Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Israel remains strong in face of terror, says PM’s brother
Click image to enlarge
|
BY: DOUGLAS J. GUTH, Senior Staff Reporter
Threats of terror and violence have never dissuaded Israelis from living their lives, even though 1,400 Israelis have died in attacks since 2000. Israel’s perseverance has not changed during this latest round of conflict, maintains Dr. Yossi Olmert, the youngest brother of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Perhaps the most telling symbol of Israel’s strength following weeks of Hezbollah missile attacks against the northern part of the country are the schools, he continues.
School started later in the year than usual (Sept. 3), and some buildings still show signs of damage, but “not one classroom is closed,” the younger Olmert told the CJN. “That is a great achievement.”
As the dust settles after Israel’s 34-day war with the terrorist group Hezbollah, it’s becoming obvious that Israel was the victor, asserted Olmert; he was the keynote speaker during the 61st annual meeting of the Jewish Community Federation’s Community Relations Committee on Sept. 13. About 500 people attended the event held at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland’s Yavne High School auditorium.
Israel’s post-war standing has been the topic of much contention in the Jewish state, particularly so in the days immediately following the conflict. Throughout most of the war, Israel was united behind its leaders. But that unity fractured over the government’s decision to accept a United Nations-brokered cease-fire without crushing Hezbollah or Hezbollah’s freeing the two Israeli servicemen whose capture on July 12 sparked the bloodshed.
Despite the prime minister’s troubles, the government does not appear to be in any immediate danger of collapse, notes Olmert. And calls for his brother’s resignation by reservists, bereaved parents and politicians have largely died down.
Yossi Olmert feels the prime minister has taken a political beating for the failures of previous administrations (to disarm Hezbollah).
There is little doubt that Hezbollah lost the war, maintained Olmert, an academic, lecturer, author, journalist and a former political aide to ex-prime minister Yitzhak Shamir. Olmert pointed to remarks from Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah, who told Lebanon’s NTV he would not have ordered the abduction of the two Israeli soldiers had he known the action would lead to war in Lebanon.
Hezbollah was surprised by Israel’s military response, as were their backers, Iran and Syria. If Hezbollah tries to break the current cease-fire, “they will suffer badly, and they know it,” remarked Olmert, who is based in New York City.
Olmert doesn’t doubt Israel’s strength. However, the gregarious Israeli is admittedly skeptical about the UN holding up its end of the peace deal. Under the resolution that ended the conflict, 15,000 UN peacekeepers are to secure a buffer zone with Israel in south Lebanon, supporting an equal number of Lebanese troops.
The resolution also calls for disarming Hezbollah, which Israel has made a key condition for peace. But it is unclear whether UN troops or the Lebanese army will risk confrontation with the well-armed guerrilla group.
Many Lebanese soldiers, like Hezbollah members, are Shiite Muslims, and Lebanon’s weak central government has been unwilling in the past to stand up to the militant group.
The threat of Iran cannot be underestimated, warned Olmert. This is a country whose leader has verbalized his desire to destroy the Jewish state. These are not idle words, as Iran’s leaders continue to finance terrorism and spread anti-Semitism throughout the Middle East. In December, for example, Iran will host a conference with hopes of exposing what Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called the “myth” of the Holocaust.
Such radical thinking makes it imperative that Iran’s nuclear program is curtailed. Olmert believes the United States (he called President George W. Bush a “friend to Israel”) will back his brother if any action, military or otherwise, needs to be taken.
“Iran must not be allowed to have the bomb,” said Olmert. A nuclear Iran would represent “a mortal danger to Israel.”
In any event, Israel will not be easily cowed by Iran or any other terrorist entity. “Israel will exist forevermore, long after (Ahmadinejad) and his kind are thrown out into the dustbin of history,” Olmert said to raucous applause.
dguth@cjn.org
Perhaps the most telling symbol of Israel’s strength following weeks of Hezbollah missile attacks against the northern part of the country are the schools, he continues.
School started later in the year than usual (Sept. 3), and some buildings still show signs of damage, but “not one classroom is closed,” the younger Olmert told the CJN. “That is a great achievement.”
As the dust settles after Israel’s 34-day war with the terrorist group Hezbollah, it’s becoming obvious that Israel was the victor, asserted Olmert; he was the keynote speaker during the 61st annual meeting of the Jewish Community Federation’s Community Relations Committee on Sept. 13. About 500 people attended the event held at Hebrew Academy of Cleveland’s Yavne High School auditorium.
Israel’s post-war standing has been the topic of much contention in the Jewish state, particularly so in the days immediately following the conflict. Throughout most of the war, Israel was united behind its leaders. But that unity fractured over the government’s decision to accept a United Nations-brokered cease-fire without crushing Hezbollah or Hezbollah’s freeing the two Israeli servicemen whose capture on July 12 sparked the bloodshed.
Despite the prime minister’s troubles, the government does not appear to be in any immediate danger of collapse, notes Olmert. And calls for his brother’s resignation by reservists, bereaved parents and politicians have largely died down.
Yossi Olmert feels the prime minister has taken a political beating for the failures of previous administrations (to disarm Hezbollah).
There is little doubt that Hezbollah lost the war, maintained Olmert, an academic, lecturer, author, journalist and a former political aide to ex-prime minister Yitzhak Shamir. Olmert pointed to remarks from Hezbollah secretary general Hassan Nasrallah, who told Lebanon’s NTV he would not have ordered the abduction of the two Israeli soldiers had he known the action would lead to war in Lebanon.
Hezbollah was surprised by Israel’s military response, as were their backers, Iran and Syria. If Hezbollah tries to break the current cease-fire, “they will suffer badly, and they know it,” remarked Olmert, who is based in New York City.
Olmert doesn’t doubt Israel’s strength. However, the gregarious Israeli is admittedly skeptical about the UN holding up its end of the peace deal. Under the resolution that ended the conflict, 15,000 UN peacekeepers are to secure a buffer zone with Israel in south Lebanon, supporting an equal number of Lebanese troops.
The resolution also calls for disarming Hezbollah, which Israel has made a key condition for peace. But it is unclear whether UN troops or the Lebanese army will risk confrontation with the well-armed guerrilla group.
Many Lebanese soldiers, like Hezbollah members, are Shiite Muslims, and Lebanon’s weak central government has been unwilling in the past to stand up to the militant group.
The threat of Iran cannot be underestimated, warned Olmert. This is a country whose leader has verbalized his desire to destroy the Jewish state. These are not idle words, as Iran’s leaders continue to finance terrorism and spread anti-Semitism throughout the Middle East. In December, for example, Iran will host a conference with hopes of exposing what Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called the “myth” of the Holocaust.
Such radical thinking makes it imperative that Iran’s nuclear program is curtailed. Olmert believes the United States (he called President George W. Bush a “friend to Israel”) will back his brother if any action, military or otherwise, needs to be taken.
“Iran must not be allowed to have the bomb,” said Olmert. A nuclear Iran would represent “a mortal danger to Israel.”
In any event, Israel will not be easily cowed by Iran or any other terrorist entity. “Israel will exist forevermore, long after (Ahmadinejad) and his kind are thrown out into the dustbin of history,” Olmert said to raucous applause.
dguth@cjn.org
 |
||
| Being British for 350 years |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of clevelandjewishnews.com.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments. Registration is free.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
