The Story You Aren't Hearing About Israel

Did you hear about the two policemen who stopped to help a driver stuck with a flat--and were shot to death in the head at point-blank range?

Did you know about the 120-kilogram bomb planted in a parking lot adjacent to a shopping mall where thousands of people were milling about the stores, restaurants, and movie theaters?

No, of course, you didn't. These are just two everyday incidents of the ordeal confronted by people in Israel while the world and the political leaders look away. Outrages like these do not make it into the Western media, which exhibit the familiar phenomenon of monitoring only the conflicts that are the flavor of the month. And when they do turn to Israel, sporadically, it is with the excitement of thinking they can expose Israeli wrongdoing: the New York Times just drummed up a front-page story alleging the deliberate murder of innocent civilians by Israeli soldiers during the Gaza war, a poorly investigated report that turned out to be yet another urban myth and then was shamefully corrected by the Times only on the inside pages and only by blaming Israel for the false report. (Remember another urban myth alleging thousands of citizens massacred in the battle against terrorism in Jenin in 2002 when it turned out no more than 54 died, most of them combatants?)

Ordinary Israelis despair of the cruel bias. The policemen died because Israel eased restrictions on movement in the Nablus area of the West Bank. Hundreds survived in the attack on the mall near Haifa only because a woman reported hearing an explosion. Security found it was a detonator that expired without setting off a car bomb that would have lacerated the crowds with sharp metal and ball bearings.

The willingness to give a free pass to terrorism was, of course, manifest most luridly in the Gaza war. Hamas fired thousands of rockets with the short-term aim of murdering as many innocent civilians as possible in the service of the longer-term ambition to terrorize Israel.

Then, when Israel finally responded (with military restraint and humanitarian aid), it was faced with world demands for an unconditional cease-fire. Ironically, the fiercest criticism in the Arab world about Israel's conduct in Gaza stems from Israel's failure to achieve a decisive victory, for the Arab world rightly perceives not Israel but Hamas as a threat: It knows full well that Hamas is a fifth column for Iranian influence.

Once the cease-fire was achieved, the world lost interest in Israel. Except that now, in a fit of selectively lethal amnesia, it is on the verge of providing the selfsame murderous Hamas with a huge influx of funding that will rebuild the authority of a terrorist organization dedicated to killing Jews.

The tragedy for the Palestinians as much as the Israelis is that they do not have leadership strong enough to make peace. Hamas wants perpetual war: No one can doubt that it aims not to have a two-state solution but to have a "no state" solution--that is, to have the State of Israel stop existing. For its part, "moderate" Fatah is hopelessly corrupt and weak and seemingly incapable of reform or of enforcing law and order on its people. That is why an Israeli-Palestinian peace remains a dream today and why what Israel can offer the Palestinians is less than what any Palestinian politician is willing or able to attempt.

Even the language of peace is eroding. The Palestinians say they support two states for two peoples but refrain from saying that one of those is the Jewish people. Most recently, a major Palestine Liberation Organization figure, Mohammed Dahlan, asserted that the Fatah movement hasn't even recognized Israel thus far and that the Palestinian Authority's apparent "recognition" of Israel is to make the PA "acceptable" to the international community, in order to bring in international aid. Who can trust that?

There is justification for the widespread Israeli concern that if a Palestinian state were established, power in Gaza, and then in the West Bank, would soon fall into the hands of Hamas. After all, Hamas won 44 percent of the vote and the mayoralty in several major cities in the last West Bank election. Another unreported fact that reflects on what would happen if Hamas won: The most credible of the Palestinian-run news operations, the Ma'an News Agency, has posted three listings involving a total of 181 persons--all Fatah people--shot by Hamas in Gaza since December 2008.

The Fatah party is facing an election within a year, which may well be won by Hamas. If the Iranian-supported Hamas ultimately succeeds in its 20-year effort to be the principal voice of Palestinian nationalism, Israel will have a neighbor that truly speaks for Iran's goal of seeing Israel "wiped off the face of the Earth."

In a "unity" government, Hamas would undoubtedly be integrated in the security services, which would end Palestinian-Israeli security cooperation covering the majority of the West Bank cities. Hamas wants Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to stop negotiations with Israel and to embrace the political program that allows for "resistance" -- in other words, violence.

