Dec 23 1998

As usual, it's easy to say that the coming elections are the most critical in Israeli (and Palestinian) history. But it's not a usual time, and these aren't going to be usual elections. With at least three and possibly five candidates for the premiership, with a fracturing of the political system into dozens of parties, and with a foreboding sense that unless the mandate won by the next prime minister is sweeping, rather than hair's breath, we're probably heading for a "national unity" government right after the elections.

The only thing worse than a national unity government is the civil war it tries to stave off by not taking the radical centrist actions that must be taken: an end to rabbinical involvement in politics; creation of an electoral system with district representation for voters; dialogue with the Palestinians based on goals of conciliation, compassion and generosity rather than confrontation, patronization and power; redressing the problems created by charlatanistic implementations of so-called Thatcherite economics; and perhaps most important, a massive shift of national resources into the educational system in order to win back the lost hearts and minds that have fallen into the traps of fundamentalism paid for by the government through Shas, Aguda, and the settlement movement.

All this will require a united front of civilian Israel. Can one or two generals solve these problems -- perhaps, but only if they are surrounded by civic minded people who can imbue the leadership with the understanding that dialogue, not force, is the methodology of democratic politics.

It would be easy to offer an analysis that suggests Amnon Shahak should join the Labor party to avoid splitting the peace camp. It would also be easy to explain why Shahak at the head of the centrist party would also be good for the peace camp. Ariga won't do that for now. For now, all we have to say is that these are, indeed, the most critical elections in our history -- for the first time there is national consensus for what used to be called territorial compromise.

But there is not a consensus on how to reach that compromise. One side wants to do it by forcing it down the throats of the Arabs. If you believe, as we do, that force is no way to reach peace, that Israel is strong enough -- militarily, economically, and yes, because we do still have democracy, no matter how flawed, even politically strong enough to be understand it won the war with the Arabs and must, as Lincoln said, be magnanimous in victory -- then you must choose the party you support and do just that, support it.

The right will fight to the death to save their mystical Land of Israel. To prevent them from claiming after the vote that the government doesn't have a mandate, double and redouble your efforts to make sure that an elected peace government does have the mandate to save the State of Israel.

Robert Rosenberg, Publisher/Editor - Ariga