by Emanuel A. Winston

Middle East analyst & commentator

Keeping Israel's attention fragmented and focused on day-to-day happenings is clearly part of a strategy to obscure the larger and more deadly picture. While American Arabists have the Prime Minister and the Knesset pondering the minutiae of intentionally badly drafted agreements, a larger program is being enacted.

Israel is bit by bit being reduced in her critical mass to a point where she cannot possibly survive. The CIA can't and won't protect or defend Israel against Arab violations of US guaranteed agreements but it will be made to appear to do just that. Israel will, in the near future, become indefensible (with the small exception) unless American troops are stationed on all her borders. That, too, is unlikely to happen since no American President will deploy American soldiers to fight its Arab client states. The US may, however, deploy troops after the fact to establish an American "beach-head" or "power center" in the Middle East. An after-disaster deployment will also silence critics at home for deliberately waiting to assist the Jews of Israel until after the Jihad (Muslim Holy War) was over.

The bigger picture that is being obscured and hidden from Israel's decision makers, calls for the progressive dismantling of the Jewish State to a point where she must surrender all land and property to spurious Arab claimants. Presumably, this would occur in practice when Israel's critical mass is so small that she can be easily conquered by a coalition of Arab armies, with the well-armed Palestinians wearing away at the inner core. This includes the millions of "refugees" they are expecting to flow by agreement of the collapsing Israeli government.

It would appear that this decision has been made at the highest levels of governments in the US and EU. The conclusion would have been made basis the fact that there is no gesture that Israel could possibly make, short of abandoning the State, that would satisfy her Arab adversaries. That being the case and on the theory that the Arab markets are potentially much larger, one or the other must go. You don't need to be a geo-political sophisticate to know which would be the choice.

The only problem of the US and EU planners was how to eliminate Israel without telling their respective citizens that a loyal, democratic ally must be eliminated for long term commercial reasons and "the good of all". The only way to accomplish this was to steadily reduce Israel's critical mass to a point where her internal strength is sufficiently weakened so the coup de grace can be administered by Israel's Arab/Muslim enemies. This would, of course, reduce the chances of these various nations being accused of Genocide or co-conspirators in actions that far exceed war crimes against humanity.

Then the Arabists both in America and Europe can vigorously protest the destruction they planned and arrive with help - too late to stop it. This catastrophe will be followed by many meetings in the UN condemning this madness. The US Congress will deplore these war-like actions and will vote dollars to rescue whatever remnant of Jews is left on the shore of the Mediterranean. Perhaps (this time) some nations will even open their borders to allow some of the survivors in as citizens or on temporary visas.

However, until that time the Israelis will be thrown scraps of "so-called peace" documents which they will ponder and snarl over while the larger net is slowly drawn around them. Even alerting them to this greater scheme will not really catch their attention. Jews enjoy the minutiae of details and cannot much be bothered with long range projections. Telling the Jews that a plan is in operation for their extermination did not make much of an impression before WWII nor will it make a difference now in 1998, marching into the year 2000.

The Nay-Sayers will make light of the conspiracy theory as they have in the past. Some historians will try to tell the politicians and the public that, throughout history, every king-dictator-elected president has been the target of conspiracies to overthrow or conquer. When one reads history, the concept of conspiracy is obvious and accepted - merely because it happened. Forecasting conspiracy - even as evidence piles up - is not acceptable to the Nay-Sayers. This is true for Jews especially. Even when the next Holocaust is upon them, they will struggle to deny its happening.

At the vanguard of this procession to extinction, one will find the political Left offering glorious visions for a future that will never be - while following dutifully behind the illusion will be the Jewish people, once again marching under the archway with the sign "Arbeit Macht Frei" - (Work Will Make You Free.)

by Emanuel A. Winston

Middle East analyst & commentator

 Under the strong ideological leadership of Menachem Begin, z'l, the Likud Party members knew their way. They thought as he thought. His vision of the future was their vision also. When Begin died, that vision began to grow dim in their minds. His leadership gave them a light to the path and, when he was not longer there, they grew confused and unsure of their purpose.