No wonder the Palestinian Reconciliation Conference in Cairo ended in failure. Even the lure of billions of dollars in aid has not brought Fatah Sunnis in Judea and Samaria, i.e., the West Bank, any closer to Shiite supporters of Hamas in Gaza. These are two parallel lines that cannot meet, and this division will persist.

And what of Israeli leadership? Now Israel has Binyamin Netanyhu trying to form a cabinet. The world may be skeptical about the will and political ability of a more conservative Likud government to make historic and dramatic decisions that involve painful concessions to the Palestinians in the interest of a two-state solution, but history suggests otherwise. It was Menachem Begin's Likud government that brought about the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. It was Yitzhak Shamir's Likud government that began the peace process at the Madrid Conference in October of 1991. Netanyahu's Likud party and its reservations should not be dismissed lightly, for it was Netanyahu who predicted way back in 1994 that handing over territories to Palestinians would lead to the creation of a fundamental Islamic terrorist base adjacent to Israel.

Israel has taken many risks for peace. The response has been rocket fire, terrorism, more incitement, more vilification, more shedding of Israeli blood, and less security, not to mention an ongoing historic campaign to defame, denounce, denigrate, and delegitimize Israel in every international forum.

Contrary to many reports, Netanyahu has asserted that he is not opposed to a two-state solution, provided it does not put at risk the national security of the Jewish state. The key component would be a record of Palestinian determination and ability to fight terrorism and to live in peace with Israel. Like so many experts, Netanyahu feels that the chances of an enforceable, comprehensive arrangement are low to negligible. In the meantime, as a matter of law and order, he intends to oppose illegal settlements, be they in the West Bank or among Bedouins in Sinai. His major priority would be to promote prosperity on the West Bank, creating an incentive for the Palestinians to make a commitment to peace. He notes that Palestinians in the West Bank remained calm during the fighting in Gaza and didn't engage in mass protests.

Therefore, Netanyahu will focus on improving Palestinian life by lifting roadblocks (100 so far) and reducing checkpoints (they have gone down from 50 to 15) and making other improvements on the ground for the Palestinian community. In this he is supported by dovish Israeli President Shimon Peres, who now has doubts about Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza without first having established a peaceful and democratic Palestinian party to which it could hand the territory. That Palestinian party does not yet exist.

A Palestinian state cannot be created by terrorism. It can be created through the reformation of political and economic institutions so that they reflect democracy, market economics, and real actions to confront terrorism. When there is an effective, Palestinian-based security force with counterterrorism capability in the West Bank, the Israelis will then be prepared to withdraw their defense forces and the Shin Bet from operating there. Hence the importance of the U.S. effort, led by Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, to develop a decent Palestinian security force. The new units have been enforcing order in the cities of Jenin and Hebron, which had been basically lawless. But it is not enough to target car thieves and robbers. The critical counterterrorism ability of the Palestinian security forces is still limited; above all, they must have the will to target terrorist cells and their networks.

Two modest paramilitary forces have been trained to police crime and enforce public order, but not to uproot terror groups. In fact, the PA has increasingly offered safe haven to terror groups. Brig.-Gen. Radhi Assida, the PA National Security Forces (NSF) commander in Jenin, revealed to the Palestinian website Ma'an on January 24, 2009, that PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's NSF had agreed to provide protection to four senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists wanted by Israel. Assida also confirmed that PIJ operatives continue to receive monthly salaries from the PA Interior Ministry, just like their colleagues in the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades.

In the interim, Israel must not wait on events. Israel would be wise (despite the risks) to allow even freer movement in the West Bank; it should help to create more jobs and a better standard of living. Yes, the West must press Israel on these issues, but it must also press the Arab states. They should underwrite the training of PA security forces and invest sensibly in housing and agriculture.

Peace will come only when the Palestinians are liberated from their age-old hatred of Israel and Jews. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for many times, there must be teaching, preaching, and celebrating, from childhood on, that hatred, disrespect, violence, terrorism, anti-Semitism, and war against Israelis and Zionists are unacceptable. Today, it is exactly the opposite.

