Sharon and Israeli PoliticsIsrael and Palestine
Two leaders dominate this discussion -- Yasser Arafat and Ariel Sharon -- even while the US and Israel try to promote Abu mazen.
There is little need to document the shortcomings of Yasser Arafat -- they are covered every day in the American press.
... But what about the other partner in the peace? What kind of man is Ariel Sharon? What's his history? What's the mentality and political picture in Israel under his leadership?
Friday, April 27, 2007
'Not the Israel we dreamed of': 18 families control almost everything; Corruption, immorality, lack of shame,
'Not the Israel we dreamed of' | Uri Avneri, Aharon Amir, and Haim Guri talk about what's left of 1948 dream. The greatest danger, they say, is within. | Meital Tzur
Published: 04.23.07, 18:37 / Israel News
We asked them what threatens Israel's existence on its 59th birthday. "Israel's independence is safe from outside threat, but great threats lie within", said Avneri. "Corruption is almost everywhere. The country bears no resemblance to what we had in mind when it was founded. We have completely lost all sense of responsibility for one another, of mercy and of compassion."
"Compared to any potential enemy around us, technologically, militarily, and scientifically, we have nothing to worry about," said Amir. "The problem is with our value system. We have been fed these socialist messianic visions about the kind of just society we should form here. These visions are obsolete, and we live in a capitalistic, bourgeois society instead".
"Sixty years later, this isn't where we thought we'd be", added Guri. "Alongside all the wonderful things that happened here, we have the terrible things, revealing society's wounds".
Huge gap between rich and poor
"We are the single western society that has, to date, the largest gap between the rich and the poor. This is an existential danger", said Avnery when asked which social gaps pose the most threat to Israel. "There is a feeling of confusion, of lack of planning by the government and of moral deterioration", added Guri.
"This gap is mostly government-made", said Amir. "Eighteen families control almost everything, and the Finance Ministry doesn't fight it. Minimizing that is what we should be focused on."
Corruption, immorality, lack of shame, just may be the signs of this passing year. "We have to be on the offense against all corruption. We must maintain some level of economical, governmental efficiency, even if that means a war against corruption", said Amir. ...
'Not the Israel we dreamed of' | Uri Avneri, Aharon Amir, and Haim Guri talk about what's left of 1948 dream. The greatest danger, they say, is within. | Meital Tzur
Published: 04.23.07, 18:37 / Israel News
We asked them what threatens Israel's existence on its 59th birthday. "Israel's independence is safe from outside threat, but great threats lie within", said Avneri. "Corruption is almost everywhere. The country bears no resemblance to what we had in mind when it was founded. We have completely lost all sense of responsibility for one another, of mercy and of compassion."
"Compared to any potential enemy around us, technologically, militarily, and scientifically, we have nothing to worry about," said Amir. "The problem is with our value system. We have been fed these socialist messianic visions about the kind of just society we should form here. These visions are obsolete, and we live in a capitalistic, bourgeois society instead".
"Sixty years later, this isn't where we thought we'd be", added Guri. "Alongside all the wonderful things that happened here, we have the terrible things, revealing society's wounds".
Huge gap between rich and poor
"We are the single western society that has, to date, the largest gap between the rich and the poor. This is an existential danger", said Avnery when asked which social gaps pose the most threat to Israel. "There is a feeling of confusion, of lack of planning by the government and of moral deterioration", added Guri.
"This gap is mostly government-made", said Amir. "Eighteen families control almost everything, and the Finance Ministry doesn't fight it. Minimizing that is what we should be focused on."
Corruption, immorality, lack of shame, just may be the signs of this passing year. "We have to be on the offense against all corruption. We must maintain some level of economical, governmental efficiency, even if that means a war against corruption", said Amir. ...
