Natan Sharansky Steps Down from Post as a matter of Principle

Fire of Liberty

Here's a good article over @ National Review Online by Joel C. Rosenberg on the snap resignation of Natan Sharansky from his post of Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Jerusalem. As the author of The Case for Democracy and chief proponent of using freedom to transform tyrannies into democracies, Sharansky felt he could no longer serve in a government that is unilaterally withdrawing from Gaza without some reciprocal democratic reform. The reforms that Sharansky's feels the Palestinians should be doing includes reforming basic human rights, cleansing militant hatred of Israel from school textbooks, arresting and disarming/dismantling of terrorist groups, as well as providing more religious and political freedoms to the people of Gaza and the West Bank.

What makes this withdrawal even worse is the fact that Israel encourages more terrorism and bad behavior because the didn't require the Palestinians to initiate reform. It's similar to telling a child they're on restriction but letting them have their TV, Playstation 2, and Stereo in their rooms. All this does is demonstrates the kids can get away with anything because they know their parents are paper tigers. The same goes for the Palestinians who see Israel withdrawing and all that they had to do is put on a good face for some six months until Israel gets out. Unlike Sharon, Sharansky is fully aware from experience as a Soviet dissident and of past failed land for peace agreements like the Oslo Accord, Wye Accord, Camp David II, Sharm Al-Sheik (Albright chasing Arafat down hallway begging him to stay) that in only a small manner of time, the tyrants in the Palestinian Authority, Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad will commence once again in their horrific campaign of terror.

In this day and time Israel's PM needs to be more concerned about Israel's safety and how its withdrawal from Gaza looks like a retreat in the eyes of the wild-eyed rabble-rousers who play an active role in the PA territories instead of polishing up one's legacy. While I have supported Sharon's steely nerve and forceful nature against Islamic terrorism during these past years, I have to side with Natan Sharansky on principle. Luckily, Sharansky has several like minded friends in the Israeli government who oppose such an outright example of appeasement. Expect individuals like the former PM and current Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to rise above the fray and return the nation of Israel to a more uniform and principled war on terror. Maybe someone in Sharon's inner circle should fill him in on the thesis of Sharansky's book, which is that freedom is a greater guarantor of peace than simple land swaps or mere promises. Sharon should go by Reagan's mantra of "Trust but Verify" with the PA territories or expect a sooner than expected retirement to his ranch in the Negev.