The Holy Man of Migdal Ha' Emek

July 2, 2008 -

Today we visited with Rev Yitzhak Grossman of Migdal Ohr, in the city of Migdal Ha’ Emek. Migdal Ha’ Emek is a development town, initially built primarily for immigrants from Eastern Europe and Northern Africa. It has had a checkered history, starting out in the 1950s as a town filled with crime, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse and a severe lack of faith. Migdal Ha’ Emek was a very dangerous place.

The Disco Rabbi

This brings us to Rev (Rabbi) Yitzhak Grossman. When I met him, it was very clear that I was in the presence of an exceptionally holy man, a man of unusual caring. The Rev decided after the Miracle of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, when Jerusalem was delivered to the Jews, that he would give his life to G-d in such a way that he would make a meaningful difference. He told us that he could have become an assistant Rabbi at a nice Yeshiva or Synagogue in Jerusalem and have had a comfortable life. Instead, he arrived in Migdal Ha’ Emek in 1968, because G-d told him people needed him there. He asked where the Yeshiva was and where were all of the kids who were supposed to be there for prayer and learning. He was told to go to the streets and the discos to find them.

So that is what he did, even though he did not know what a disco was. He found them there and became known as the “Disco Rabbi”. The footage of this Orthodox Jewish Rabbi dancing with kids and showing them that he was willing to reach out to them is amazing. He found that these children were not loved nor cared for. They were not in school and no one was educating their minds or their souls. He decided that he would provide them with the educational and spiritual nourishment that they needed. Rev Grossman first took in 18 children from the streets and clothed, taught and protected them. He convinced neighbors to house other orphans and foster children that he was saving off of the streets and out of broken homes. Ultimately he built a campus for them.

Migdal Ohr

Forty years later, Rev Grossman proudly took us on a tour of his school campus at Migdal Ohr . It is now home, school and synagogue to 6,500 boys and girls of all ages, from toddler to 2 years post high school. These children come from all over Israel and learn important values that they take with them forever. He graduates 650 children a year now, many of whom leave school to meet their military obligation as officers. To date, Migdal Ohr has graduated over 15,000 children from the 30 types of schools on the campus.

Prison Rehabilitation Program

He has developed the most effective prison rehabilitation program in the country in the local jail. The program is such a success that it is now used in other Israeli prisons. He introduced us to a young man who was so thankful for the Rev having saved his life. After completing eleven years in jail, as well as surviving a broken home with alcohol abuse, he went into the Yeshiva and became a Rabbi. He now works at Migdal Ohr and prays every day that the Rabbi can continue doing for others what the Rabbi did for him.

Helping National Defense

In the Second Lebanon War in 2006, the campus of Migdal Ohr had to be evacuated because of the rocket attacks. One of his graduates had been called up for active duty and, along with 800 other soldiers, was housed in an unused warehouse in Tel Aviv with no air conditioning in sweltering heat. Without hesitation, he told them to use Migdal Ohr’s campus. When the soldiers arrived around midnight, he sent them all into the pool, had food and music for them and provided them with spare clothing. He made them understand how they were revered for their service to Israel, and that they were loved. He told them that all 800 would come back safely from Lebanon. Several weeks later upon their return from Lebanon, all 800 of them were greeted at Migdal Ohr with another party!

Migdal Ha’ Emek today

Rev Grossman thanked us for coming. He said our visit was a confirmation of the work that they are doing every day. He stated unequivocally that you cannot save a town or a village without first saving the children. He said that “I collect kids to give them souls and to make a better Israel”.

Today Migdal Ha’ Emek is a different place, with over 75 manufacturing plants, low unemployment and a better, safer community. Without the efforts of the Disco Rabbi over the last forty years, this city would still be the small, tough, hopeless development town it was in the 1950s and 1960s.

Lessons Learned

The power of one man to take risks to turn around a community is a lesson that could be extrapolated to many towns throughout the Middle East, the West Bank and Gaza. If only one brave imam or one brave teacher would start to change the hearts and minds of the Palestinian children, so that they could believe that they were valued and loved and that they will have a good life, it could be the tipping point that could make peace in the Middle East achievable.