A great Middle East authority, Prof. Bernard Lewis, recently pointed out in Foreign Affairs how easily the West is misled. In contrast to reports in English, he writes, "the discourse in Arabic--in broadcasts, sermons, speeches, and school textbooks--is far less conciliatory, portraying Israel as an illegitimate invader that must be destroyed." Israel cannot make peace with those whose first priority is to blow up Israeli women and children and who deny the nation's right to exist. As Lewis puts it, "There is no compromise position between existence and nonexistence."

The sad but realistic fact is that we are much closer to the establishment of two Palestinian states, one in the West Bank and one in Gaza, than to reaching a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians.

Comments

[rabiddog6708]

Did you hear the one about Israel dropping a two ton bomb on an apartment building to target one Hamas leader? Of course, you did.....yo­u just chose to ignore it because it was Israel doing the bombing and not Hamas.

[Phoenixmoore]

Did you hear about Hamas shelling Israel from a location in the midst of children knowing Israel wouldn't retaliate, weeks before Israel actually did? Of course you did...you just chose to ignore it because it was Israel being bombed.

[phute]

Yes I heard it - from the Israeli propoganda machine.
But - did you hear the one about the correct use of white phosphorous?

[rabiddog6708]

You can find atrocities on both sides. I never claimed the Palestinians were blameless. But defenders of Israel like to pretend that they are right in every action, every position. They are by no means morally superior.

[louisamast]

Not really. I heard Hamas was shooting from helicopter that was paid by our tax money!

[joeinvt]

The Jews were more than satisfied with the small piece of land they occupied until an effort was made to drive them off of it. I agree that they have not handled the situation well since the wars of 1967 and 1973, but don't ignore the historical context.

[BubbaC33]

I believe we have handled ourselves quite well since the 1967 war.
What would you have us do differently?

[joeinvt]

If you were an Israeli, what would reassure you that your neighbors were not committed to your destruction? I know people don't want to hear about the Holocaust, and it should not qualify as an excuse for Israeli misbehavior, but it did teach Jews to take threats of their extermination seriously.

[from Idaho]

You need to read a little non-propaganda history of the area. Start with Israeli historian Avi Shlaim's "Iron Wall". Robert Fisk is also good at reporting what is going on. "The Israel Lobby" by Maersheim and Walt should be required reading for all voters. "The Iron Cage" by Rashid Khalidi is also considered excellent. Don't forget to read Jimmy Carter's book on the subject. There is plenty of solid historical background on the subject, but it takes a little work to find it, and it may not be easy to read it. It reminds me of what white man did to the Native Americans it his lust for this land.

[Motorinstructor]

Thanks for bringing home the truth that the press, by and large, is prejudiced against Israel. The sad thing is that the press would rather back a terrorist group such as Hamas rather than a democratically controlled country. They haven't learned as of yet that terrorism, once it spreads, is like a cancer that will eventually metastasize into their cities and countries. What will they do then when freedom of the press is taken away from their societies by these same terrorists who they love so much.

[TheFez]

You're blinding yourself to the fact that Israel's handling of Palestinians is the #1 cause of terrorism in the world, at this point in history. So what we have are two options:

1. Kill all non-Jewish Semitic people on Earth (and perhaps all remaining Muslims, "just to be safe").

2. Find a solution to this mess the Churchill, The U.N., and most importantly, The United States of America has crated in Israel/Palestine that is fair and just.

The first option is genocide, and the second gives Palestinians a State. So which are you promoting?

[uberlefty]

More pro Israel BS masquerading as balanced insight. Israel is based on the premise that Palestine was given to the Jews by god. There is no historical or archeological evidence that supports the Jews exclusive claim to this land. NONE. They came and evicted the natives and now want to finish the job with their genocidal forays into Gaza and Lebanon. If you call them out on it you are an anti-Semite Nazi. The days of the US and Europe subsidizing this debacle are coming to a close. Israel had better figure out how to make peace with the Palestinians before it is too late. My fear is that they will drag the rest of us into their Holy War.

[BubbaC33]

First, there is a large amount of archeological evidence that baks the Jewish claim to eretz Yisrael, you are wrong to claim otherwise.
Israeli incursions into Lebanon and Gaza were the result of attacks by Arab terrorists. Israel did not attack either with any imperialistic designs, the attacks were made to stop terrorism against Israel.
My fear is someone with a weak mind might actually believe the stuff you have posted.

