OTHER VIEWS
Should Israel Retreat?
n
Philadelphia
ow to break the Arab-
Israeli impasse?
•
Increasingly, one hears —
not just from Palestinians,
but also from universities and media
commentators — that things would
improve markedly if only Israeli forces
immediately left the West Bank and
Gaza.
. Would such a move really help, or
make a bad situation worse? An
insight comes from a similar Israeli
retreat from southern Lebanon just
two years ago this week, for which the
Israelis are still paying a heavy price.
Some background: For over two
decades, Israeli troops held down a
"security belt" in the part of Lebanon
adjacent to Israel, to protect Israel's
north from attacks by the militant
Islamic group Hezbollah. Still,
Hezbollah killed an average of 25
Israelis per year, making the army's
continued operations there deeply
unpopular in Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak
responded to this discontent on May
23, 2000, by unilaterally pulling back
to an internationally recognized bor-
der. Barak was convinced the violence
would henceforth cease. "The tragedy
Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle
East Forum. His e-mail address is
pipes@MEForum.org. Jonathan
Schanzer, a research fellow, contributed
to this column.
is over," he said.
His colleague Shimon Peres was
more specific: "The chances of the
north being attacked are slight,
because the Syrians, as well as
Hezbollah, have a lot to lose now."
They were hardly alone in their
optimism. Martin Indyk, the U.S.
ambassador to Israel, was nearly
euphoric, terming the withdrawal "a
golden opportunity." United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan
chirped, "This is a happy day for
Lebanon, but also for Israel."
Yet there was a fly in the ointment.
Hezbollah determined that Israeli
forces had not completely pulled back
to what it considered acceptable lines;
it held that the "Zionist entity" still
occupied four areas of Lebanese terri-
tory. This claim provided Hezbollah
with justification to continue fighting.
And fight it did. In the two years
since Israel's retreat, Hezbollah has
initiated more than 40 unprovoked
strikes against Israeli targets, including
army outposts in an area known as the
Shebaa Farms and civilian villages
along Israel's northern border. It also
kidnapped (and presumably mur-
dered) three soldiers and a reserve
officer; the former abducted from
Israeli territory, the latter from
Switzerland.
In early April, things heated up fur-
ther with almost one Hezbollah attack
a day. These involved 1,160 mortar
rounds, 205 anti-tank missiles and
several surface-to-air missiles.
seeks nothing less than to
The heaviest shelling hap-
destroy the State of Israel.
. pened April 10, when
The Lebanon episode illus-
Katyusha rockets rained on
trates three main points rele-
civilian targets and six military
vant to the West Bank and
outposts. The attacks then
Gaza:
diminished slightly, but still
• When Israel retreats
continue. In the past month,
before an enemy that seeks its
Hezbollah has launched at
D ANIEL
destruction, it is perceived as
least nine more attacks on
P IPES
weak. This, in turn, embold-
Israeli targets, causing at least
ens that enemy to step up its
S pecial
five casualties.
Com mentary attacks. The lesson: Israel
The future threatens yet
should consider pulling out of
greater dangers. Hezbollah
disputed territories only after
could prompt the Israeli gov-
having achieved true and per-
ernment to retaliate against
manent acceptance of its exis-
Syria (which controls Lebanon) and
tence by its enemies.
the Syrians might respond with cherri-
'Grit and determination, not the
ical or biological weapons; or they
size of its arsenal, impress Israel's ene-
might successfully appeal for
mies. Hezbollah's leader, Hasan
Egyptian, Iraqi and other Arab rein-
Nasrallah, explained days after Israel's
forcements. Accordingly, strategist Gal
May 2000 withdrawal: "Israel may
Luft correctly notes that Hezbollah
own nuclear weapons and heavy
"has the capability to drag Israel, into a
weaponry but, by God, it is weaker
regional war." So much for Annan's
than a spider web."
"happy day."
• Even when Israel exactly complies
"We thought that when the Israeli
with U.N. demands and wins the
army withdrew, we'd finally get
approval of the secretary-general, no
peace," lamented the mayor of a
lasting benefits are gained.
northern Israeli village recently. "I
Thus, 4,000 U.N. peacekeepers in
cannot understand what Hezbollah is
Lebanon have done virtually nothing
doing."
to prevent Hezbollah's recent cam-
Actually, it's easy to understand.
paign of violence. Those who call on
Israel's retreat backfired because
Israel unilaterally to retreat from the
Jerusalem underestimated its enemy.
West Bank and Gaza are again under-
Like the Palestinian Authority,
estimating the ambitions of Israel's
Hezbollah seeks not just to push Israeli
foes. Such a step would invite more
soldiers out of some disputed land. It
bloodshed, not less.
❑
Waking Up To The Right
EE
New York City
onest: Ever wake up in a
cold sweat these days after
dreaming that Democrats
Al Gore and Joe Lieberman
had indeed been elected president and
vice president, after all? Ever look
around, while driving to or from
work, to see if anyone can tell you're
listening to conservative commentator
Rush Limbaugh on the radio — and
loving what he says about Israel? Ever
given any thought, however fleeting,
to voting for Alan Keyes, the vigor-
ously pro-Israel Fox TV host, next
time he runs for president?
They say politics makes strange bed-
fellows, but the sudden discovery, and
embrace (however hesitantly), of out-
spoken conservative Republicans by
-
5/24
W02
28
Gary Rosenblatt is editor of the New
York Jewish Week newspaper. His e-mail
address is Gary@jewishweek.org
lifelong liberal Democrats has been
extraordinary. As Israel finds itself
,increasingly isolated in diplomatic and
political circles around the world, we
are starting to realize that not only do
we supporters of the Jewish state have
few friends, but that many of the ones
we have are the very ones we ignored,
feared and/or disliked until yesterday,
it seems.
Take the Evangelicals, from Jerry
Falwell to Pat Robertson, who are
reading from the same hymnbook
(you should excuse the expression) as
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Conservative Christian support has
been strong, vocal and sincere. Its
motivation is not politically calculated
as much as ideologically and religious-
ly inspired. So does that make me
nervous, knowing that millions of
American Evangelicals are praying for
Israel as a phase in the fulfillment of a
Scriptural belief that speaks of the
conversion of the Jews, the
sanctify death over life. These
final return of Jesus and the
religious leaders wear moral
end of days?
blinders, speaking of their con-
Yes, but not as nervous as
cern for Christian holy sites
knowing that millions of
while remaining mum when
mainline Protestants are, at
Palestinians seize, desecrate or
best, remaining neutral on
attack such Jewish sacred places
the Mideast conflict or more
as Joseph's Tomb and Rachel's
likely following their church
Tomb.
GARY
leaders and supporting the
Where was the outcry
ROSENBLATT
Palestinian cause — a twist-
against Palestinian gunmen for
Special
ed moral compass, given
violating the sanctity of the
Commentary
that the Palestinians threaten
Church of the Nativity in
and abuse Christians and .
Bethlehem, using it as sanctu-
their holy places in the Mideast while
ary while holding innocents hostage?
Israel has upheld every commitment
Where was praise for Israel for show-
to maintaining religious freedom.
ing great military restraint and reli-
You don't see the pope or most
gious sensitivity throughout the crisis?
other Christian leaders pointing out
the deeply sinful behavior of the
Flirting With Pragmatism
Palestinians, who preach pure hatred
of the Jews, encourage and praise their
Without the luxury of choosing my
young people for homicide bombings
friends, I have become far more prag-
of Israeli women and children, and
matic over the last few months. I'm rec-