The media ate up Ehud Olmert's speech at Kibbutz Sdeh Boker,
referring to it as "the reconciliation speech." Hope has
returned, others gushed. Only the Palestinians were less than
enthralled over the speech. They continued their age-old ways
and the Kassam rockets continued to fall, though fewer and
farther in between.
Yet a close examination of Olmert's speech shows that there
was nothing to get all excited about. Olmert said nothing
new. The speech may have been notable for its timing, but
certainly not for its content.
Olmert spoke of how Israel is demanding that the Palestinian
Authority set up a government that recognizes the Quartet
principles, implements the Road Map and brings about the
release of Gilad Shalit. Olmert also said Israel would agree
to an independent Palestinian state with territorial
contiguity with Judea and Samaria. Nothing new so far.
Even his promises to significantly reduce the number of
checkpoints, release Palestinian prisoners, increase freedom
of movement in the Territories, improve operations at border
crossing points and unfreeze PA funds — as long as the
Palestinians abandon terror — have all been made by so
many Israeli prime ministers, including Olmert himself, that
anyone who knows how to listen can recite them by heart.
One of the remarks that struck the imagination of all the
dreamers who dream of peace and an end to terrorism, was the
following: "We, the State of Israel, will agree to evacuate
extensive territories and communities we have set up in them.
This is extremely difficult for us. Like the Splitting of the
Red Sea. We will meet [this commitment] in exchange for real
peace."
Nu, what's so new about this remark? The Road Map plan
includes evacuating numerous settlements. No mention was made
about a new disengagement or convergence. So what's the big
deal?
All that happened is that Olmert had to save his skin from
unfavorably opinion surveys and the media spinners calling
for his head. Olmert started out as an "esrog" that
needed to be carefully guarded (as one of the prominent media
pundits said of Sharon), just like his predecessor. But
recently that has changed. Prominent columnists have begun
calling for Olmert's resignation. They did not do so
immediately after the war in Lebanon, but gave him another
chance, and another, but now they've had it with him. And
Olmert had to break them. He wanted to be an esrog
again.
Olmert is not in a position to provide any new horizons on
the diplomatic front. He lacks both the political power and
the personal vision. All that remains for him is to rehash
old material. As long as the recycling law in Israel permits
this type of recycling, Olmert can do as he pleases. As long
as he who watches over the esrogim returns to watch
over him.
A Calendar in the State of the Jews
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Employment's Department
for Manpower Training and Development issued a pamphlet for
2006 entitled, "Table of Candidates' Exams Nationwide." The
pamphlet consists of 11 pages prefaced by a page describing
all of the exams administered at occupational training
institutes and adult trade schools, including the dates on
which exams are not held.
Of course the entire pamphlet is arranged according to the
Gregorian calendar. Not the Jewish calendar, choliloh.
After all, do we live in a Jewish country? Certainly not
according to the High Court, so why should the Trade and
Industry Ministry be any different? And if you are wondering
why there are only 11 pages when the Gregorian calendar has
12 months as well, it seems July was omitted. Could the
explanation be simply because July has no exams? No, for no
exams are listed in June, which is included in the calendar.
(We'll get back to the month of June presently.)
The holidays are highlighted blue. Not only are the Jewish
holidays marked blue, but so are the Christian holidays and
the Moslem holidays and the Druse holidays and perhaps even
the Circassian holidays. All are highlighted the same color,
as part of the Ministry of Trade and Industry's effort to
fully realize the vision of "a nation of all of its
citizens."
Apparently the ministry wanted to teach a lesson on
Christian, Moslem and Druse holidays to all those seeking to
become electricians, barbers and childcare workers.
Now back to June. This page makes note of Shavuos. Every
school child knows Shavuos falls on the sixth of Sivan. But
for some strange reason the calendar lists it as a six-day
holiday. A truly amazing pamphlet.
