World Quotables Reaction to the pending Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank: Activists who support the disengagement wait to hand out blue and white ribbons in Jerusalem last week. COLOR WARS from page 59 Ayalon said. "The viability of Israel depends on a Jewish major- ity living in a land with clear and secure borders. The disengagement from Gaza is a vital step toward achieving this vision." Withdrawal from Gaza ultimately will put Israel in a position of greater strength, he said. "It's not just a question of stronger borders — although the borders will be stronger and more defensible. The issue is who are we as a nation and where are we headed. If we don't take concrete steps to preserve the Jewish and democratic nature of the state, then eventually we'll have nothing left to defend." Ayalon was joined by the mayors of towns from Haifa to Yeroham, the leaders of various political organizations as well as former Israeli Defense Forces generals. "The security analysis says that we cannot afford, in the long run, to have our soldiers protecting a few thousand settlers in Gaza," said Gen. Danny Rothchild, president of the Council for Peace and Security, an organization of former security officers committed to influencing Israeli security policy. "The fact is that we can much better deal with the security issue when we are outside than when we are inside Gaza. The P.A. will be able to deal with their radicals without looking like collaborators," he said, referring to the Palestinian Authority. "And in the end, neutralizing Hamas is very much in their own interest." A major motivation for the cross-country voyage, Ayalon said, is to do what he says Israel's leaders have failed to do: explain and defend the rationale of disengagement from the Palestinians to Israeli citi- zens. "The leadership in this country has not explained the 'why' nor have they given a clear idea of what the ultimate vision is," Ayalon claimed. "Our gov- ernment sent the settlers out there; the least they could do is explain to them and to the nation why it's crucial that we bring them back." The Populist t rig The Blue and White Voyage is not Ayalon's first foray into populist politics. Recently, Avalon — who 8/ 4 2005 60 also is trying to get involved in parliamentary poli- tics through the Labor Party — took on a joint proj- ect with Sari Nusseibeh, the president of Al-Quds University, the Arab university in Jerusalem, to col- lect signatures from Israelis and Palestinians support- ing broad principles for a resolution of the conflict between the two sides. For some, the Blue and White Voyage is an oppor- tunity to counter the images of orange-clad protesters who oppose the withdrawal plan. Dressed in blue — the color adopted by the pro-withdrawal camp — Yoni Barnea, a high school senior from Haifa, said Avalon's venture was long overdue. "Orange is a loud color, and the anti-disengage- ment people are a passionate and well-organized bunch," he said. "But I believe that they are a mis- guided minority. Most of us want this. We just haven't done a good job of making ourselves seen and heard. It's up to the youth." In a short speech , Ayalon said it was appropriate to begin the voyage July 24 — the 17th of Tammuz — because it traditionally is a day of reflection and fasting, marking the day the Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. Shortly after beginning his trip, Ayalon walked into a McDonald's to spread his message. "It's important to meet people where they are," he said. Though many of the participants in the cross- country trip are secular, a contingent from the Movement for Realistic Religious Zionism joined them. A Jerusalem resident, Itai Gorov, wandered into the fray by accident. A religious Jew who hadn't heard of either the Movement for Realistic Religious Zionism or the Blue and White Voyage, Gorov was intrigued. "A lot of people I know are against the disengagement on religious grounds," he said. "But I'm in favor of it on religious grounds. It's nice to know that I'm not alone." The last stop for the convoy will be Jerusalem, where many residents oppose the withdrawal plan. Ayalon and company said they're looking forward to taking their message directly into the heart of the opposition. "Our mission here is discussions, not demonstra- tions. If, as a country, we can't have a real debate on the issues that affect our future, then we are already lost." ❑ Dany Saar, West Bloomfield "Although the majority of the Palestinians in Gaza may wish for peace, there is a solid minority of extremists (Hamas, Islamic Jihad, etc.) that have a totally different agenda. At the top of their agenda is, ultimately, the elimi- nation of the Jewish state. As long as they believe in the total elimination of Israel, they will blame Israel for all of their economic, social, existence and other problems, and will continue relentlessly fighting Israel. I believe that strategically and tactically Israel has a much better chance fighting them after a clear and clean separation from Gaza. This is not a solution that will stand for generations but it is the best we can, and must, have now." Eric Rosenberg, Farmington Hills "I am absolutely con- vinced that the Sharon government is proceeding on a policy that is deleteri- ous to Israel's security and peace interests. Israel is waving a white flag of sur- render following a string of military victories, with a lack of logic that is dangerous for a country that is nine miles wide. I fear this capitulation on the part of the Israeli govern- ment could lead to more military conflict in the near future, though I pray that I am wrong." Barbara Zabitz, Oak Park "I think what needs to happen is that the Palestinians need to have an economic stake in the future which will give them reason to see that living in peaceful co-existence is in their best interests. This could the start of that process."