Former Homeland Security Minister Uzi Landau Briefing

We met with Dr. Landau in Sderot on July 1, 2008. He guided us through the community to an outlook over the Gaza showing us the Security wall and how close the Gaza is to the surrounding communities. He showed us a school with half of the roof with reinforced steel that can withstand the current generation of missiles. If there is an alarm sounded while the children are in class or outside for recess, those teaching in one side of the building or overseeing the kids at recess must hustle their children over to the protected side of the school within 15 seconds. I cannot imagine what must run through a parent's mind as they drop their child off in the morning for school.

Landau took us to a neighboring kibbutz to show us the damage and the trauma that you can see in the children's faces. This kibbutz has had numerous hits, with one death and many near misses. One rocket fell about 40 feet from the day care center. Fortunately the kids were inside napping, or the loss of life could have been catastrophic. I am attaching a picture showing a map with the sites where missiles and rockets have hit in the last several years. Just imagine that you were living in Brookline and the good people of Brighton were launching missiles at you. Well, that is everyday life in Sderot and all of the towns in Israel surrounding the Gaza. It should not be allowed.

After a long and distinguished career in public service, Uzi Landau quit the Knesset recently over the government's handling of the Hamas terror launched from the Gaza. As the former Homeland Security Minister, Dr. Landau is as qualified as anyone in the country to brief us on the security issues facing the people of Sderot and the surrounding region. Having Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge with us enabled us to have an even more thorough briefing. Landau was asked why more people do not leave. He said that "If we leave today, then Ashkelon will be next, followed by Ashdod and finally Tel Aviv. That is why we stay, even under these circumstances"

Landau was very clear and was echoed by the more than 50 people with whom we met and spoke in the market and kibbutz where we visited after the briefing. The Israeli government needs to reenter the Gaza and stop the terrorism, if the cease fire fails. Dr. Landau said, "We have a truce, but a rocket was fired on us yesterday. We need to listen to our enemies. They say that they intend to destroy us, so we should hear what they say." The other people with whom we spoke reiterated their frustration as a result of the lack of retaliation by the political leaders to authorize IDF intervention.

Most of these people with whom we spoke feel that Israel is too concerned with how the world will perceive them as the bully and the terrorists as victims, rather than Israel simply looking out for its own interests. The terrorists launch their attacks on Israel from day care centers, schools, hospitals and other clearly civilian structures. They want the IDF to respond and kill civilians, so that they can play victim. To paraphrase Prime Minister Golda Meir, if only the Palestinians cared as much about their children, women , elderly and sick as the IDF cares about the Palestinians most vulnerable, there would be a chance for peace.

Minister Landau said that there are two different views about the security of Israel that are fundamentally and diametrically opposed to each other. One group believes that Israel is in a conflict with the Palestinians over territory, that the Palestinian attackers are guerrilla fighters, not terrorists, that these are Israel's workers and employees. Many consider this approach untenable. Until such time as those Palestinians who disagree with the Muslim extremists are willing to take the risks that many have taken throughout history when faced with murderous tyranny, and have made the ultimate sacrifice, dying for their cause, this accomodationist approach will never bring peace: the Refusniks in the USSR, many of whom now live in Israel; Desmond Tutu and the many who opposed apartheid; Lech Walesa and Solidarity in Poland.

The opposite view is that until the leadership changes, we (and it should be driven by the United States and Europe, since they provide so much of the money) change education and dismantle the terror structures, there is no chance for peace. We are in a state of war between Arab Palestinians (and much of the rest of the Arab world) and Israelis over Israel's right to exist. If we do not believe that this extreme view is held by so-called mainstream (which means that they are not totally radical and over the edge) is the agenda of many Arab nations, then look at the 8 Million Christian Copts in Egypt, the 8-15 Million Sudanese under almost daily attack and torture, or the Kurds in Iran and Iraq. When you add in Muslim radicalism, an already difficult situation is exacerbated.

Dr. Landau believes that the objective should be victory, victory at all costs, not accommodation. In the Middle East, there is no mercy for the weak. From my meetings with the people of Israel, even those who say they are moderates, feel it is imperative that Israel must remain strong in order to eventually find peace.

