I wouldn’t have believed it possible. Since the first day of the State of Israel, I have campaigned for the separation of stateand religion, the enactment of a constitution, civil marriage, the abolition of the Ministryof Religions. I have written hundreds of articles in Haolam Hazeh (the late newsmagazine,which I edited for many years), made … Read more
Dear Michal Oren, When you published your decision to form a group in order to found a new State of Israelsomewhere else, my first reaction was intense anger. Who does she think she is, this woman? Weare in he middle of a tough struggle for the character of our state, and she wants to desert? … Read more
The Book of Job, one of the most beautiful in the Bible, has become involved in a furiouspolitical debate, caused – once again – by the inimitable Rabbi Ovadia Josef, The book tells about a cruel game played by God and Satan. In order to prove Job’s loyalty, Godallows Satan to inflict terrible suffering on … Read more
“Where There Is No Vision, The People Perish…” You cannot jump over an abyss in two jumps – thus said David Lloyd-George, the Prime Ministerwho made the historic decision to liberate Ireland after centuries of British rule. Hejumped. Yitzhaq Rabin wanted to cross the abyss in many little jumps. He fell into the abyss. Ehud … Read more
For three transgressions of Barak, and for four, I will not turn away thereof *: because of thearrogance, the ignorance and the lack of leadership. System Message: WARNING/2 (<string>, line 1); backlink Inline emphasis start-string without end-string. (* Paraphrasing the Bible, Amos 1.) The arrogance: This is the disease of occupation officers. They are unable … Read more
“All the time we are giving up and get nothing in return!” Indeed, we are giving up a lot. The next war. New graveyards. Hundreds and perhaps thousands ofbereaved families, theirs and ours. Apart from those, we are not giving up anything. If I am taking by force somebody’s property,and then agree to give him … Read more
Uri Avnery: 15.7.00 The Suicide of the Knesset Experts on wildlife report the odd behavior of the lemmings, who commit collective suicide.When on the march, they do not stop at the edge of the sea but march straight on into the water anddrown. Lately, many members of the Knesset behave similarly. A new political system … Read more
Uri Avnery: 8.7.00 If Ehud Barak will come back from Camp David without an agreement, he can go straight home.There is no sense in his returning to his office in Jerusalem. He repeats constantly that he was elected “by the people” in order to make peace. Indeed, thatwas the one task that was on the … Read more
Uri Avnery: Uri Avnery: 3.7.00 “We shall use tanks and attack helicopters against the Palestinians,” declared the Chief ofStaff of the Israeli army. “Remember Karameh, remember Beirut, remember the Intifada,” retorted Yasser Arafat. (Karameh is a small town east of the Jordan river. Some months after the 6-days war, in which allthe Arab armies were … Read more
In every lunatic asylum, there is a closed ward for the dangerously ill, those liable to killthemselves or others. If the crazy structure of Israeli politics had such a ward, the leadersof the Meretz party, who have decided to leave the government, should be sent there. My e-mail has received many queries from anxious foreign … Read more