Who will lead the Israeli centre?

By Ted Belman

After the Lebanon War II, Ari Shavit wrote Olmert Must go which was a searing indictment of Olmert.

In his current article Kadima Day he confirms

When the Winograd report is published at the end of the month, the Labor Party head will take action. We can reasonably assume that he won’t resign from the government immediately. Instead of resigning, Barak will place a gun on Kadima’s table: Replace Olmert, or elections; an internal revolt, or suicide. After that the ball will be back in the ruling party’s court.

And then asks “whether Kadima is a party of the Zionist center, or the cynical center.”

The need for Kadima’s existence is a profound Israeli need. For years many Israelis yearned for a third-way party that would combine the basic insight of the left (the occupation is a catastrophe) with the basic insight of the right (peace now is impossible). A party that would not be under the mistaken illusion of an end to the conflict, but would withdraw Israel to a border that would allow it to withstand the continuation of the conflict. A party that would cautiously leave the territories, but demonstrate strength in the face of enemies. One that would faithfully represent reasonable, practical and non-messianic Israelis and liberate them from the rule of dreamers on the left and zealots on the right.

I don’t believe that the “occupation is a catastrophe”. We need a new government that accepts occupation. The only question is who will lead it?