Tonight’s speech made me think that I was hearing the thoughts of the poetic prophet Isaiah, preaching to his flock about the vision of the rising of the dry bones in his seven prophesies of redemption.

Far be it from me to call the U.S. President a prophet, far less a false one, but his vision of the process by which to pull our region out of the muck, at least if taken at face value from tonight’s speech, is based on false messianic type hope, a hope that has already cost us way too much blood, sorrow and agony.

Why go far. Immediately following the speech, CNN broadcast an interview with one of Israel’s most recent false prophets, former premier Ehud Barak who said he could accept every word as stated. The former premier (whose English by the way has improved dramatically since he left office) was immediately followed by Saeb Erikat who was having a hard time controlling his venomous anger at the obvious problem he knew he would now face in continuing to spew his regular dosage of verbal poison against Israel.

I feel sorry for Mr. Bush, I really do. He’s in a tough spot and there is nothing he can say or do that will satisfy his critics – so he did the next best thing – he laid out a vision that if, (that’s IF with a capital I and a capital F) adhered to, would in fact bring with it the Shimon Peres dream of a new middle east.

Israelis have a saying, im lasavta sheli hayu galgalim, which can be loosely translated as “and my grandma rides roller skates,” or “ya, right, that’ll happen.”

IF the Palestinians create the coup that the president called for and send Arafat packing; and

IF they found a suitable replacement that could actually govern without corruption; and

IF they actually created the reforms the president called for, separation of the arms of government, free media, real court system, in short – democracy; and

IF that government was able to keep its people in control and stop terror; and

IF the new constitution created included freedom of religion where members of all faiths could vote and serve in the legislature; and

IF members of all faiths and creeds were allowed to own and live on the land, in other words not an apartheid, Judenrein state; and

IF they created a free market economy that satisfied the IMF and World Bank’s strictest criteria; and

IF they began teaching peace in their schools and summer programs; and

IF they added Israel to the maps they use in their schools and propaganda and removed her from their symbols; and

IF and IF and IF and IF…

I too would sign on to the president’s plan and I would be happy to live in such a country — wait a minute, I think I used to live in one, oh yah, now that I think of it – it’s called Canada…

The author is a veteran commentator and IDF reservist in a special forces unit who has been staying in touch with his friends all over the world by way of these e-mails. He is currently completing work on a book that will illustrate the positive changes in Israeli and Jewish society during Operation Defensive Shield.

Dr. Mike Cohen
MTC Analysis & Strategy Systems
Corporate & Not-for-Profit Division
(+972-54) 996-453
mike@mtc.org.il

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