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BUSH'S BOLD PEACE INITIATIVE...Israel after Sharon By Doug Kriger The colossus of Israel’s Center-Right is no more. Sharon’s cerebral hemorrhage, induced coma, and declared departure from Israel’s political life have created a grave and vacuous ability for Israel to carry on viable negotiations with either the Palestinians or other belligerents. This assessment is more an international impression and less an Israeli one; however, it is the international community’s perception that overwhelms. Successors are no where to be found compared with the stature and personality of the “Bulldozer.” PM stand-in, Ehud Olmert, the quintessential bureaucrat, along with recently-rejected Labor leader, Shimon Peres—may try, but their finest hour will not survive the Humpty-Dumpty fall that Kadima (“forward”) sustained. Likewise, who knows, heard and seen Labor’s new choice: Amir Peretz? All we know is that he’s a flaming socialist! That leaves Benjamin Netanyahu and the party which Sharon forsook, Likud. Kicking off the New Year some 400 Likud delegates championed the actions of a former leader of Likud, Menachem Begin: Preemptively destroy Iran’s all-too-clear nuclear program—designed to “Wipe Israel off the Map!” Likud member, Ra’anana Deputy Mayor Uzi Cohen, expressed the overwhelming majority of Likud members: “Bomb Iran’s nuclear reactor before it is too late.” The echo from Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad mirrored his holocaust remarks—Sharon should die. Converging upon the Middle East landscape are the Israeli March, 2006 elections, and Iran’s nuclear bomb. Indifference is not an option—either on the part of Israel or the U.S. Netanyahu’s break with Sharon was decisive—we will not back out of the territories; we will not close one more settlement! For Netanyahu to “move to the center” and become more Sharon-like, might be a wise political decision, but a bitter pill to swallow—he is no heir apparent to Sharon; he abides his rival. In sum: Israel’s infrastructure, systems, military, ad nausea, ad infinitum, are irrefutable, but her political leadership is paralyzed by the current chaos created by Sharon’s diminishing. This leads to the title of this brevity—it is time for the President of the United States of America to enter the playing field. If the Israelis cannot “get their act together” to follow Bush’s Roadmap for Peace (i.e., land for peace), there will be consequences that neither Israel nor the US wish to face—especially, at this time. Today’s (January 5, 2006) super bowl input meeting organized by the President—bringing scores of former Secretaries of State and Defense together to discuss Middle East issues—did not circumvent Israel’s political crisis. Rest assured that prickly pear was discussed: What to do after Sharon? Sharon’s void must be filled. Time does not permit that luxury. This is precisely why if Netanyahu by default ascends to the occasion, he will be getting a call from Washington posthaste. That exchange, you can be certain, will express the will of the Presidency of the United States. The Roadmap for Peace will be the express topic and staying its course will be the measurement of Presidential support behind Israel’s future leader. Just as in each crisis the U.S. exacts something from Israel (e.g., Israel stayed out of the Gulf Wars); Israel then extracts something from the U.S. (more military cooperation, hardware, etc.). This provides a unique opportunity—or should we imply temptation—for Israel. Is it time to go on the line and have the U.S., once and for all, guarantee—underwrite— Israel’s peace? For Israel to comply with Bush’s Roadmap—she will have her quid pro quo; she always does. The U.S. and Israel are being driven together by events and forces beyond their immediate control. Iran’s reprehensible threats, Islamic radicalism on her borders (Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad), as well as throughout the region, and now political chaos in Israel—events have simply overtaken us. It’s time for the President of the United States to make his move. Israel may have no choice but to swallow a bitter pill . . . in order to secure her survival by the world’s only super power. Indeed, it may appear bold, rude and even insensitive to the Israelis—but who else can get us back on the Road again? “He will cause to bear upon the many a covenant . . .” (Daniel 9:27). Please see the four-part series on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Alliance @ The Tribulation Network About the Author: Doug is a member of the "Last Days Network" . . . a group of evangelical pundits providing news and analysis on Religion in Politics. "Applied Biblical prophecy," apostasy and deception, the impact of the American New World Order System, and the influence of the Religious Right and Left upon American culture--are topics discussed by the group. Doug’s articles are anchored @ http://www.the-tribulation-network.com (a real upbeat web site, given the name).
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