The
year 2006 is bringing change. In Israeli and Palestinian societies, we see
the fruition of processes resulting from the second Intifada.
In Israel, PM Ariel Sharon made a clean split from the
Likud. He created a party called Kadima, which represents a
Misguided Consensus: the notion that peace can
be advanced by unilateral separation from the Palestinians. In January he
was sidelined by a massive stroke. Many Kadima members, former leaders in
the Labor Party and the Likud, have vowed to follow In the
Footsteps of Sharon.
The Labor Party has also had its ministorm. Amir Peretz,
preaching Capitalism in Pink, defeated Shimon Peres, who then led
his followers to Kadima. Peretz won not by the strength of his message,
rather by the weakness of his opponent. He waves the social banner, but
few line up behind.
ODA,
for its part, is
Launching a fourth consecutive Election Campaign. Its
list, for the first time, includes workers who gained their jobs
through WAC. At the campaign kick-off in Tel Aviv, Yacov Ben Efrat, the
party’s General Secretary, called for: No More “Make-Believe,”
No More “Hide-and-Seek,” in Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.
On the other side of the fence, a conflict within Fatah
threatened to delay or even abolish the parliamentary elections scheduled
for January 25. After much arm wrestling, the
Younger Generation prevailed
over the old-timers. The Rise of these youngsters is Ominous,
we point out, for the Palestinian Diaspora.
Elections aside, it has been a poor year for olives all over the world,
but in the West Bank the troubles have been compounded by the
Mutilation of the Olive Trees. We describe the damage and who is
behind it.
And we bring you, finally, a research paper by Meir
Margalit on settler organizations that are doing all they can to
Prevent the Peace of Jerusalem.
n
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Ha-Aliyah 43, Second Floor). The new phone number is 972-3-537-3268. Fax:
972-3-537-3269.
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