Tel-Chai Nation

Seeing an argument on Israpundit that "Boomerang" by Ofer Shelach and Raviv Drucker had falled under the public radar, I guess that's why, if it's important, here's a link to an article on the subject from Jewish Indianapolis.

The book reveals how Sharon apparently wants to do this "disengagement" thing of his in order to keep from getting indicted in the Greek Island scandal his son Omri pulled a few years ago. No, this should not go unnoticed or unnoted.

Update: but here's another very good topic on the Greek Island scandal from the Hedgehog Blog, in which one of the contributors explains very well why Sharon's been going through with this. As explained in two different viewpoints:

First the charitable view: Sharon believes that the stress of governing a hostile Arab population in Gaza and the Northern Shomron is placing great stress on Israel politically and economically. Politically, it has alienated Europe and even at times put Israel at odds with its only friend in the world, the United States. It has split Israeli society. It is incredibly expensive in money and in blood. Sharon sees no meaningful negotiating partner on the other side, and does not see even the prospect of one appearing for years. Therefore, like a general (and Sharon was a general) who finds that his lines are overextended, he is conducting a tactical withdrawal that he believes will strenghten his defensive lines. He believes that this move will buy him goodwill with Europe (and he is wrong). He believes that it will unite Israeli society. (Wrong again--he is splitting Israel like never before.)

The cynical view: Two left-wing writers have published a book documenting that Sharon conceived of the withdrawal in order to avoid a criminal indictment of him and his son Omri for political corruption charges. In Israel, the courts and the Ministry of Justice, like the media, are controlled by the Labor left. By pushing withdrawal, he is gambling that the left will prefer winning the concessions to the Arabs that they advocate to destroying Sharon. Predictably, this book has relatively received little publicity inside Israel, because the main newspapers, television and radio media are controlled by the Labor left, who are backing Sharon against his own Likud party.

I remember that Israpundit once said that they couldn't tell for sure how many bloggers in the US were focusing on the subject. They can now rest assured that the great bloggers at the Hedgehog Blog are one source that most certainly is.

Labels: political corruption