Visiting Sderot was an eye-opening experience as to the life-threatening stress that many Israelis live under every day. It is a situation that we would never tolerate in America, and we Americans should not expect the Israelis to have to endure such consistent attacks. Those who believe that if only the Israelis will make one more concession, there will be peace, are hopelessly and dangerously naive.

Khaled Abu-Toumeh of the Jerusalem Post

Khaled Abu-Toumeh is an Israeli citizen, who is a Palestinian Arab Muslim. He is a writer for the Jerusalem Post. He said that “I say what average Palestinians are afraid to say.”

Biography

Khaled started with the PLO on their funded newspaper for 7 years. He went back to school and then decided to work with international journalists. Ironically, reporters prefer to live in Israel and then travel to the Arab world to report, even when they are slamming Israel for its behavior and reporting on the plight of the Palestinians and the Arabs. In addition to writing for the Jerusalem Post and being published in other newspapers, such as the Wall Street Journal amongst others, he is a consultant to foreign reporters who need escorts into the West Bank. When attacked by Palestinians and Arabs for working for “those dirty Jews”, he said he responds that “I am just a journalist who will work for whomever lets me express myself freely.”

Yasir Arafat and the PLO

Khaled’s anger at Arafat and the United States (for its failure to hold Arafat accountable) is palpable. His comments included:

1. $6.5 Billion (yes, Billion) in aid went down the drain. Nothing was built, no hospitals, no schools, no roads. Arafat’s wife received a monthly stipend of $100,000 to support her in Paris.
2. The United States and the West should have used their money to require that the education be cleaned up and no longer teach that Israel does not exist that the Jews are only occupying their land until the Palestinians can drive or bomb them into the sea.
3. People were drawn into the arms of Hamas and Islamic Jihad by Arafat’s corruption and incompetence.
4. Arafat radicalized the Palestinians, while taking Western and Israeli money. Arafat was inciting hatred for the Crusaders and the Jews, so that the Palestinians would not focus on his theft and incompetence. [We should listen to what our enemies are saying, not to what we wish they were saying.]
5. Arafat used the Sharon visit to the Holy sites on the Temple Mount to further incite the Palestinians (even though Sharon’s visit was for internal Israeli political reasons), launching the Intifada. The Intifada resulted in almost 1,000 Jews and over 5,000 Palestinians dying to divert attention from Arafat’s corruption.
6. "The only good thing Arafat did was dying."

The Current Situation

1. The poverty in Gaza and the West Bank is overwhelming. The United States has no one else to blame but itself for not requiring any accountability for the Billions (yes, Billions) of Dollars sent to the Palestinian Authority and the PLO.
2. Abbas – In 2005, Abbas ran on a plank that he was going to clean up the financial corruption, but he did nothing. The United States did not require that he do so.
3. Hamas – In 2006, Hamas ran on a platform that it would clean up the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Many people voted for Hamas because they believed in their radical ideology of destroying Israel, but many others voted for them simply because they believed they could not be worse than the Palestinian Authority.
4. Why did the United States so miss the election results? Over 500 Palestinians have died in the last two years over power and money.
5. The United States strengthened Hamas by opposing it.
6. The Palestinian Authority is powerless and still corrupt, so there is no partner with whom to negotiate a peace. Hamas will continue to win the elections, and even might win in the West Bank in the coming elections.
7. Gaza – Now there are de facto two states, but two Palestinian states. Gaza has a very radical government that does and will continue to kill moderate Muslims.

Next Steps

1. Israel and the West need to tell the Palestinian Authority to go away and clean up its house. After it has done that, then come back and negotiate a peace. Any agreement now will not be worth the paper upon which it is printed.
2. Israel built good universities from a physical plant perspective, but the message being taught is bad. We have a right to demand that the education not be anti-West and anti-Jew.
3. Gaza – All Israel can do is look after its security. Israel made a mistake leaving Gaza. Israel going back into Gaza will only make it worse. Hamas does not care how many Palestinians die.
There has to be a separation of Jews and Muslims.

Conclusions

In closing his rather depressing assessment of any real hope (there is that word again) of peace in the region, he said that he is optimistic in that a majority of Israelis support a two state solution, even giving up part of Jerusalem. Based on my limited exposure to Israelis (in the hundreds over my visits), I agree that Israelis want peace, but not at any cost or with any significant concessions. I have not heard a majority willing to give up any of Jerusalem.

