Britannia Radio

Dr. Aaron Lerner

 

There is a natural unavoidable asymmetry.

When the national camp criticizes the ruling government's stance on
Arab-Israeli issues, their activities strengthen Israel's negotiating
position by showing that Israel's concessions are both painful and subject
to limits.

When the withdrawal camp (aka the "peace camp") criticizes the ruling
government, their activities weaken Israel's negotiating position by showing
that Israel's concessions are neither painful nor anywhere near what the
country's true limits are.

But it would be unreasonable to expect the withdrawal camp to hold back,
given that they genuinely believe that the policies they advocate serve
Israel's interests.

That's not the problem.

The problem is when this advocacy turns to encouraging third parties to
subject Israel to pressure to adopt their policies.

The temptation is great to encourage third parties to unleash the threat of
sanctions in order to force the Jewish State to accept policies it rejected
at the ballot box. But such activity is both dangerous and immoral.

Dangerous because it opens a Pandora's Box.

Immoral, because of its fundamentally anti-democratic nature.

The Israeli withdrawal camp should make it clear to its friends and allies
abroad that the threat of sanctions and other similar forms of pressure have
no place in the policy debate.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il