Sunday August 14, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

Most Americans misunderstand Israel's reasons for withdrawing from Gaza.
Most Americans, including President Bush, see the withdrawal as a step toward peace.
Some Americans think that there should be Palestinian reciprocity for the withdrawal.
Some Americans see the withdrawal as the "carrot" in international affairs lingo.
All this is to misunderstand the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

The withdrawal has nothing to do with peace.
The withdrawal was not decided upon for the good of Palestinians.
The withdrawal was undertaken for the sake of Israelis.
Sharon is exiting Gaza to remove Israeli soldiers and settlers from the center of Palestinian terror, so that they are no longer sitting ducks in the terrorists' backyard.

Bodies re-interred. Lives uprooted. Ideology re-directed. Crops abandoned.
But the government, the courts and the people have all spoken.
The vast majority of Israel favors this wrenching act.

Will it make Israel safer in the long range? Will terrorists find a new firing range?
For now, withdrawing from Gaza removes Israeli targets from point blank range.