Mideastweb Middle East Gateway  Hebrew -  שער רשת המזרח התיכון לדו-קיום
Arabic MidEast Web - ابة شبكة الشّرق الأوسط بالعربيّة 

Rabin - More than Ever

Tomorrow, (Oct. 21) is the official day of mourning (according to the Hebrew date) for former Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, murdered by a right-wing fanatic in 1995. I will not repeat again, what I wrote last year at this time (PeaceWatch Volume 1 # 19), but the sentiment has not changed.

This year is the first year since Rabin’s death that the Likud party is out of office, and that Ehud Barak, who is supposedly the inheritor of Rabin’s mantle, leads our country. This year there will only be a relatively small demonstration in Rabin square on November 4, close to the anniversary according to the regular date.

It is a pity, because we need to remember, because Israeli society has learned nothing. We have learned nothing about peace, nothing about what Rabin represented, nothing about how to differ in a democratic and law abiding way, nothing about what Rabin was trying to build for us.

Ehud Barak cannot finish the work of Rabin, cannot make peace, because he does not have a mandate for peace. When Barak was considering removing the outposts erected by the settlers, there were scarcely veiled threats from the right about ‘returning to the days of the Rabin government.’ Rabbis again issued edicts sanctifying breaking the law, and Barak capitulated (see previous PeaceWatch). Soon, we will have to make even tougher decisions, about actual retreat, perhaps abandonment of settlements. Can anyone believe it will pass without violence? We have learned nothing and we sorely miss our teacher.

Ami Isseroff

Rehovot

New at Mideastweb: Culture: http://www.mideastweb.org/culture.htm

MidEast Web has the latest news at http://www.mideastweb.org/mewNews.htm

Views at   http://www.mideastweb.org/mewzine.htm

Dialog Resources at: http://www.mideastweb.org/dialog.htm

Peace Education at: http://www.mideastweb.org/education.htm

Turkish Relief Efforts- http://www.mideastweb.org/turkey1.htm

Also: Maps, Documents and more...

Going somewhere? Click here for Airline Reservations, Bed and Breakfast, Car Rentals and much more at discount prices.

PEACE is a Mid - East Dialog Group commited to peace and neighborly relations.We have no official political opinions. PEACE was started by Ameen Hannoun, a Jordanian/Palestinian and Ami Isseroff, an Israeli. You are welcome to join, and to contribute ariticles and ideas for promoting peace and dialog.  More about PEACE.

An outsider looks at the Palestinian - Israeli Conflict - Anyone interested in creative solutions to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict must read this essay by Matthew Hogan PEACEMAKING VIA NON-IDEOLOGY or CONFESSIONS OF A PRO-ISRAEL ANTI-ZIONIST.

Hebrew: Arafat