Khaled gave us a very interesting perspective. I can only look forward to the United States and the West starting to hold the Palestinians accountable for how our money is spent and how the Palestinian children are educated. If we do not do this, there is little or no reasonable expectation that peace or coexistence in any meaningful way can occur.

Caroline Glick Briefing

June 30, 2008 Luncheon

Caroline Glick is an Israeli-American and the Deputy Managing Editor of the Jerusalem Post. She is the author of a recent book, The Shackled Warrior. In a very harsh criticism of accomodationist approaches, her first statement to us was that, rather than the audacity of hope being a mantra for leadership, she thinks that it is the audacity of basing decisions on hope that will lead us to disaster.

She felt that we are in the midst of a policy collapse, first with the American decision to recognize North Korea with no real elimination of nuclear proliferation. In fact, she said that there were North Koreans in Syria working on its nuclear facility when the facility was destroyed by the Israelis last September. So what did the US receive for its recognition of North Korea?

She followed up with a discussion of the Israeli prisoner swap which had been approved by the Israeli Cabinet yesterday. She said the difficulty is that one side believes in the Sanctity of Life (Israel) and the other believes in the Sanctity of Death (the Palestinians and Arabs). Trading four live prisoners and 200 terrorists bodies and, in effect, agreeing to close the terrorist grave yard for the bodies of two brave Israeli soldiers is a collapse of the policy of not negotiating with terrorists. She believes that there will be long-term consequences as a result of the government’s negotiations.

One of the difficulties today is that the West has allowed the Muslims to use our standards against ourselves in counterproductive ways. For example, it is not racist to talk about the abuses of Islam by a not insignificant minority that is supported (either actively or by silent approval) by a majority of Muslims. We need to listen to these Muslims, since they are the ones who at least appear to be speaking for the majority and acting out in ways that threaten all of us in the West. To allow anyone who challenges Muslim behavior or statements to be called a racist is falling into the audacity of hope.

To allow the NEA to fund “art” of fecal matter and urine being splattered on a picture of Jesus Christ and have people say that you cannot interfere with the free expression and then to have the same people condone the Muslim response to some cartoons in a Danish newspaper is ridiculous.

After Glick’s depressing view of where we are today, she left us with where she thinks we need to go:

1. Respect our enemies. Believe what they say. Listen to their statements and not what you wish they would say.

2. Make the case against radical Islam, regardless of the consequences. Failure to do so will abdicate our responsibilities to future generations and hand over countries to the radicals.

3. Make the necessary sacrifices, like the United States is doing in Iraq and Afghanistan. If not, the West and our way of life will be in a constant defensive battle.

4. Do not fall for the Audacity of Hope. Require some substance, knowledge and experience in our leaders.

Visit to Sderot and Gaza

July 1, 2008 - Sderot is a small town of 20,000 people about a mile from the Southeast corner of the Gaza Strip. We are vi sting there to better understand the security issues that everyday Israelis suffer as a consequences of the unilateral departure of Israeli military forces from the Gaza and Gaza's takeover by Hamas.

We knew today would be different when 15 minutes outside Sderot we were told how to respond if we heard the red alarm announcing that a missile had been launched. Once the alarm is sounded, you have less than 15 seconds to find protective cover. We were told that if we were in the bus to stay there. If outside, we should find shelter. All of the bus shelters in Sderot have been rebuilt, so that one can take cover in them. Our guide went through the entire list to include that if you should be caught out in the open, that you should lie down on the ground and cover your head.

Hearing this warning for the first time is like hearing the flight safety warning for the very first time for what you should do if your plane goes down in the water or there is a crash . We have all become so used to it, that we tune it out when it plays on the plane. But just try to remember what it was like the first time you heard it. We looked at each other with a look that said, "we knew why we were coming here, but are you kidding?"

We entered Sderot which looks like any development town here in Israel. The only differences are the shelters alongside the road to protect people from the missiles and rockets and the reinforced roofing to help protect from at least the next few generations of missiles. In addition many of the buildings have clearly noticeable shrapnel damage.

We arrived at the Town Hall to meet Former Homeland Security Minister Dr. Uzi Landau. With former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge along as an additional expert, our briefing was very informative. We will post the briefing information in our next blog.

