Week 61 | June 3, 2009 | 11 Sivan 5769

Finding out what we want:

For the past few days in Israel the national attention has been focused on two very different issues who I feel have some sort of psychological link between them. One is the public investigation and arrest of once popular comedian Dudu Topaz who allegedly ordered an attack on some of the Israeli T.V industry top producers out of pure revenge and spite for taking him off the air and not willing to give him a new show. The other issue, much more important for Israel’s future, also involves the kind of passion and emotional response that can bring people to do desperate, crazy and sometime violent deeds- The West Bank settlements and the Israeli-American relationship.

Although I’ve tried to address this issue a few times in the past, it’s important to understand that this is probably one of the most complicated predicaments in Israel today, involving matters such as faith, dreams, fantasies, people’s life work and a whole lot of pain. In a way I feel that the way Israel will end up treating its settlements in the West Bank will determine the very identity of the country in the coming years.

The current disagreement with America broke out when the Obama administration declared that this time they are serious about demanding Israel to act according to its past commitments on the issue of the West Bank settlements. These commitments include the evacuation of all of the illegal settlements that have been built in the last few years and preventing new settlements from being built in an attempt to create and change reality on the ground. In addition to that, the Americans are now insisting that Israel will stop further expanding all of the other settlements in the West Bank, even if it comes from needs of natural expansion due to population growth.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now finds himself stuck between the rock and hard place, mainly due to the way his coalition is built. On the one hand no Israeli Prime Minister can afford to damage the special relationship between Israel and America, and that is why he has to answer and act on the ground in a way that would satisfy the American demands. On the other hand if he goes too far and put a complete freeze on all settlements like Obama demands, there is a good chance that the different members of the coalition, many of them representing an ideology that actively supports the settlements, will quite simply vote against the government and end Netanyahu’s term as Prime Minister, sending Israel to yet another round of elections.

To me the problem here is that the attention and focus of this current mini-crisis is directed at the wrong place. Although the relations between America and Israel are crucial, the real question should be what are Israel goals, aspirations and strategy in the long run. We as a people and a country should decide whether or not we eventually see ourselves residing in that area which regardless to political and ideological opinions, bears a great significance to almost every Jew but is at the same time the homeland and resident of the Palestinian people.

This sort of ambiguity that has dominated the conversation in Israel in the last 40 years is also not fair towards the settlers themselves who most of them are law biding citizens who built their homes there legally and with the active encouragement of their government. Although when it comes to illegal settlements built without permission the rule of law must prevail and the settlements should be brought down, when it comes to the big legal communities it is obvious that the solution is not as clear cut.

Whatever the outcome, Israelis should openly address this issue in manner of urgency and importance that comes from the understanding that if we don’t make up our mind and act accordingly, someone is going to decide for us, and on terms much less convenient.

Taking a break:

This issue marks the last “Israel Thing” for this year. As of next week I will be at the URJ Kutz camp and in Israel. Starting next September I hope to pick writing again. Knowing my country, there would probably be a lot going on until that time so I highly recommend following the news through all of the major websites and newspapers.

It’s been a pleasure.

Shabbat Shalom,

Hanan.

It's an Israel Thing is available as a weekly email. Sign up now!

To read previous issues, please visit our archive page .