Published in The Jerusalem Post on May 28 2000
When the French were forced out of Sinai in 1956, along with the British
and the IDF, they left in a show of force. First, they tripled the
French troop component in Sinai, then methodically packed-up every last
military screw. Then and only then, did the French marched out proudly,
flag flying high, lights blazing and loud-speakers blaring, belting-out
the French national anthem. The French bowed to political realities, but
wisely and demonstratively reminded everyone of their power. They left
with their national pride intact.
Israel, on the other hand, last week illustrated for the entire Arab
world and global leaders beyond just how pathetically weak we are. We
didn’t ‘withdraw’ from Lebanon. We fled in haste, fearing for our lives,
in a state of total military collapse, slinking-out in the dark of night
with our tail between our legs. No amount of revisionist spin by the
Barak government and its dutiful media cheerleaders can mask this
reality.
Hounded out by a rag-tag guerilla group, we ran like a coterie of
frightened escapees whose jail-masters looked the other way. The most
powerful, organized military in the Middle East – whose leadership has
been talking about leaving Lebanon for more than a year — was caught,
it seems, totally by surprise. All civilian support and security
networks in Lebanon collapsed within three days. Millions of dollars of
equipment was discarded and left behind. Worst of all, we cast aside and
betrayed our South Lebanese Army allies, left behind to be slaughtered.
Sure, the decision to pull out of Lebanon was ours, and in principle, it
may have been the correct decision. (Time will tell). And we have to be
thankful that our boys came home “without a scratch”. But that’s not the
point.
The point is that we cut and ran instead of withdrawing proudly,
absconding the battle front — our nakedness for all to see. In the
Middle East, such debility can be deadly.
Why did this happen? Because we left for the wrong reasons. Israel fled
Lebanon not because the IDF felt this was the best way to defend
northern Israel from attack, but because our weary society could no
longer stomach the cost of its defense. Another sign of our infirmity.
This was a populist political, not a carefully-considered military,
decision – and the sad result shows. Decisions born of societal fatigue
and national irresolute-ness seldom pay-off.
The implications of this collapse? They are many and worrisome. To begin
with, the morale of our military is at a nadir. Don’t believe the
congratulatory pap features that filled the weekend tabloids. They are
no military heroes in this withdrawal. The IDF was humiliated last week
by a determined Arab civilian and guerilla force, and the army is
hurting.
More disturbing is the pall that our disintegration casts on the entire
regional power structure. Despite the “credit” that owes to Prime
Minister Ehud Barak for keeping his word about leaving Lebanon
(“sticking to his guns” is the ultimate, inappropriate metaphor!),
Israel’s deterrent posture in the Middle East inevitably has been
weakened by the languid, populist background to, and the slovenly nature
of, the pull-out.
Of course, the pitiful course of events in Lebanon sets a pattern for
our next ‘withdrawals’ in the West Bank and Jerusalem. We’ve taught
Yasser Arafat exactly what to do: start marching on Jerusalem, PA troops
covered by thousands of Palestinians civilians from the refugee camps,
with dozens of TV cameras covering every step. Arafat and his cheering
masses of women and children will parade into our capital, just as
Hizballah did in Lebanon, taking over the south without firing a shot.
Will we open fire on the Palestinian masses determined to ‘liberate’
Jerusalem?
But the worst consequence of last week’s humiliation rests at home. Our
retreat in the north conditions us for further retreats. Like we’re set
on auto-pilot, travelling on a set course that leads only to further
set-back.
The People of Israel is in retreat: sociologically (raging violence in
the schools and in the home, rising drug use, rampant corruption, fading
commitment to Zionist ideals, etc.); spiritually (declining religious
belief and practice, disappearing spiritual guides of any stature,
growing religious obscurantism and blindly-dogmatic secularism); and
therefore – we are also in retreat territorially. Who will halt the
deterioration?
