Piotr Zychowicz
Article published in this weekend issue of a Polish conservative daily “Rzeczposolita” - “The Republic”. (My translation, far from being perfect, but I hope you’ll get the point)
Many young Israelis have lost faith in the ideals of their fathers. They don’t want to fight for those ideals, neither to die for them. So – are the Jews ultimately doomed to lose the conflict with Arabs and to leave the Middle East?
The recent operation in Gaza shows, that Israel has woken up and is showing its anger. However – it can lose the war.
It’s not even about this clash in Gaza Strip. This is only one of the battles of a long war – a permanent conflict with the neighbors, that the state of Israel has been involved in since 1948. It may last further dozens of years, maybe a century. But every war has its end. Is Israel able to prevail in this one?
Let’s start with finding the reasons of the past military successes of Israel, which let the country to survive on the “endless sea of enemies”. Was it technological advantage? Better commanders? Advanced technology? Better trained soldiers? Support of the United States? Surely those were some reasons, but secondary ones.
In fact – the Israelis were winning, because they believed in themselves. They considered establishing, and defending their own state as the ultimate value, for which the sacrifice of life is necessary. Those were the thoughts not only of the Israeli soldiers - tough kibutz people and pioneers inspired by the idea of building Eretz Israel - but also the entire society, ready for sacrifices and losses in the name of highest goals.
That’s why – not owing to better rifles – the Israelis won the previous campaigns in 1948, or 1956, or the 6-day war in 1967, being a “military art of work”. Even in 1973 they managed to prevail. After that it has been worse, and worse. And finally the lost war in Lebanon in 2006 has come and the current lousy operation against Hamas in Gaza.
It has been already 2 weeks, and the Israeli army has not even reached the minimum goal – to harm Hamas as much, that it would force them to stop missile attacks on southern Israel. Israeli taking over unhabitated parts of Gaza Strip didn’t help to reach the goals. The Israelis are afraid of entering the city of Gaza – the fortress of Hamas – which is the only way to crush the organization. Israeli press has already warned against a “new Stalingrad”.
Far away from troubles.
Looks, like today’s Israeli soldiers are only shadows of their grandfathers, and fathers, who used to fight wearing the same uniforms.
Sometimes several pictures may say more than a long dissertation, and dozens of arguments. Here you can see several scenes, that I’ve witnessed during last days.
Right before the land invasion on Gaza Strip I went close to the border, to the place, where armoured troops were getting prepared. Lots of tanks standing on a vast field – surrounded by trees and bushes from every side. It was raining heavily, everything was drowning in mud. Right next to the tanks – several plastic toilet cabins have been placed in accurate lines – different color for men, and different for women. And soldiers with assault rifles were waiting in queues – to pee.
On the next day – I spent several days with soldiers fighting Palestinian crowd in Ni’lin, on the Western Bank. At one moment – there was a brake in clashes - when the Palestinians went to mosques, for praying. The Israeli soldiers got their lunch at that time – piece of meat, rice and fruits, served on a one use plastic trays. After the meal – one of them took a large plastic bag and took a walk around – collecting the garbage. Everyone politely disposed their trays and nectarine skins into the bag
In a refugee camp in eastern Jerusalem, after the clashes, excited Israeli soldiers showed me movies they had taken with their mobile phones. At one moment – one of the phones started ringing. The boy went aside, but we could hear parts of his talking - "Yes, mommy, of course, Yes mommy, I’m being careful, yes mommy, I’ll keep away from troubles".
A famous Israeli military historian Martin van Creveld told me ones about a video tape from monitoring camera from some Israeli disco. Young boys – like it happens – started fighting about girls. The attacking side were „brand new” immigrants from Russia. „My God! How they could fight! And our skinny boys – with fashionable haircuts – were completely helpless, didn’t know what to do. And one thought crossed my mind immediately – fine soldiers may be made of these Russian Jews. And these ours … sigh! … nothing to talk about” – said van Creveld.
In May 2008 I was in Tel Aviv, attending a concert commemorating 60 anniversary of the state of Israel. There was a large stage in the middle of the Yitzhak Rabin Square. At the beginning – several thousands of Israelis sung the anthem. Then they were singing patriotic songs, there were speeches, and a movie about the beginning of the State. The crowd consisted mainly of people from older and medium generation. Many people were wearing medals from different campaigns.
Close to this place – a “golden" youth of Tel Aviv were having fun. Hectoliters of booze, smell of marihuana, loud laughter, couples of both orientations caressing each other. Vomiting, and broken bottles. The old Israelis, passing by this place were visibly saddened.
Mom is calling the commander.
Culturally Israel is a part of the West. Wealthy Israeli society has been touched by the same process of disintegration, like the Western European ones. Apathy, lack of faith in their ideas and values. Unwillingness to sacrifice. In Israel – a fighting country – such a state of mind may be lethal.
