Segacs's World I Know

Posts Tagged ‘shimon peres’

Shimon Peres’s attempt to put a positive spin on the global economic crisis:

“The leaders of Iran cannot give their children uranium for breakfast,” Peres said, adding that the world financial crisis would hamper Iran’s progress toward nuclear capability. “As the price of oil declines, Iran doesn’t have as much money to invest in uranium, missiles and terrorism,” he said.

Erm. Not sure about the logic of that one, Shimon. Worsening economic conditions usually breeds more hatred and a need for scapegoating, just as peace usually requires prosperity to achieve. But hey, way to keep up that optimism.

I know we’re heading into yet another election campaign in Canada… but, as all our elections are, it’s sure to be a real snoozer. So instead, let’s talk about the more interesting election campaign – Israel’s.

Imshin is optimistic, sort of:

There is something uplifting about what has been happening here in recent days. For years everyone has been moaning that we have no leaders. Suddenly we do. Two of them, up against each other.

Sharon and Peretz are both nasty bastards, both sly, corrupt, cynical politicians. Is Peretz any nastier than Sharon? I doubt it. Love them or hate them, the thing is that both are people who get things done, make things happen. Who would have believed the Gaza disengagement would actually happen? You had to be here to realize how absolutely incredible that was. And who would have believed anyone would be able to resurrect the Histadrut? For instance.

Here’s Allison on Shimon Peres:

We need a national referendum on whether it’s time for him to retire.

Here’s Harry’s reaction on what Sharon’s new party may mean for Shinui:

Oh, and Shinui is DONE. The creation of a centrist party without the anti-religious banter and sans a cantankerous leader is the death knell for the secular party.

That’s true, though I still contend that Shinui has been done ever since the night after the last election, when Yasser Arafat openly praised Tommy Lapid.

Finally, we have Isreality giving the ultimate reality check:

“Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”

The outcome of this spring’s elections will undoubtedly result in another limping coalition of partners tugging each other apart at the seams, with the same old leaders making the same old back room deals.

The only aspect to look forward to actually, is the campaign commercials for the fringe parties like the taxi drivers’ party, the Green Leaf party for legalizing pot, and the sentimental favorite – the battered husbands’ party. Now that’s entertainment.

Fringe parties are probably the only things that will save the Canadian election from mind-numbing dullness as well. At least we have that in common.

The Israeli cabinet voted today in favour of the principle of expelling Yasser Arafat from Israel:

“Recent days’ events have proven again that Yasser Arafat is a complete obstacle to any process of reconciliation … ” the Cabinet’s communique stated Thursday. “Israel will act to remove this obstacle in the manner, at the time, and in the ways that will be decided on separately …”

While Arafat is the worst kind of two-faced terrorist, I happen to think that expelling him is the worst possible move Israel could make right now. I agree with Shimon Peres in this case:

[Peres] warned that expelling Arafat would be a “historic mistake” that would “deepen the hostilities between the Palestinians and ourselves” and told CNN, “Arafat outside will be more effective and more negative than he is today.”

See, the thing is, Arafat has been a thorn in Israel’s side for decades. But there’s no easy solution to the problem. Basically, Israel has three choices: take him out, expel him, or leave him where he is.

Assassinating Arafat would be a pretty stupid move on Israel’s part, since it would turn him into an instant martyr. And that, of course, is exactly what he wants. Arafat’s worst nightmare is to die of old age, of natural causes. It’s been argued that he started the whole intifada because he wanted to go down in history as a martyr, and not as the person who shook hands with an Israeli prime minister. Arafat’s death caused by the IDF would play right into his hands. Not to mention pissing off the few places left in the world with sympathy for Israel.

But expelling him isn’t much better. Right now, he’s confined to his Ramallah compound, essentially under siege, restricted from travel and surrounded by IDF troops. He’s still calling the shots in the PA, which is why Israel is so keen on getting rid of him, but internationally he’s been largely sidelined.

Just look at the propaganda that he manages to create from his compound in Ramallah. Now imagine what would happen if he had the entire world as his base of operations? If he could travel to Syria to arrange weapons imports, and then fly to London or Paris to get his picture on the front page with some opposition politician trying to score far-left brownie points. If he could set up a base of operations wherever he wanted, and whip the Middle East into a frenzy by addressing large crowds or holding court at his whim?

Which is why it’s probably best if Israel just leaves him where he is. The cabinet may think that by removing him from power, it would clear the way for a more moderate Palestinian politician to take the reins. But in all likelihood, it would just strengthen the extremist groups.

So while it’s understandable that Israel would want to kick out Arafat, whose corrupt terorrist-sponsoring leadership has been responsible for the loss of so much innocent life on all sides, strategically it’s not a very smart move.

Whoever else was inconvenienced by the big blackout, Jean Chretien was making damn sure that Shimon Peres made it home for his birthday celebrations:

Former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres made it home to celebrate his 80th birthday despite the huge power cuts in North America after Canadian premier Jean Chretien sent his personal jet to rescue him, reports said.

I wonder if Chretien would have been so quick to send his private jet to rescue, say, Ariel Sharon or Benjamin Netanyahu?