Memorium Board to the Israeli Dead

In the meeting room is a Memoriam Board to the 15 people killed by the indiscriminate missiles shot by Hamas and their allies at civilian targets. An old small Kassim missile piece lies on the floor. Over 500 people have been injured. One of the victims was a young boy who had just arrived at school. Another was a grandfather who had just dropped off his grandson and decided to sit on a park bench to take in the beautiful morning. Another was a young man in his car on his way to his job. We have pictured the Memoriam Board above on the left.

What is striking is that the people still stay here and that the Israelis tolerate the evil thrown at them from the Palestinians. The stories of each person, even recollecting them now as I write this note, makes me feel sad and angry at the same time.

The Missiles:

Former Minister Uzi Landau brought us by the Police Station, where we saw about five months worth of the missiles. Every missile that falls in the region is brought to this police station. Over 6 truck loads of missile remnants have already been trucked off. We are including pictures of a rocket manufactured in Iran and fired on the town by the Palestinians and also of what a small portion of the remnants look like. Remember that much of the rocket explodes on impact and that the amount shown represents less than 15% of the total that have been fired at the civilians of Sderot.

Gaza:

We drove to an outlook overlooking Gaza, which was less than a mile from the border. While standing there, around 50 yards from the nearest home behind us, it is clear the danger that these people face very day. The security fence is clearly visible, as are the sensor towers. While standing there and realizing that should a Palestinian terrorist break through the security wall, that he could be in Sderot within five to ten minutes. It is very difficult for the Israeli Defense Force (the IDF) to respond to attacks from the Gaza, since the Palestinians usually launch their rocket attacks from schools, hospitals and other locations that put civilian lives at risk. They know that the IDF code of engagement requires the IDF to limit their response in such a way to mitigate civilian casualties.

Golda Meir once said that the Israel-Arab conflict will not end until Arabs care for their children as much as the Israelis care for Arab children. That statement is so accurate to describe the heinous actions of Hamas and the Palestinians ,who put their children at risk every day, children in whose lives they place no value.

Here are the consequences of the missile attacks:

1. Welfare: Sderot was a development town where many immigrants first came upon their arrival to Israel. It had a tough beginning, but had made much progress, dramatically reducing welfare and unemployment. Social services have jumped back up from 8% of the population (a number low by European and Israeli standards, though high by American standards) to over 30% due to the strains put on the community.


2. Loss of Population: Over 3,500 people have left, many without selling their homes. Most could not sell them, and others hope that the Israeli government will do something (anything) to eliminate the missile attacks, so that they can return to their homes.
   
3. Security: Security problems are extremely threatening, because more effective rockets are creating havoc. Katusha rockets are already being used. There have been 7,000 rockets over the last 7 years. The rockets are becoming ever more dangerous, with kill radiuses increasing from 5-10 yards to 50-75 yards.
   
4. Psychological damage: People often head to the shelters 20 times a day. The damage to the psyche is unbelievable. Around half the adults are considered to be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 100% of the children are suffering from trauma. The potentially catastrophic consequences are unknown today, but most certainly will lead to most of the children leaving as soon as they can, and untold other issues over the years.

It is a shame that the government is not doing more to stop the rocket attacks. This town has had around 500 alerts in the last three months. It has affected the souls of the people living there.

We met a charming 25 year old woman who is a nurse taking care of children in a local hospital. She talked movingly about the impact on her personally and on the children. One missile fell about 15 feet from her bedroom. She was protected by the thick wall. Another fell outside the hospital room in which she was working. She talks of walking on glass all the time as a result of these close calls.

Another man said that "Everyone's souls are breaking. There is a black stain over everything we do. Why doesn't the government do something to stop this carnage?" In all of our meetings , we have yet to receive a very good reason for this failure.

Ehud Yaari Briefing June 30, 2008

Ehud Yaari, well-known Israeli commentator, gave us an impressive and extensive briefing from a more moderate Israeli perspective. Yaari draws on his extensive relationships throughout the Middle East and his fluency in several languages. He is an effective presenter because he sets out his information in bullet points!

