Think again

Israel's continual war policy will get it nowhere, writes Amin Howeidi*

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Countries are often in conflict. To resolve their differences they often use diplomacy, or soft force. A bit of pressure, a treaty, or a compromise, and things are normally settled. But sometimes they need crude force; namely war, or guerrilla activities. This is fine, so long as one doesn't lose sight of one's objectives. The aim of warfare is to achieve a workable peace. Otherwise war is a self-destructive pursuit. Israel, for one, seems to be on a course of self-destruction. Its successive wars are becoming so pointless that the US comptroller- general recently urged the US administration to do something about it. New Israeli President Shimon Peres also made a similar point. He said that the latest war in Lebanon lacked purpose, for it failed to bring about a better political reality. I totally agree.

In his book On War, the Prussian writer Carl von Clausewitz suggests that the aim of war is to destroy the enemy's army. I am not going to go that far. For me, war's only legitimate purpose is to produce a better peace, a peace that all combatants can accept -- a peace that would negate the need for another war. Now, let's look once again at Israel's case. It has grabbed a lot of land from its neighbours, but it knows well that its occupation cannot last forever. Israel withdrew from Sinai. It is now withdrawing from parts of Palestine, although it calls it "redeployment". I went to Sinai once after Israel withdrew from Taba and found a place totally surrounded by barbed wire and landmines. Jokingly, I told an Israeli officer, "Is this a hobby or what? You keep digging ditches, putting barbed wire, and planting mines, then you pull out." An Israeli soldier who was within earshot started crying.

No country can afford to use war for the sole cause of destruction. No country, let alone one created by immigrants, can afford to live in a sea of hatred. Here lies Israel's dilemma. Israel must keep in mind what happened to the colonies the Crusaders set up centuries ago. This advice is not mine. It comes from Israel's peace activist Uri Avnery, a man who advocates a Semite union in Palestine.

Israel is a country without borders. Only now, 59 years after its creation, is it thinking of drawing its borders. Israel's combat capabilities are declining relative to those of the Arabs. Its inner areas are accessible to Palestinian resistance and within the reach of cross-border bombardment.

Some Arabs have recognised Israel and Israel has recognised the Palestinians. This is something that Israel must build upon, for it is more likely to benefit from peace than its neighbours. Israel cannot live on war alone. At some point, the madness will have to stop. So I beseech people on both sides of the divide to look again at their options. Let's find a peace that can bring about a balance of interests. Let's use soft, rather than crude, force. Let's think again.

* The writer is former defence minister and chief of General Intelligence.