Since nature abhors a vacuum, the line established by Begin and continued by Yitzhak Shamir, began to waver and with that Likud's purpose. In some desperation, Likud reached out for someone who sounded like what used to be Begin's ideology, who was groomed for succession by Shamir: Binyamin Netanyahu.

But, now they find the actions of Bibi don't match his words. Bibi speaks the correct words of a strong Israel but he has proved himself to be more closely in line with the Labor Party's vision of the nation's future. What was once Pride in the Likud turned to embarrassment as people commented that Likud was now the "small" brother of Labor. Bibi succeeded in side-lining most of the Likud members while forming a small block who grabbed control, pushing others out of the way.

Likud is now in more confusion than before. As PM Netanyahu adopted Labor's position, while claiming he was keeping his commitments to Likud and his former supporters, the nation is being dragged toward dissolution. Netanyahu not only went back on every commitment he had made to keep the nation safe, but he also too easily accepted American pressure which then accelerated and deepened a slide toward national disaster.

The Clinton Administration and American State Department no longer adopted the pretense of being an honest broker but now emerged as wholly Arabist in their pressures on Israel to surrender. It no longer mattered that Oslo 1 & 2, Hebron and even the new Wye Memorandum were broken by Arafat and the PA. Israel was and is being forced to accept and ignore even the most egregious abandonment of the agreements.

PM Netanyahu, now thoroughly beaten and cowed, accepted everything, in effect, becoming the champion of the Labor Party's philosophy and their failed agreements. Labor cheered him, only awaiting his signature and that of Likud's Knesset representatives

before soon calling for the toppling of his government and new elections despite their brief safety net of time. The Likud was, in effect, now headless and would likely become a minor party for years to come. (Have you ever seen a headless chicken running wildly around the barnyard before it finally keels over?) This was obvious in the recent municipal elections as the major parties, especially Likud, plummeted.

But, there is a possibility that, before the Likud Party crashes and disintegrates, it can be reconstructed - IF its members act quickly....which I doubt!

However, there is a man who is well known for his ideology and respected, even by the opposition, for his integrity. He is solid as a rock and cannot be stampeded by either the opposition or an Arabist American President. He is a man who has shown himself to be a deep, analytical thinker. He deals with today's problems as they occur while simultaneously looking to the future. He has the vision that Likud once had and lost. That vacuum has remained awaiting someone who has the vision, commitment and ideology to fill that empty place and lead Likud up from its downward spiral.

This man is Uzi Landau, now head of the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee. Uzi is a quiet man who can speak strongly from the podium. He has the depth and strength now needed to fill that seat of power. In a way, he is reminiscent of another leader who was known to be a plain, honest man with inner strength: American President Harry S. Truman. Like Truman, Uzi Landau does not rely on elegant speeches with promises he had no intention of fulfilling. Neither sought honor but both were willing to serve their nation without fanfare. True, Uzi is not a glamorous master of the sound-byte, with dazzling, but empty words and the false face of a movie star. Uzi Landau tells you up front what he believes and what he is going to do. It's not fancy but you can bank on it that he will carry it through.

If Likud is to regain its lost identity before she is reduced to a marginal party, she had better consider getting behind a man like Uzi Landau now. Perhaps the Israeli people both Left and Right are tired of leadership willing to say anything, promise anything, just to get the job. Perhaps the nation has been looking for one honest man for a long time.

As Harry Truman brought integrity and a guaranteed honesty to the White House, Uzi Landau can once again make the office of the Prime Minister of Israel a place of honor, trust and integrity.

As it stands now, there is a belief that any nation can manipulate Israel's government to fit their own needs. Hopefully, those who made up the Likud Party will recognize that, without a dramatic change, their influence in Israel's future will drop to that of merely another small party of the loyal opposition.

If Likud cannot put a leader in place who will return respect to the office of Prime Minister, then a new Party will rise from Likud's ashes. Those of Likud who have lost faith in her present leadership will bail out and join or create a new Party that is not a "bubah" (plaything) for leaders who cannot keep their word - except when that word is given to other nations under duress.

The Likud Party faithful have yet time to re-group, throw out the hired cheerleaders for the present government who want to give away the country, and choose a new candidate to lead. There is no waiting time left if there is to be any nation left.