The monster rears its ugly head

Israel’s proposed withdrawal from Gaza is nearing. A number of settlers are resisting the will of the people and are likely to cause massive disruption, chaos and possible bloodshed in the coming months. New settlers are still being welcomed into areas to be evacuated and Israeli authorities do nothing.

While the world remains transfixed by a group of individuals funded, supported and embraced by the Israeli political establishment for nearly 40 years – and yet now wonder how these settlers are so unruly and disobedient – listen to Haaretz columnist Akiva Eldar.

“Disengagement” was little more than a political move by Sharon and his closest advisors to distract public attention from corruption charges against him and his sons. So claims a recently released book in Israel. This fact has been virtually ignored in the Western media. Furthermore, as Eldar asks, where is the responsibility for the thousands of casualties under Sharon’s watch? Where is the action against IDF commanders who stoked the fire of Palestinian resistance? Men who “turned the ‘targeted killings’ into wholesale liquidations.” Men were promoted for a high-kill rate and ordered to sabotage any peace efforts.

We are still sold the myth that Israel needs a willing partner in peace. We should be told that the political and military establishment actually don’t want an end to hostilities and never have. We are learning the high price of such folly.

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