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SPECIAL COMMENTARY
Blaming Ourselves
Philadelphia
But Arafat's new war has placed these
srael's political left wing is down
people on the front lines of Israel's latest
but not out. The most fervent
war of survival. The men, women and
adherents of the peace process
children of the settlements are now the
have been reeling since Palestinian
No. 1 targets of Arafat's legion of gun-
Authority leader — and would-be
toting Tanzim and other armed Pales-
"peace partner" — Yasser Arafat spiked
tinian groups, who hope to turn a siege
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's
of these Israeli towns and villages into
incredibly generous offer at Camp
the next great triumph of Palestinian
David this past July. Arafat
nationalism.
compounded the Israelis' dis-
That point has been made
comfort by launching a war of
clearly in the last few weeks
attrition in September.
with a series of bloody terror-
The hurt and humiliation
ist attacks on the Jews of the
felt by longtime Israeli peace-
settlements. A mother of five
now advocates at this turn of
was shot down in cold blood
events is palpable. Leading
in a terrorist ambush while
politicians, activists and writ-
driving to her home in
ers have all played the
Samaria from Jerusalem. Two
spurned lover as Arafat
Israelis were killed and nine
JON ATHAN S.
steadfastly continues to
others, including five children,
TOBIN
refuse to reciprocate their
were wounded in a bomb
Special to
desire for a new Middle East.
attack against a school bus
the J ewish News
But rather than focus its
carrying children, parents and
anger on the bloody policies
teachers to an elementary
of Arafat, or on the consensus within
school in a settlement in Gaya. Three of
Palestinian society that coexistence with
the wounded Jewish youngsters (all sib-
Israel is impossible, the Jewish left has
lings) had their arms or legs partially
returned to a favorite target: Jewish set-
amputated.
tlers.
Ironically, the Palestinian decision
Though the original founders of
to turn their guns on the settlers has
the Land of Israel movement in the
also made them the No. 1 political
aftermath of the Six-Day War were
targets for Israel's left. The new tactic
just as likely to be kibbutzniks as
adopted by the pro-Oslo forces in
right-wingers, this has changed. The
Israeli politics is to change the topic
face of the settlement movement is
from Arafat's betrayal of Israel's hopes
now virtually interchangeable with
for peace to a discussion of the theory
that of the right wing, nationalistic,
that uprooting the settlers would
Orthodox, knitted-kippah wearers.
revive the negotiations.
In the 1970s and '80s, the settlers
Their hope is to create enough
were much admired in Israeli society;
political momentum for this idea to
they were seen as evoking the pioneer
keep Barak from giving up on his
spirit and selfless courage of the early
plans to evacuate the settlements, a
Zionists who built Israel. But in the
plan of action that has been rendered
years since Oslo, the settlers have
virtually moot by Arafat's decision for
become more and more a target of
war instead of peace.
resentment. Their stubborn refusal to
This theme was sounded in a New
give up their belief that the land
York Times article by Deborah Sontag
belongs to the Jewish people was seen
called "Should Israel Sacrifice Its
as an obstacle to peace.
Hopes for Peace for Settlers?" (Oct.
15). That article set a new record for
Out Of Sync
bias in a headline, but it was echoed
Their numbers have grown to more
by a similar piece heard the same week
than 200,000 Jews, living in communi-
on National Public Radio, whose
ties large and small, throughout Judea
reporters' antipathy for settlers outdid
and Samaria. Though most of their
even that of the Times.
homes are in strategic blocs adjacent to
pre-1967 Israel, the settlers are now an
A Strange Twist
unpopular minority. Considered out of
Yet rather than Israel sacrificing its
step with the consumerist spirit of Israeli
hopes for the settlers, what is happen-
culture, they are seen as relics of a con-
ing now is that it is the settlers them-
flict that was soon to be officially over.
selves who are being sacrificed.
In fact, sources in Israel have told
Jonathan S. Tobin is executive editor
me that many of these towns are being
of the Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia.
left without the defensive equipment
He can be reached via e-mail at
— such as night-vision goggles and
jtobin@jewishexponent.com
flak vests — that their reservist inhabi-
I