“Not for nothing did the starling go to the raven — being of his ownkind” — so says the Talmud (Babah Kamah), adding: “Birds of a feathershall flock together, and so shall man with his own kind.”
When speaking of Slobodan Milosevic and Ariel Sharon, the saying poses aproblem: “Slobo” and “Arik” — which is the starling and which is theraven? Perhaps one should be content with the saying “Each to his own,”so that there would be no need for the “rating” of these two greathumanitarians.
In contrast to Binyamin Netanyahu, Sharon has not even made the effort toconceal his sympathy for the political objective of Milosevic: To preventat all costs the establishment of the State of Kosova (as the Albanianscall it) and even autonomy. Sharon claims that it would lead to “GreaterAlbania,” which would serve as a base for “Islamic terror.” By the way,as early as 11 years ago, when Milosevic was just beginning his campaignof incitement against the Kosovo Albanians, Sharon made a statement to animportant Belgrade newspaper, saying, “We stand together with you againstthe Islamic terror.”
There is no point in arguing with this viewpoint, which stems, among otherreasons, from monumental ignorance. The Kosovo Albaniansmay be very close to the neighboring Albania, but they aredifferent. They want to be a separate entity, because they believe –perhaps with some measure of arrogance — that they are a moreadvanced branch on the Albanian family tree, richer and moreeducated. And as far as the “Islamic terror” — it exists solely inSharon’s racist imagination. “The Kosovo Liberation Army” is not aterrorist group but a liberation organization. It was born onlyafter Milosevic — with Sharon’s encouragement 11 years ago –single-handedly voided the autonomy enjoyed until then by Kosovounder the wise Tito.
Sharon is also afraid of a precedent. If the Americans and the Europeansinterfere today in the matter of Kosovo, what is to prevent them fromdoing the same tomorrow in the matter of Palestine? Sharon has made itcrystal-clear to the world that there is a similarity and perhaps evenidentity between Milosevic’s attitude toward Kosovo and the attitude ofNetanyahu and Sharon toward the Palestinians. That is the very reason whyat the Foreign Ministry there is anger towards Sharon, their chief,and vehement denials of such allegations.
Behind these slogans, there undoubtedly lies Sharon’s wish to be liked bythe Russians and to scare off the Americans. Why? Sharon is furious withClinton and Albright for demonstrating some sympathy for the Palestiniansas well, and believes that it would scare the Americans to see Israelgoing to play on Russian playgrounds. Machiavelli would have diedlaughing.
But behind all of this, I believe that there is a deep psychologicalmotive. Sharon’s and Milosevic’s inner worlds have much in common: Ninemonths before his invasion of Lebanon, Sharon explained to me hisintention to expel half a million Palestinian refugees from Lebanonto Syria, where they would be pushed out into Jordan, there to toppleKing Hussein and establish a Palestinian State in Jordan. (Ipublished this information back in 1981.) The massacre in therefugee camps of Sabra and Shatilla by the Phalangists was intendedto lead to just such a mass exodus. (Just as the massacre at DirYassin led to the mass flight of Palestinians from Israel.) TheState Board of Inquiry put an “indirect responsibility” for themassacre on Sharon and kicked him out of the Ministry ofDefence.
By Sharon’s own words, he now sees a close connection between Kosovo andPalestine. As such, he is practically inviting international interventionin the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If NATO wins in Yugoslavia — andfor the sake of all of humanity it must win! — it could be aself-fulfilling prophecy.