Deja vu — Judith Apter Klinghoffer
SECOND THOUGHTS ON SHARON AND ISRAEL - REPRISE
With Ariel Sharon lying in the hospital in critical condition I felt strange writing about other subjects, so I've decided to reprint, for those who missed it, my mother's concerns over Sharon's one-man party, originally published in late November:
Bret Stephens concludes "Ariel Route" thus:
Whatever happens, Mr. Sharon has now proved himself as the most astute Israeli leader since David Ben-Gurion, the country's founder. So much for hysterical predictions made about him in other newspapers when he was first elected. Rare among politicians, he is a secure man. He may yet bring security to Israel, too.
He will try but his solution will necessarily be temporary. Israel's ultimate security will always lie in its people and its leadership. It is important to recall that David Ben Gurion was Sharon's mentor. Those versed in Israeli politics cannot but note that, when all is said and done, "Kadima" is just an updated version of Ben Gurion's "Mapai." But Ben Gurion famously focused on something that Sharon has not. "The old man" carefully trained future leaders to replace him. Dayan, Peres and Sharon are the most famous of those "youngsters."
The failures of Rabin and Barak proved that the army may play an important role in Israeli leadership training but it is most insufficient training. In his biography, The Warrior, he describes how Ben Gurion made 19 year old Sharon sit by his side during policy discussions. So, its time to ask Sharon, if not now, when? Israel needs nothing more than well trained young leaders.
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