The war against Hezbollah reminded each of us, whether on the right or left, that the Middle East is a dangerous and unpredictable place and that at any moment Israel could find itself fighting for its very existence.
This last summer we all witnessed an extremist Islamic front forming against Israel headed by Iran, which has made it its goal to completely destroy the country and put an end to the Zionist dream. In these circumstances, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Israeli Syrian conflict play into Iran's hands and serve as fertile ground for expanding resistance to Israel and the Middle East, in the Arab world and in the whole world.
The war also showed us that with force alone we cannot defeat the dangers that face us even by a small guerrilla organization. To that end diplomatic action is required.
So what should we do?
Only peace agreements with the Palestinians and with Syria can isolate fundamentalist Islam and lead to final and absolute recognition by the Arab world of Israel's status and right to exist.
Who is the partner?
In the Palestinian Authority Israel should speak to Chairman Abu Mazen and strengthen him against the extremist elements. We must not remain indifferent to the internal struggles inside Palestinian society and must seriously examine Hamas's intentions to stop fighting Israel and enter diplomatic negotiations. Time is not working in Israel's favor and with each day despair in the territories increases and the extremists strengthen. The chance to renew negotiations and reach an agreement with Abu Mazen could be a last chance that will not recur for years.
And what about Syria?
The failure of Israel and Syria to reach a peace agreement at Shepherdstown ultimately led to the withdrawal from Lebanon without agreement into the reality of Hezbollah fortifying on the border. Resolution of the conflicts with Syria and Lebanon is a strategic necessity that will allow Israel to withstand the increasing threats from Iran and the extremist Islamic movements that want to destroy Israel.
Experience shows that despite the difficulties and the "cold" peace, our relations with Egypt and Jordan remain stable and constitute a very important strategic asset.
And what if there is no peace agreement?
The confrontation in the West Bank and Gaza will go on, including the Qassam rockets and the terror attacks, as will the conflict with Syria and Hezbollah. Israel could find itself suffering further bloodshed, fatal damage to its economy and social fortitude, loss of its international status and a weakening of its ability to withstand existential threats such as the Iranian threat.
With each day, voices in the Arab world, who believe the only way to deal with Israel is in the battlefield and that Israel can be destroyed militarily, get louder. The absence of a political process will lead to radicalization and a dangerous conflagration in the entire region.
Peace Now's position regarding the fighting against Hezbollah is complex. On the one hand, the movement supports Israel's right to react to Hezbollah assaults, and certainly to an attack on Israeli territory. On the other hand, we believe that wallowing in the Lebanese mud is not in Israel's interest. Therefore we called upon the Israeli government to act to end the conflict through political means.
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