Weekly Commentary: Breaking bones for Kadima victory?

Aaron Lerner Date: 2 February 2006

There is no denying the logic behind the advice that acting prime minister
Ehud Olmert's campaign advisors no doubt gave him to mark the formal opening
of the Kadima Party's election campaign by breaking the bones of protesters
at Amona.

After all, overnight polling certainly would have shown that many potential
Kadima voters were disappointed with the outcome in the Hebron market
affair - with the Jews evacuating on their own volition as part of an
understanding (confirmed by the IDF and denied by AG Mazuz) that other Jews
can be expected to replace them in the buildings in a month or two.

Heavily covered bone breaking no-nonsense "law enforcement" at Amona more
than makes up for Hebron. Accepting the Yesha Council's proposal that they
themselves would either re-locate or demolish the buildings within two weeks
would have meant much more than a lost photo-op: it could have meant a drop
of several percentage points in the polls for Kadima.

And to make matters worse for the Kadima campaign team, accepting the Yesha
Council's proposal would have given the Yesha Council more credibility in
the eyes of the protesters - thus increasing the possibility that they would
be also able to successfully broker other evacuations - thus denying the
Kadima campaign team the bone breaking law enforcement imagery they sought
not only at Amona but at the other locations slated for action before the
elections.

The numbers definitely favored confrontation over peaceful resolution.

But with Kadima enjoying a huge lead in the polls was it really necessary
for Mr. Olmert to put his campaign's interests ahead of those of the nation?

Is it really so critical that Kadima polls 43 seats instead of 39?

Perhaps Mr. Olmert's campaign advisors can't be faulted for wanting to
maximize Kadima's victory at the polls at any cost, but that doesn't excuse
Ehud Olmert for accepting their advice.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il