[zaz33]

BubbaC33 - There is no written or physical evidence of the exodus. This is not even an issue any longer. Europeans don't belong in the Middle East.

[special muppet]

There is plenty of archeological evidence that backs Iranian or Syrian claims to most of the Middle East too. Heck, you can find that pretty much any dynasty from antiquity can lay claim to someone elses country.

However, iron age archeology and Biblical prophesies are no basis for a claim to territory.

Can you in all fairness say that an Eastern European immigrant of Jewish decent has more claim to Palestinian land than a native whose family can trace back ten generations?

We all want to see an end to terrorism. The answer is to give the Palestinians their state, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Give them hope and a means to self determination. Then there will be peace.

[Sentientbeing09]

Killing soldiers and others who are occupying your land by military force isnt terrorism.

Shooting soldiers who are marching through your neighborhood with loaded and drawn guns or demolishing your house with an armored bulldozer isnt terrorism.

[Taxi]

And do please pray tell us all exactly where this 'evidence' is....

.... we're waiting...­. we've been waiting...­. and waiting... and waiting...­..

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[almazza98]

actuallt the evidence I have seen shows the Palestinians have been there for centuries, which include Palestinian Jews. None of the evidence shows European Jews were there. Please show me what you have seen.

[pburman505]

And the white man's occupation of the USA is based on the colonists belief in manifest destiny. The land you live on was stolen from the Native American Indians from the 1700's and continuing through the 1900's. But I don't see you offering to move your self back to where ever you came from. And what about the white men in New Zealand and Australia, who stole their land from the natives? And what about the tens of MILLIONS of Hindus and Muslims who were uprooted from their native lands and resettled when Pakistan was carved out of India in 1947? Jews have always been the indigenous people of the land of Israel, going back 3,000 years. It's an archeological fact. Jews were the majority population in Jerusalem for decades. That's why the British proposed, first in 1917's Balfour decree and a few years later in the White Paper, dividing the land the way they divided it. So your post is the BS and you'd do well to educate yourself.

[special muppet]

It isn't helpful to compare what Israel has done with the history of New World countries. Really, there is little comparison. I don't want to trivialize the worst of colonialism, but Israel didn't displace an aboriginal people, it displaced a modern society - confiscating their homes and their farms.

In 1922, Jews were just 11% of the population of Palestine. By the end of WWII it was 33%. Between then and now, Palestine has been "wiped off the map" by Israel.

I believe in Israel's right to exist. I believe it could become a role model for the rest of the world. But before it can acheive it's potential, it must make serious steps towards justice for the Palestinians.

[TheFez]

I'd be curious what your reaction would be if the U.N. passed a resolution giving each Native American tribe a significant portion of each State of the Union. It'd be a lot more just than what happened in Israel, as we Immigrants have actually practiced genocide and oppression against the Native Americans for centuries.

How would you handle that?

Of course it's all hyperbole because, without US backing, UN resolutions they may as well be written in the sand between low and high tides. Lucky us, eh? Ah well, tough luck, Palestine.

(Incidentally, you are making assumptions about NZ based on US and Aus history, and the Paheka of NZ are not deserving of that association. Read about Treaty of Waitangi and the Tribunal.)

[louisamast]

You mean controlling the ME oil wasn't the main goal?

[jorge999]

"... My fear is that they will drag the rest of us into their Holy War..." (uberlefty)

Alas, they already have.

[Ruth Gretzinger]

are all you people crazy? I don't usually read huffpo and I must say I'm appalled to see how many anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, moral-equi­valence-ab­ove-all comments there are here,

Israel is not going anywhere. Israel in point of fact was established by the United Nations, that useless body that you libs seem to adore so much. no matter how much you would like to see innocent Jews slaughtered by the millions, that's not going to happen. so the Palestinians can decide to stop fighting and start building, or they can continue the cycle of violence and hatred they thrive on.

all the writer is saying is that Israel must know that they're negotiating with an enemy that truly wants peace, not just destruction. clearly we're not at that point yet. I don't get why you can't see how rational that is. you all sound like such vindictive haters.

the funny thing is, I bet you're the same people I see at Whole Foods, with the Birkenstocks and the peace signs on the Volvo, the same people who think George W. Bush was hate-filled. yeah...you show'em what true peaceful people sound like.

