====================
The Oslo Dayenu
by Steven Plaut
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Arafat would pursue peace.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO would fight the Hamas and Islamic Jihad "with
no Supreme Court or 'Betselem'" (in Rabin's immortal words).
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that terrorism would decrease.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that hostility to Jews in the Arab and the Western media
would decrease.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that trade between Israel and Arab countries would
flourish.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Palestinian Authority would be disarmed.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO would cooperate strategically with the Israel
Defense Forces.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that there would be an economic peace dividend.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Israeli Arabs would demonstrate increasing moderation
due to the "peace process".
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Hamas and Jihad would be persecuted and suppressed
by the PLO.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Palestinian arms would never again be used against
Jews.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO leadership would speak in terms of peace with
the Jews.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO would denounce and renounce anti-Semitism.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO would encourage normalization and daily
peaceful commerce between Arabs and Jews.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Palestinian Authority would be forced to spend all
its energies on resolving domestic social and economic problems.
But they were ever so wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Palestinian Authority would have so many internal
troubles that it would not have the time or ability to pursue
confrontation with Israel.
Man, but they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the US would back Israel if the PLO reneged on its
obligations or displayed duplicity.
What a joke, they were so wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the US would cease to pressure Israel to endanger its
security and fundamental interests.
But they were mega-wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Europeans would rush forward to support Israel.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Japanese and Saudis would pour money into regional
investments, including into Israel.
But they were surprised to find that they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Egyptians would end all animosity towards Israel,
Zionism and Jews.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the non-Arab Moslem countries would gush friendship
for Israel.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Arab military expenditure would drop significantly.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Arab verbal threats against Israel would end.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Nazi-like propaganda in Arab countries would end.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Israeli Left would lead the retreat from the Oslo
experiment it if proved to be not working.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Palestinian Authority would never behave as a tin
cup Third-World kleptocracy if granted power.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Jews remaining in Moslem countries would see their
treatment dramatically improved.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that liberals and leftists around the world would
congratulate Israel for taking risks for peace and rush forward with
goodwill and support.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the majority of Palestinians would denounce all
violence and terror.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Israeli Arabs would exhibit moderation and increasing
loyalty to the state of Israel.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Palestinian chants of "Death to the Jews" and
"Massacre the Jews" would end.
But they were wrong.
Dayenu. Oslo put the "die" back in "Dayenu!"
Any one of these errors in judgment should have been enough to end the
career of a politician in a normal country, possibly even enough to
indict that politician and imprison him or her. But in Israel? The
same politicians prepare for new unilateral withdrawals from Judea and
Samaria.
by Steven Plaut
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Arafat would pursue peace.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO would fight the Hamas and Islamic Jihad "with
no Supreme Court or 'Betselem'" (in Rabin's immortal words).
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that terrorism would decrease.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that hostility to Jews in the Arab and the Western media
would decrease.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that trade between Israel and Arab countries would
flourish.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Palestinian Authority would be disarmed.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO would cooperate strategically with the Israel
Defense Forces.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that there would be an economic peace dividend.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Israeli Arabs would demonstrate increasing moderation
due to the "peace process".
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Hamas and Jihad would be persecuted and suppressed
by the PLO.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Palestinian arms would never again be used against
Jews.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO leadership would speak in terms of peace with
the Jews.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO would denounce and renounce anti-Semitism.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the PLO would encourage normalization and daily
peaceful commerce between Arabs and Jews.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Palestinian Authority would be forced to spend all
its energies on resolving domestic social and economic problems.
But they were ever so wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Palestinian Authority would have so many internal
troubles that it would not have the time or ability to pursue
confrontation with Israel.
Man, but they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the US would back Israel if the PLO reneged on its
obligations or displayed duplicity.
What a joke, they were so wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the US would cease to pressure Israel to endanger its
security and fundamental interests.
But they were mega-wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Europeans would rush forward to support Israel.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Japanese and Saudis would pour money into regional
investments, including into Israel.
But they were surprised to find that they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Egyptians would end all animosity towards Israel,
Zionism and Jews.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the non-Arab Moslem countries would gush friendship
for Israel.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Arab military expenditure would drop significantly.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Arab verbal threats against Israel would end.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Nazi-like propaganda in Arab countries would end.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Israeli Left would lead the retreat from the Oslo
experiment it if proved to be not working.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the Palestinian Authority would never behave as a tin
cup Third-World kleptocracy if granted power.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Jews remaining in Moslem countries would see their
treatment dramatically improved.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that liberals and leftists around the world would
congratulate Israel for taking risks for peace and rush forward with
goodwill and support.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that the majority of Palestinians would denounce all
violence and terror.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Israeli Arabs would exhibit moderation and increasing
loyalty to the state of Israel.
But they were wrong.
When they forced Israel to commit Oslo, the Israeli politicians
assured us that Palestinian chants of "Death to the Jews" and
"Massacre the Jews" would end.
But they were wrong.
Dayenu. Oslo put the "die" back in "Dayenu!"
Any one of these errors in judgment should have been enough to end the
career of a politician in a normal country, possibly even enough to
indict that politician and imprison him or her. But in Israel? The
same politicians prepare for new unilateral withdrawals from Judea and
Samaria.
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