By Stan Goodenough
Jul 10, 2006
In a troubling display of contradictory thinking during a conference for foreign journalists Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave the strong impression of being on the defensive rather than confidently standing at the helm of his country during difficult days.
The premier made a series of statements that simply made no sense:
In one breath, apparently to obtain a sympathetic hearing from his audience, Olmert complained that Israel had not had a single day of peace and quiet since his predecessor, Ariel Sharon, implemented his "disengagement" plan, uprooting 10,000 Jews and completely withdrawing the IDF out of the Gaza Strip.
"There is no occupation in Gaza since August last year, and since then there hasn't been one day of quiet for the citizens of Israel. Killing innocent Israeli civilians is what they [the freed-up Arabs in Gaza] have been trying to do every day."
In his next breath, in a statement with an ominously fatalistic ring to it, the prime minister insisted that the incessant conflict with the Palestinian Arabs would not prevent Israel from carrying out further unilateral withdrawals, this time from Samaria and Judea.
"We want to separate from the Palestinians in a friendly way, but if the terrorist organizations force violence upon us, both Israelis and Palestinians will suffer the consequences," he said.
Inexplicably, however, in Olmert's thinking, the end result of all this conflict could still be tranquil relations between Israel and "Palestine."?
"Despite this [violence], it will neither interfere with nor stop the inevitable process of separation between Israel and the Palestinians in order to create two states living side by side in peace and security."?
The prime minister went on to assert that, despite the escalation in violence, terrorism and tension, with Israel now in a state of war (as he called it two days ago) with the "Palestinians,"? he remains determined to continue on the path to the convergence idea, as the strongest idea for moving events forward in the Middle East.
"I have not changed my mind over the past few days regarding the convergence plan, and I am determined to continue on my road to the ultimate separation from the Palestinians, and to attain secure borders that will be recognized by the international community."?
Topping all of this, he tried to convince the savvy press pack that Israel really has no serious fight to pick with Hamas, the terrorist organization which, more than any other group, is responsible for the current situation.
"We do not have any desire to topple the Hamas regime,"? he maintained, but then made nonsense of that assertion by saying that "We do have the desire to stop terrorism against Israeli citizens."
Since Olmert won in the general election last March, numerous concerned Israel watchers have commented on his lack of national leadership experience.
Critical rightist Israelis have accused him of lacking statesmanship, saying he came to the premiership "on Sharon's coattails"? and is not qualified to be prime minister of the Jewish state.