[coad5]

Thats funny I thought that the true Semites were mostly Arabs, as most of the so-called Semites came from Eastern Europe. Its one thing to steal one's land but their ethnicity too, wow!!

[BubbaC33]

Anti-Semitism has come to refer to unfair criticism of Jews.

[phute]

Why do you feel the need to equate criticism of Israel with anti Semitism?

[Sentientbeing09]

Laziness and force of habit!

[BubbaC33]

When someone attacks Israel by holding it to a different standard and then attacking it because it is the Jewish homeland that is anti-Semitic.

[CarlyHope]

Personally, I only define it as anti-semitic when it uses age old Jewish stereotypes to make the claim. Example of a reasonable criticism: "Israeli settlements are hurting palestinians and should be stopped" Example of anti-semitism " Jews are taking over congress and using their unfair influence to take over the world and help Israel"

Seem reasonable enough?

[Sentientbeing09]

Theres no anti-semitism here.

Either back up your accusation or retract it IMMEDIATELY.

[coad5]

I second that.

[skialethia]

She means criticism. No one can criticize Israel.

[TheFez]

You are histrionic. People calling for a 2-state solution are not calling for a slaughter of millions of Jews. Your paranoia is not attractive, persuasive or effective.

Think about how you use the term 'anti-Semitic' because you might actually need it one day to combat real problems and find that you wore it out flailing against rational people speaking rationally.

[misaacm]

They only call for a two state solution in English, in Arabic they scream "death to the Jews". Check out MEMRI.org. A two state solution is the only solution, but the Arabs aren't interested and they are playing the left for suckers.

[jorge999]

TheFez

Very well said.

[Freenation]

anti-Semitic, anti-Semitic, anti-Semitic say it some more times and we will all agree with Mort's article...­grow up...face the reality, occupying in 21st century is the biggest blot and disgrace in the whole world...

[CarlyHope]

FINALLY!

Good Job Mort. Israelis want peace, but are not willing to sacrifice their lives for it any longer. Thank you for such a wonderful, well thought out logical piece!

[azbird]

I like you Carly.

[CarlyHope]

Why thanks!

[zius]

Peace will come only when the Palestinians are liberated from the Israeli's age-old occupation­... (worth a repost...I­MHO)....

[BubbaC33]

Arabs living in Palestine would have taken it as an insult to be referred to as Palestinian until around 1964. Until that year Arabs would have self-identified as Syrian or by the birth nation of their fathers. Only after 1964, when it became politically expedient to claim a new identity did arabs claim to be "palestini­an."

[almazza98]

BULL CRAP. Bubba I am not going to let you define who the Palestinians are. What you said is completely a LIE.

[marco01]

That's all the justification I need! Those so-called Palestinians have no right to live on the land they've been living on for centuries just because of a name!

[CarlyHope]

But if peace comes with the dismantling of settlements, why is Hamas still bombing from Gaza. Why has not a single gesture of good will been made as a result?

[Sentientbeing09]

Dismantling of settlements is a legal requirement.

Israel are obliged to follow the law without condition. The actrions of Hamas or any other organisation is irrelevant and unrelated.

[Eduardodelazul411]

Bernard Lewis is heavily biased against Islam. I would strongly advise against using any of his words as a point of reference.

[dem 01]

Speaking of Bernard Lewis, who is a j.e.w, edited some web pages on wikipedia, and most importantly pages related to not his religion but to one that he hates most.

[Peter Mrozik]

Can't we just make Israel the 51st State and stop pretending that anything other than that is the case?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

Your suggestion is a non-starter. The reason why this is not practical is that it then would have no more power than any of our 50 States.

[Sentientbeing09]

Israel would then have to pay taxes instead gaining 3 billion dollars in cash aid every year.

It wouldnt be worth their time. The status quo is much more favorable.

[BubbaC33]

Egypt gets about the same amount of US aid each year. And when you total up all the US aid for Arabs it far surpasses the amount given to israel. Plus, the US has fought a number of wars for Arabs and in Israel we fight our own wars.

[Sentientbeing09]

Youre adding up ALLTHE AID GIVEN TO EVERY COUNTRY in the Middle East and comparing it to Israels yearly handouts?