Iran:

1. Iranians must present themselves as Muslims, not Persians, because of the historical animosity between the Arabs and Persians.
2. Iran is not seeking territory, but dominance and hegemony. They are buying influence and friends.
3. Iran is marketing their aspirations to be "Big Brother" by saying that the era of US dominance in Asia is over, and the era of "Others" is upon us. Iran and China are the most important others, and not India in their belief.
4. So they are pushing for a marriage with China to be in control of Asia.
5. Iran believes that the key response to the superior technology of the West is simple. They are not looking for victory, but to deny the US and/or Israel victory. Denying victory to the West will lead to their capitulation, they believe.
6. Though there is still a huge divide between the Sunnis and Shiites, Iran has created several Sunni alliances with such terrorist groups as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
7. Yaari does not see the moderate Sunni countries opposing Iran, since many of them are afraid that their power will be impacted.

Nuclear Situation:

1. Yaari believes that Iran wants to get to the threshold of building nuclear weapons and not cross that threshold.
2. He also believes that there is a little more time to deter Iran from crossing that threshold, maybe 2 years.
3. He believes that the technological problems in their program are serious. Heavy water plant is years away, the quality of the fuel is not there. Russia is selling Iran low quality, taking their money and keeping them behind schedule. He believes that the Iranians are years behind schedule.
4. The Arabs are saying that, if the Shias have a bomb, then the Sunnis will have one. Saudi Arabia funded Pakistan's program and can get one from them. The Egyptians are talking of taking their program that was mothballed in 1979 and bringing it back into service.
5. Israel is upgrading its Arrow Missile defense to protect military bases first (a huge message to the Iranians). Israel also has the ability to strike from the sea with its submarines.
6. He believes that economic sanctions can work since there is already rationing of fuel in Iran, dealing with a massive reduction in oil production. He believes that Iran can be deterred for a price and that the US, France and Germany are exploring that price. He feels that any answer will have to wait until after the US Presidential election.

Iraq:

1. US can rightfully declare a victory over Al Qaeda in the Sunni areas.
2. In the Shia areas there is already a tacit agreement with Iran in southern Iraq, with Iran playing the arbitrator between the various Shia factions, and preferring that fracturing.
3. This tacit agreement is the start of a big bargain.
4. Moderate Sunnis, both within and outside Iraq are concerned about any such grand bargain.

Gaza:

Yaari believes that his opinion is definitely a minority opinion within Israel

1. Hamas was desperate for a cease fire. They are supposed to lay down their arms and make sure that the shooting stops.
2. He believes that Hamas will be better than the Palestinian Authority in stopping the shooting because they need to consolidate their power.
3. He says that the Egyptians are being strong, but that the Bedouins control the Sinai and are heavily involved in smuggling.
4. He asserted that more weapons are coming from the Balkans from fishing boats than from Egypt though the Philadelphia Zone on the west side of Gaza. It is too difficult for the Israeli Navy to interdict
5. Hamas is willing to give up control of the government administration. It regrets having taken control. When (if) that happens, a unified Palestinian Authority and Hamas government can that negotiate with Israel.

My Opinion:

Yarri's remarks were very detailed, but he did not answer the fundamental question about what Israel should do to respond to the continued truce violations that are leading to shootings and missile attacks on sovereign Israeli territory and the death and injury of so many civilians. I felt that his suggestions for dealing with Iran through sanctions would work, if you could somehow have the participation of France and Germany. If that cannot happen now with the current leadership in both countries, then there is no chance that those sanctions will work in the future. Based on the current situation, it is likely that the world is heading towards a frightening, but necessary, confrontation with Iran.

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Meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - June 29, 2008

Late yesterday afternoon (June 29, 2008) Prime Minister Ehud Olmert found time to meet with a group of us from the United States, shortly after he led his Cabinet in the vote to release four Hezzbollah prisoners held in Israel's jail (one a terrorist in prison for the brutal murder of a father and his young child thirty years ago) along with 200 terrorist remains in order to secure the bodies of two Israeli soldiers. Israeli intelligence services believed these two soldiers were killed shortly after Hezbollah ambushed them on the Israeli side of the Lebanon border in July 2006. It was clear that the decision had been heart wrenching for the Prime Minister. We cannot imagine what the pressure of being the Prime Minister of Israel, constantly being embattled from all sides (and often from Israel's friends) feels like.

