Promoting a Centrist Ideology

Yossi Klein Halevy published an opinion piece last month in the Washington Post that only now caught my attention after someone published a follow-up letter pointing out some factual errors he claims Yossi made.

But, be that as it may here is one sentence I have trouble with:-

[Ariel Sharon's] "legacy is clear: on the military front, resolve against terrorism; on the political front, consensus in times of threat and a pragmatic approach that replaces the fantasy politics of the left and right"

This is hogwash (and since Arik enjoyed non-kosher food, I doubt that he'd be upset by my choice of words although Yossi might).

Arik before he went into a coma-situation and after the disengagement exhibited little real resolve against terrorism. We need to admit that "post-disengagement" Sharon is something else entirely. Bombing empty fields and refusing to use commando tactics (remember 101?), not to speak of limited ground operations is not "resolve". In the month since the article appeared, some 50 Kassams have rained down, several almost hitting Israel's electrical plant in Ashkelon where 30% of Israel's electricity is produced.

Yes, the helicopters are still targetting "senior terrorists" but the missiles keep coming.

Consensus on the diplomatic front? Consensus with whom? Ourselves? Ehud Olmert opened the Jerusalem door to Hamas, first denied funds then released funds to the PA and is waffling on the Iranian exisiential threat to Israel with its A-bomb. That's not a consensus.

And a pragmatic approach instead of fantasy politics? That wouldn't be the Amona fiasco, would it?

Methinks that Yossi is too excited about this new "centrist" ideology.

Menachem Mendel of Kotzk had something to say about people who, afraid of being termed "extreme", chose to go in the middle:-

once asked why he is so extreme in his views and conduct, he took the person who asked that to his window which opened to the street, and explained: “You see, the two sides of the road are for human beings; only horses walk in the middle.” The Kotzker Rebbe thus defined the middle way, the average between the extremes, as the “horses’ path,” the way animals walk. Men must choose one extreme or the other, or else they are but horses.