Today death of every single soldier – his picture, and name can be seen on TV immediately – causes anti-war protests. Two years ago, during the Lebanese war – mothers allegedly were calling the commanders of their sons – demanding them to take their boys away from dangerous parts of the front line. This time the army is trying to prevent such things.
Let’s take a look at the other side of the barricade.
Palestinian cities and refugee camps – overcrowded and boiling like a pot on strong fire. Crowd of unemployed and frustrated young men on corners of the streets. Mosques full of people, nationalism, blind faith in the leaders and hate to Israel. Physical strength and determination. And – first of all – huge hunger of success and promotion – both political (own state) and material one.
In a long distance – is it possible to win against such an enemy?
Technological advance is not going to help much. At last – the fall of every empire and power started with internal rot. And ambitious, determined “barbarians” were always standing at the gates – ready to kill the old order, and to take over its place.
Change of generation
In the case of Israeli - Palestinian conflict the advantage of the Palestinians is the demography. There is 4 million Palestinians in Gaza Strip and Western bank, plus almost 1,4 million in Israel proper. Their demographic rise is much higher, than among the Jews. The orthodox community (having averagely 5 kids per family) will not save the situation. Some day – in the Jewish state the Jews may become a minority.
Another problem is a crisis of leadership. Recently a generation change has been taken place on a Israeli political stage. Tough, visionary politicians, toughened by the war of independence in 1948 have gone. The have been replaced by careerists and people considering existence of their own state as something obvious.
Symbolic for this process is a change on the position of the Prime Minister. Ariel Sharon has gone from the post – a veteran of many wars, a true leader, ready to make even the most difficult and unpopular decisions – not caring about the opinion polls. Even though he has been considered as a “rightist hawk” even the Palestinians have respect for him today.
His place has been taken by Ehud Olmert, the former mayor of Jerusalem. A man without virtue. A cabinet politician, who’s never smelled gunpowder. Involved in 5 or 6 corruption scandals. Former President – Moshe Katzav – had to resign due to sex scandal.
There is more such scandals in Israel.
One could think, that in such a political situation - the army should be the stronghold of order and conservative ethos. But let’s take the first example – General Halutz, the chief of staff during the last Lebanese war. As soon as he had realized, that the war is inevitable – he went to his broker, to sell the shares he owned. Owing to that – he didn’t Lose hi Money because of the war.
One of the biggest critics of today’s situation in Israel is above mentioned professor van Creveld. He said: “On a paper we have a great, excellent army. But inside it’s been rotten. It has lost the fighting spirit. This can be applied to all the Israelis. Soldiers, generals, politicians, all we could call public opinion. All that has became a society of cowards. Some time ago we used to be famous of our determination, fighting skills and readiness to sacrifice for ultimate goals. Nothing of that has survived. It could be seen during the first Gulf War in 1991. For the first time in history more people have died of fear, than due to enemy action. Only 3 Israelis died because of explosions of Iraqi rockets – by coincidence anyway. Rest of the cases were heart attacks, panic attacks, suffocations caused by improper usage of a gas mask”.
The last asset
Recently European embassies and consulates in Tel Aviv observe a surprising phenomenon. Thousands of young Israelis are bringing papers proving, that their ancestors were citizens of those countries and are applying for citizenship. It happens also in the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, where even people who don’t speak a single word in Polish show up for such a purpose. Officially they say, that it is to make it easier to travel, or work, or study in Europe. But unofficially many of them admit, that Polish citizenship may be useful for something much more important – “If it turns really hot here – there will be a place to run to”.
But in Israel there are still many people who think in a completely different way. Their fighting spirit equals the one of the Israeli pioneers of 50’s or 60’s. I saw such people even during recent days in the ranks of the Israeli army. Usually those were NCO’s and officers of medium ranks, being 10-15 years older than average recruits.
So – it would be not fair to say, that the fall of the spirit, that I’m talking about may be applied to all the Israeli society. However – it can’t be hidden, that it touches bigger and bigger number of the citizens. Some processes will be difficult to stop.
There’s also one more category of the Israelis – those who still believe in peace. In a dream of permanent agreement between Jews and Arabs. A dream, that both sides some day will put rifles aside and will live peacefully next to each other. Is it realistic at all?
If nothing changes in the Middle East, the words of the president of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad about erasing Israel from the map may turn out to be prophetic.
Of course – the Israelis have one more, ultimate asset – the nuclear weapon. As for today its fear factor is efficient enough. But the enemies of Israel are aware of the fact, that it requires a lot of determination to press the red button.
And one day there may be not enough of this determination.
Izraeli soldiers at the funeral of their colleague killed in Gaza Strip.
Kibutz people in Negev dessert in 1955