on item: [After Sharon:] Israeli Politics Will Revert to Its Past

Submitted by Pat (United States), Jan 8, 2006 at 15:30

Ariel Sharon's departure from the public scene is definitely a blow to Kadima, but is it a mortal blow? If nothing else, Sharon appears to have defined a new public policy of disengagement.

If anything, the reaction of the Palestinians to the Gaza withdrawal proves his wisdom. The Palestinians may think that Israel's withdrawal proves that terrorism works, but that only shows their shortsightedness and their uselessness as partners for peace. They don't want peaceful coexistence, so why deal with them?

By breaking with Likud and establishing a third party, Sharon offered an alternative to those who want peace and security. The price was giving up the idea of a "greater Israel", which has earned him the enmity of many on both sides.

We may find Kadima cannot survive without Sharon's leadership, but we may also find that the idea is stronger than the man. It needed a leader like Sharon to give it life. The suddenness of Sharon's illness may give motivation to those who believe as he does to do their utmost to make his vision a reality. Even if Kadima fails as a political party, its policy positions may be adopted by Labour or Likud. The reports of Kadima's demise are premature.

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.