Opinion Editorials are posted and archved on JNOnline. corn. Greenberg's View Editorial A Man Of Action T he name of Ariel Sharon's new political party Kadima said it all. The Israeli prime minister was a man who moved forward (kadi- ma in Hebrew). What will happen to Kadima? Under Sharon's leadership, Kadima was a centrist party drawing support from both right and left. It was poised to win big in the March 28 elections. But it was also Sharon's party and he could get away with being vague on details. His successors won't be able to do the same. Whether it was in the military or political realms, and they often overlapped, Sharon always seemed to have a plan: • move across the Suez Canal to defeat the Egyptian army; • invade Lebanon to clear out the PLO; • build a security barrier to stop terrorists; • define Israel's borders by building settlements or, later, by unilaterally dismantling them; • create a centrist political party. Even after decades of service, it was clear that Sharon felt that his greatest contributions to his nation and his people were still ahead of him, and his nation felt so, too. The Israeli desire to live their lives in security and certainty at peace has never been stronger. Sharon provided hope that the dream was attainable and that he could, and would, make it hap- pen. While his answers were not always popular, or always right, his willingness to act was admired by both friend and foe. The Israeli people were ready to follow him because even though they weren't sure where he was headed, they were sure he knew. All of that is gone. Arik Sharon is moving forward no more. And without Sharon the questions seem larger, the answers more distant, and the dearth of Israeli leadership more apparent. And scary. But we do not doubt the Israeli people will handle this challenge with courage and strength, as they have so many others. Israel's democracy has also been tested before and shown itself to be strong enough to handle difficult political transitions. • THE VOID We need to keep an eye on how Israel's enemies might seek to exploit the situation as there is no doubt that Hezbollah and Palestinian terrorist groups, as well as Iran and maybe Syria, will try to seek some advantage from the situation. And even Israel's friends might be tempted to weigh in a bit too strongly while Israel aeveggreenberg-art.corn 43006, searches for sound political foot- ing. We must stand strong as public advocates for Israel dur- ing this trying time. But at the same time, we know that Israel is not defined by a conflict or a "peace process" but by a people and an ideal. Now is the time to reach out to our Israeli brothers and sisters on a personal level to console them and build with them. At this dif- ficult time, we would do well to carry on the most important legacy that Ariel Sharon has left us: we must look and move for- ward with pride, strength and purpose. with that. Palestinians are I don't think it desirous or capable smeared Israel, nor of making peace? Or did it glorify that they are playing Palestinian terrorists. by the same rules If it depicted acts of sane nations apply? If simple Vengednce, the so, I can only thank title of the book on God that Israel is not which it was based, George Cantor held captive to wish- that's fine with me, Colu mnist ful thinking. too. The Palestinians Those who shed Jewish blood have been given every chance, should never believe they are and it is never enough. Israel immune from swift and sure can withdraw from all of the retaliation. It's no longer such a West Bank, tear down its fence, cheap commodity. hand over East Jerusalem and What Spielberg and other beat its tanks into pruning hand-wringers of his political hooks. persuasion never address, how- And that would convince ever, is what options Israel has Hamas to simmer down and in the matter. stop sending bombers into Is it possible they still grasp malls and cafes? They could the delusion that the hardly wait to start lobbing shells at Ashkelon from their newly acquired base in Gaza. Despite the misgivings of Spielberg, Jews all over the world are better off for the existence of a tough-minded and vigilant Israel that is pre- pared to answer terror with death. Munich runs about the same length as King Kong and it is about as closely connected to reality. Of course,.if you believe in ice-skating giant gorillas, you might also believe that Spielberg has something new and exceptional to say. But I prefer my politics with the angst on the side. ❑ E-mail letters to the editor of no more than 150 words to: lettersc thejewishnews.com. Reality Check Spielberg In Wonderland rom the commentaries I had read about Steven Spielberg's new film Munich, I walked into the the- ater prepared to be outraged. Instead, I saw a fairly decent political thriller that told us several rather unremarkable truths about the nature of the Israeli-terrorist conflict. Truth One: People who kill even in the best of causes become desensitized to killing over time. Truth Two: People who order the death of innocents can be scholars, loving husbands and parents and believe sincerely that they are doing justice. Truth Three: The first responsibility of any nation is to secure the safety of its citi- zens. That's why nations build F 40 January 12 • 2006 fences, eavesdrop on telephone conversations and kill the peo- ple who are trying to kill them. We really don't need a movie to tell us such things. They are rather self-evident. The film's implication, how- ever, is that a nation that engages in such actions is in danger of losing its soul. This, of course, is the position of a classic Hollywood liberal and can be safely dismissed as silly. Spielberg was not making a documentary; although even purported documentaries can't be trusted as factual anymore, as witness the mind-numbing garbage of Michael Moore. Much of what was shown on the screen was fictionalized, "based on real events" as the disclaimer advises us. I'll go ❑ George Cantor's e-mail address is gcantor614@aol.com .