We've corresponded briefly before, Gideon. I wrote to alert you that Odd Karsten Tveit, the Norwegian broadcasting reporter who needs a haircut even more than I do, had used your opinion to promote a biased perspective of the security barrier. You responded tersely, and I realized later you were all in favor of the kind of bias Tveit promotes to the Norwegian public.
It's the kind of bias that makes it dangerous to be openly Jewish in Norway, but never mind. I'm writing to wish you a new year full of peace and progress, and to share with you my hopes more specifically.
I hope that there's a lot fewer deaths in 5765. I hope that the barrier makes further military incursions necessary. I hope that the Palestinians get the leaders they deserve and find ways to improve their lives. I hope that the settlements no longer feel like frontier outposts. I hope that there is plenty of rain, or that desalination plants go on line.
I hope I'm wrong in my pessimism about Arab leaders' interest in peace. I hope that Europeans stop using Israel as an excuse for hurting Jews.
I hope that morality is victorious, so that Israel doesn't have to keep making these awful choices. I hope that Sahron can have more of an ability to do what's right and not just what's politically implementable.
But there are things I fear, too.
I fear that terrorists breach the security barrier and kill lots of people. I fear Gaza may completely collapse when Israel withdraws, leading to civil war. I fear that Hizballah gets nuclear weapons from Iran and threatens Israel or one of the Arab neighbors. I fear that European antisemtism will get even more traction. I fear that this era follows not the exception but the rule in Jewish history.
Sent from my Blackberry
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