By Rabbi Dow Marmur
JERUSALEM — A cartoon in the April 5 issue of Ha’aretz anticipated the meeting the same day between President Peres and President Obama by seating them as equals on comfortable chairs in the Oval Office. Next to Peres stands a little boy who looks very much like Bibi Netanyahu. It’s a telling comment on the lack of leadership in the land.
It also says something about what has become of Israeli diplomacy. Its president, who in theory is only assigned ceremonial duties, has become the country’s most trusted and respected spokesman abroad. He’s travelling from country to country – recently apart from USA, also the UK, Portugal, Switzerland etc. etc. – as the de facto foreign minister.
The boy in the cartoon wasn’t present in Washington, but we’re told that Peres is preparing the ground for Netanyahu to make new peace proposals soon. It’s difficult to imagine anything new after the countless plans that have been put forward over the years, but it’s obvious that a drastic initiative is called for to avoid another Israeli debacle, this time with ominous and lasting consequences. There’s a report that a group of retired generals, influential businessmen and academics are currently hatching such an initiative. (Please note: not the government but private individuals!)
Peres’ frantic diplomacy may include their ideas. It’s clearly an attempt to enlist US help in dissuading the governments that matter from voting for the establishment of a Palestinian state later this year. Less important countries have already recognized Palestine on its pre-1967 borders. Others will follow, as will the United Nations. To prevent that happening, Israel must make an offer the Palestinians can’t refuse. As neither Israel’s prime minister nor its foreign minister is up to it, the president has come to the rescue and some influential individuals in the land seem to want to help him.
Even staunch defenders of the government of Israel don’t have much good to say about its diplomacy. It seems that the internal tensions in the coalition have rendered the country impotent. The old doctrine that as long as Israel’s military is strong, the rest doesn’t matter is obsolete and fundamentally flawed. The Middle East isn’t what it was in 1948 or in 1967. The country’s defense system can at best win battles by reacting to attacks but it can no longer win wars, let alone make peace.
For that, proactive and sophisticated diplomacy is called for. Its aim must be to negotiate the establishment of a Palestinian state. And that can only be achieved by Israel making painful concessions to safeguard its future. The alternative is the danger of Hamas, i.e., Iran, taking over to become the government of all of Palestine.
It seems that President Peres is paving the way for this new Israeli approach. Though, as suggested above, it’s difficult to imagine yet another peace plan, it’s even more difficult to imagine the status quo to continue indefinitely. That’s why the president’s efforts should be greeted with enthusiasm, especially if he can persuade Obama to get really involved in the process. All the experts I’ve been hearing insist that nothing will happen without much more vigorous US pressure on both partners.
The fear is that the combination of the dangerous reactionary elements in the Netanyahu coalition and the profile of Bibi as a boy who doesn’t lead because he can’t decide will make it very difficult even for Peres to save Israel from its own government. But we must admire him for trying and pray fervently for him to succeed.
*
Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. He now divides his year between Canada and Israel. He may be contacted at dow.marmur@sdjewishworld.com