Has Barak a wrong opinion?

[Elena]

Israel has lost "moral superiority": Barak

"We have lost our moral superiority in the last few months,"

"We cannot only be the stronger side. We must also be right."
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"(A military operation) can only be part of a more comprehensive policy. The other elements include the fight for unity among Jews and international legitimation for what we are doing."


Ehud Barak failed in the last peace process because Arafat was a coward ad didn't sign the peace with Israel...
but

Is impossible a diplomatic solution?

Is this militar operation of Sharon against the OLP useful to find a solution and to finish with the terrorist attacks?

I think that the personal hate between Sharon and Arafat is a strong obstacle for a peace process.
In the actual situation of violence and hate I see that is impossible an effort diplomatic. but when this militar operation ends. What is the next step?

Who are the Israel and Palestiniams leaders with credibility to resucite the peace process?

What is your opinion?

[Flame]

I suggest you check out these 2 sites to start with. Islamic violence is an entity of itself which Sharon and every other PM has had to deal with. This crazed voilence was global for a while and over the past few years has only banned together with a focus on Israel. To say Israel is the only reason for the violence is naive. To see Israel as the only thorn in islam's side is also naive.

Details about Black September:

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Parliament/2587/black.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/in_depth/uk/2000/uk_confidential/newsid_1089000/1089694.stm

[Elena]

well.. but what's your opinion?

I want to know differents points of view about this cuestions

[bakuda]

yes, well.... here is my response... violence is dispicable. It feels wrong. It even feels wrong when you hit and harm even in defense. One has to understand this discreptancy that although Israel has the right to defend itself against malicious harm, it looks wrong when you defend yourself against only a pest less powerful than yourself, but never the less relentless.

Israel does have to make it's case. Too many people in the world do not know what we are doing and why and what led up to our strict defense measures against vile evil masked by ignorance and innocence.

[NewsGuy]

Originally posted by Elena
Israel has lost "moral superiority": Barak

I am curious to know, where this quote is from?

[cerulean]

I found the "moral superiority" story posted on the FreeRepublic site.

Israel has lost "moral superiority": Barak
Copyright 2002 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) / Wed, 3 Apr 2002 4:00:06 PST
</CLARI-ITEM HEADER>

HAMBURG, Germany, April 3 (AFP) - Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak warned in an interview released Wednesday that Israel has lost its "moral superiority" during the escalating conflict with the Palestinians.

"We have lost our moral superiority in the last few months," Barak told the German weekly magazine Stern in an interview released ahead of publication on Thursday.

"We cannot only be the stronger side. We must also be right."

Barak said a tarnished international image could diminish Israel's political power, adding that a military operation would not resolve its dispute with the Palestinians.

"(A military operation) can only be part of a more comprehensive policy. The other elements include the fight for unity among Jews and international legitimation for what we are doing."

He said it was not Israel's right to topple Yasser Arafat as leader of the Palestinians.

Barak said Israel must make it clear that its aim is not to "push Arafat to the wall and crush him...it is not our role to replace Arafat but rather that of the Palestinians themselves."

Peace talks between Barak and Arafat in the summer of 2000 sponsored by then US President Bill Clinton at Camp David failed to produce an agreement.

Israel has launched an all-out drive against the Palestinian leadership amid an unrelenting series of Palestininian suicide attacks on Israeli targets.</CLARI-ITEM STORY>

[cerulean]

This looks like the article in German:

http://www.stern.de/politik/spezial/nahost/artikel/?id=147914

You can use Babelfish at http://babelfish.altavista.com to come up with a reasonable translation.

[NewsGuy]

cerulean, Nice find. Thank you.


Elena:

Well, I am disappointed to see Barak's comments for a few reasons:

1. Even if these are Barak's ideas, it is inappropriate to be divisive at a time of war. By making these statements, Barak is harming the security if Israel by demoralizing the IDF.

2. Barak himself, with his delusions of being able to make peace with Arafat, and despite extremely dangerous concessions to the Arabs, has caused Palestinian terrorism to increase to the levels it is at today. Barak's utter and complete failure as prime minister and as peace negotiator is exactly what caused Sharon to be elected.

So now, Barak has no business speaking against the government's policies and criticising Israel. He should simply shut up and not interfere with the Israel's war for survival.

3. Barak needs to respect the democratic process in Israel and understand that he lost the elections and a new Prime Minister was elected, who represents the majority of the Israeli people.

4. Barak has announced recently that he has decided to run again for office, but he should not start his political campaign until election time.

Barak should not try to fulfill his own political objectives at the expense of the lives of the IDF soldiers who are at war with a bitter enemy of Israel.

[Flame]

Newsguy... considering the source.... it could be a total misquote or total invention as I have never heard this from him anywhere else.