Our meeting, ably chaired by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL) and Senator Ben Nelson (NE), allowed for a frank discussion on a variety of topics, the two most important being the prisoner exchange and the Iranian Nuclear crisis.

The Prime Minister made it clear that one of the main differences between Israel and its enemies is that each and every Israeli, alive or dead, is valuable and important. The enemies of Israel have not shown the same core belief. He acknowledged that there will be those in his country who do not and will not agree with the decision to, in effect, negotiate with terrorists, but the decision was his to make. He said that Israel is a small country and that he has not met with the families only once, but at least six to eight times in the last two years. He said that it was difficult to have the parents thank him for bringing the bodies of their children home, but he also realized that he might be meeting with other Israeli families in the future as a consequence of having released these terrorists. He has Harry Truman’s “The Buck stops here” on his desk, and he had to lead the decision. He spoke first at the six hour long Cabinet meeting and then wanted everyone else to have their say before the vote.

Other Issues:

Iranian Nuclear Program: Olmert said that there is a lot of room between world capitulation that allows Iran to obtain illegal nuclear weapons and a massive military attack. Iran is in deep financial trouble, with 40% of its oil being consumed domestically (even with deep rationing), that production is collapsing because of technological limitations. If foreign trade partners would refuse visas to Iranian businessmen, that approach would have a huge adverse impact on Iran, further putting pressure on the economy of Iran. Olmert did reference that this approach was discussed with President Sarkozy of France last week when he was in Israel and he hopes that Europe will sign onto that approach. He stated unequivocally that the region and, in fact, the world cannot have a nuclear armed Iran to make one of the most unstable parts of the world even more unstable.
Water: Israel is in the process of expanding its desalinization plants to produce four times the amount of water than it currently does, which would go a long way to resolving one of the lead issues of contention in the region. Being in the desert, water is more important and valuable than even oil. By producing more water, one of the leading limitations to peace with Syria, for example (other than their difficult leadership) is how to deal with the water issues around the Jordan River.
Economy: What is amazing is how productive the Israeli economy is, growing 5.4% in the first quarter and likely to have grown the same this current quarter. Imports and exports are up, both signs of a growing economy. Its unemployment rate is one of the lowest amongst industrialized countries at 6.5%. Its brainpower and innovation are incredible. Its agricultural capability is second to none, with world class yields in its produce and dairy, and its environmentally friendly use of water and fertilizers. It is amazing how productive the Israeli economy is even with the high cost of security, which you see everywhere.
Trade: The Prime Minister said that the agricultural lobbies in Europe and the United States are the major hindrances to a world trade agreement. Israel, with its very competitive agricultural sector, would be more than happy to see all of the subsidies eliminated and allow for fair competition in the marketplace. Israel would also like to be able to trade with its neighbors and to help them better feed their people, using Israeli technology. Trade can be the mechanism for bringing people together to create an environment where peace can thrive.
Gaza: The Prime Minister articulated the level of fear and anxiety that exists amongst the families living in the Israeli territory around Gaza. [We will be visiting Sderot immediately next to the Gaze later this week.] Even though the rockets are ineffective and have limited range, whether there are one or two a day or twenty a day, the rockets still prey on the mind of each person. Every parent wonders whether one of these indiscriminate rockets will hit the playground where their children are playing, or hit the grocery store where they or their spouse is shopping. Unlike the Israelis who target military and terrorist targets (though there is occasionally collateral damage), Hamas and their terrorist allies have no such scrupples, and intend to go after civilians. It is a priority of the government to stop that form of terrorism. The question is how, and why the government has not stopped the terrorism already.

I was impressed with how focused the Prime Minister is on the issues facing his country, especially with all of the controversy swirling around him. With the constant pressures on him to hold his balkanized coalition together, it is amazing that anyone can govern. I wonder what impact these controversies will have on the ability of Olmert to govern effectively and deal with the many issues facing Israel. Will Prime Minister Olmert think in a day to day fashion in order to stay in power, or will he be able to make decisions based on the long-term needs, objectives and goals for Israel? I look forward to learning more from our other presenters and visiting other critical areas of Israel over the next several days.