“Seek peace and pursue it,” the Bible says. Maybe Ehud Olmert should be reading a bit more Tanach in his spare time. That’s what Martin Van Creveld seems to be saying in his latest essay in the Jewish Forward about Syria’s military buildup. Spending most of his effort describing the buildup and what Israel can do to counter it, he ends with the most salient portion of the article, the overarching importance of seeking a negotiated, rather than military solution to the conflict:
…The ground forces have borne the main burden of fighting the Palestinian intifada over the past 20 years. Doing so has weakened their morale almost to the vanishing point…
Of all the problems afflicting the Israelis, this is the worst. So long as the occupation of the Palestinian territories lasts, it is anybody’s guess whether the men’s former willingness to fight and die can be restored.
Finally, Israel could try to forestall another war by reaching a peace agreement with Syria. As we now know, under Ariel Sharon secret Israeli-Syrian talks went on for two years.
No sooner had last summer’s hostilities in Lebanon ended — a war that was probably launched by Hezbollah without any consultation with Damascus — then leading Syrian personalities started saying they were interested in resuming negotiations and bringing them to a conclusion. But in the fall, Israel went out of its way to reject Syria’s overtures, partly because it wanted Damascus to stop assisting Hezbollah and the Palestinians and partly owing to American pressure.
Now, however, the Americans themselves are about to talk to Damascus, as well as to Tehran. Where the master leads, the follower cannot be far away — or else, Israel had better be prepared to take on the consequences.
Sobering advice from someone who’s spent his entire life studying military warfare in the context of the Israeli-Arab conflict. I know which option I’d prefer. How about you, Ehud? Give up the Golan or a few hundred more Israeli lives. Which seems more important?
Interesting read-I agree with most of his points. What do make of his comment saying that the army has been weakened by feminism? Also, what if giving up the Golan doesnt lead to peace?
First, Israel would not be giving up the Golan. Rather it would be partially complying with UNSCR 242 and 338. Second, Syria has indicated that it will sign a peace agreement if Israel withdrew to June 4, 67 borders between them. The peace agreement would probably be sponsored by the major world powers (maybe even without the Americans – that depends on how much Israel is willing to kow-tow to American diktat!!).
So, in a nutshell, if Israel wants peace it can, at least with the Syrians for now. They are more than hungry for peace because they have enormous population growth, and little job-market growth.
It’s a very complex question, but I wouldn’t frame the issue at all as Van Creveld has. He seems to think that if only women were kept out of the IDF that it wouldn’t have “run down” because men would continue to see it as a viable career. I’d rather look at women joining the army in the context of an entire society’s attitude toward women. In the west, we generally look at society being strengthened when women can unleash their full potential. This includes service in the armed forces. If women entering the armed forces “degrades” the IDF (which I don’t buy at all) then it is society’s attitudes toward women that have not yet changed enough.
And it’s safe to say that Israel leaves much to be desired in its attitude toward women. Just look at how many rapes & other forms of sexual harassment are reported. If you continue to view women as inferior AND you begin allowing them to take leadership position in the IDF, then it seems likely that the IDF will also be seen as inferior. But if you respect women & treat them as equals to men then having women in leadership roles should have no deleterious effect on the armed forces.
I am not singling the IDF out here btw. I just heard a radio report tonight interviewing a female U.S. soldier in Iraq who said the only way she could prevent sexual harassment from her own fellow soldiers was to ostentatiously carry a big knife on her belt. We too have problems integrating women into our armed forces and the fault is by no means the woman’s.
If Syria acts up, then renew the international tribunal investigating the Hariri assassination & charge Assad with the crime & haul him before the International Court of Justice. That would get his attention right quick.
“Also, what if giving up the Golan doesnt lead to peace? ”
Israel’s popularity will proabably soar on any future BBC polls, so it’s a win-win situation. (sarcasm)