BUSH'S BOLD PEACE INITIATIVE...Israel after Sharon

The colossus of Israel's Center-Right is no more.enter the playing field. If the Israelis cannot "get
Sharon's cerebral hemorrhage, induced coma, andtheir act together" to follow Bush's Roadmap for
declared departure from Israel's political life havePeace (i.e., land for peace), there will be
created a grave and vacuous ability for Israel toconsequences that neither Israel nor the US wish
carry on viable negotiations with either theto face-especially, at this time.
Palestinians or other belligerents. This assessmentToday's (January 5, 2006) super bowl input
is more an international impression and less anmeeting organized by the President-bringing
Israeli one; however, it is the internationalscores of former Secretaries of State and
community's perception that overwhelms.Defense together to discuss Middle East issues-did
Successors are no where to be found comparednot circumvent Israel's political crisis. Rest assured
with the stature and personality of the "Bulldozer."that prickly pear was discussed: What to do after
PM stand-in, Ehud Olmert, the quintessentialSharon?
bureaucrat, along with recently-rejected LaborSharon's void must be filled. Time does not permit
leader, Shimon Peres-may try, but their finestthat luxury. This is precisely why if Netanyahu by
hour will not survive the Humpty-Dumpty fall thatdefault ascends to the occasion, he will be getting
Kadima ("forward") sustained. Likewise, whoa call from Washington posthaste. That exchange,
knows, heard and seen Labor's new choice: Amiryou can be certain, will express the will of the
Peretz? All we know is that he's a flaming socialist!Presidency of the United States. The Roadmap
That leaves Benjamin Netanyahu and the partyfor Peace will be the express topic and staying its
which Sharon forsook, Likud. Kicking off the Newcourse will be the measurement of Presidential
Year some 400 Likud delegates championed thesupport behind Israel's future leader.
actions of a former leader of Likud, MenachemJust as in each crisis the U.S. exacts something
Begin: Preemptively destroy Iran's all-too-clearfrom Israel (e.g., Israel stayed out of the Gulf
nuclear program-designed to "Wipe Israel off theWars); Israel then extracts something from the
Map!"U.S. (more military cooperation, hardware, etc.).
Likud member, Ra'anana Deputy Mayor Uzi Cohen,This provides a unique opportunity-or should we
expressed the overwhelming majority of Likudimply temptation-for Israel. Is it time to go on the
members: "Bomb Iran's nuclear reactor before itline and have the U.S., once and for all,
is too late." The echo from Iran's Presidentguarantee-underwrite- Israel's peace? For Israel to
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad mirrored his holocaustcomply with Bush's Roadmap-she will have her
remarks-Sharon should die.quid pro quo; she always does.
Converging upon the Middle East landscape areThe U.S. and Israel are being driven together by
the Israeli March, 2006 elections, and Iran's nuclearevents and forces beyond their immediate control.
bomb. Indifference is not an option-either on theIran's reprehensible threats, Islamic radicalism on
part of Israel or the U.S.her borders (Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad), as
Netanyahu's break with Sharon was decisive-wewell as throughout the region, and now political
will not back out of the territories; we will notchaos in Israel-events have simply overtaken us.
close one more settlement! For Netanyahu toIt's time for the President of the United States to
"move to the center" and become moremake his move. Israel may have no choice but to
Sharon-like, might be a wise political decision, but aswallow a bitter pill . . . in order to secure her
bitter pill to swallow-he is no heir apparent tosurvival by the world's only super power. Indeed,
Sharon; he abides his rival.it may appear bold, rude and even insensitive to
In sum: Israel's infrastructure, systems, military,the Israelis-but who else can get us back on the
ad nausea, ad infinitum, are irrefutable, but herRoad again?
political leadership is paralyzed by the current"He will cause to bear upon the many a covenant
chaos created by Sharon's diminishing.. . ." (Daniel 9:27).
This leads to the title of this brevity-it is time forPlease see the four-part series on the U.S.
the President of the United States of America to