Ha Ha!

[zius]

"Peace will come only when the Palestinians are liberated from their age-old hatred of Israel and Jews"

this statement is so wrong....

it should be...

"peace will come only when the palestinians are liberated from the Israeli's age-old ocupation"

you deliberately try to ignore the source of the problem ....occupa­tion..

[paulfree17]

Israel occupied no other country and lived within its mandated borders between 1948 and 1967. During that time it was attacked on at least 3 occasions before it was able to drive the attacking forces back in 1967.

And lest you forget in 1967 Israel also occupied the Sinai peninsula and after the courage of Sadat and Begin and the overt recognition if Israel by Egypt, Israel withdrew its forces from the Sinai. If the Palestinians want to find their own Sadat I am sure a similar arrangement could be worked out.

Besides , if the US was attacked and we sent troops to defend ourselves do you seriously think we would pull back all of our troops while the same people who attacked us were still in charge of the government?

Heck the US is still occupying Iraq and we will probably be in Afghanistan for a long haul. it is hypocritical to expect the US to defend itself while not expecting Israel to do the same.

[zius]

we are not building illegal settlements and driving people out of their land.....
we need peace .....not outdated arguments

[zaz33]

Four paragraphs and I already see a potential bias.

2 policemen shot - I don't believe this crime has been solved. The assumption is the crime was committed by Palistinians. I'm not sure the MSM in the US would report a crime this way without being accused of discrimination.

The unexploded bomb at the mall. Also unsolved as I understand it. There was an enormous amount of criticism in Haaretz about the security at the mall. With ALL that security, how could this vehicle have gotten through. Hmmmm.

I don't know who committed these crimes, but I do know that assumptions don't cut it.

[BubbaC33]

Is it uncomfortable to have your head in the sand?

[altohone]

Geez.
Mort mentions the coming elections in occupied Palestine and says roughly "Israel will have a neighbor..­. supported by Iran".

The election won't create a "neighbor".

Neighbors don't occupy your land by military force.

You have to be neighborly to have neighbors.

Besides, Lebanon is already next door... hasn't brought about the catastrophe that would justify another pre-emptive war of choice based on lies and fear... why would a Palestinian state where a democratic majority rules be any riskier?


Any chance American interests will be considered EVER?
Or say the concept of justice?

[Rachel1990]

Look, it's okay that you have an agenda--it's CLEAR as day that you think Isreal can and should do anything anywhere anytime, and that the country has shown enormous restraint by not annihilating the Palestinian people. But when you ACT like you are approaching the subject with anything resembling intelligence and fairness, it is laughable. Any reader can see you practically frothing at the mouth as you write. For those of us who are not invested in one side or the other of this controversy, reading your articles does a wonderful job of making the case against Isreal. I for one would really like to read more unbiased, thoughtful and INTELLIGENT arguments on both sides. Not getting that from you. Ever, apparently.

[zaz33]

Rachel1990 -

I read Haaretz News every day and I don't think they would print this article.

[BubbaC33]

Haaretz is as accurate as Drudge.

[TTM]

"Peace will come only when the Palestinians are liberated from their age-old hatred of Israel and Jews."

I think the hate started when illegal immigrants came in and ethnically cleansed them from their land.

[joeinvt]

Almost every indigenous Jew (all 1 million or so of them) living in the Muslim countries of the Mid-east has been "ethnically cleansed" over the course of the past century and of those many have taken refuge in Israel, which also has an indigenous Jewish population. The situation is much more complicated than your comments suggest.

[TheFez]

Time for paybacks, am I right? We all know 2 wrongs make it right as long as the second wrong is disproportionate in scope and against the wrong people.

[FairTalk]

The comment you are not hearing, because it still has not been posted after hours of pending approval:

What does Israel plan to do about Nakba?

You see, Mort, from my perspective, the hangup tp peace is resolving issues relating to Nakba. Either a two state solution, where the palestineans have their own country, not a Ghetto run by Israel, OR a true democracy of Israel, where everyone hes equal rights will work, but only if the right of return is addressed in a meaningful way, and resolved. So, if I may sum up this with one word, it is not terrorism, it is Nakba. Fine a solution to that, and Israel is home free.