Haaretz and self-flagellation

Yoel Marcus wrote in Haaretz yesterday that "what is hardest to digest is the self-flagellation here at home: Israelis, with pure intentions, one presumes, turning the accusing finger on us ... These good, high-minded people are helping to demonize Israel in the eyes of the world."
This is all very well, but "Haaretz" is the biggest self-flagellator of all and probably doing the greatest damage, because it’s published in English on the net, is widely read outside Israel and is perceived as a mainstream newspaper instead of a far left pro-Palestinian anti-Israel publication which is what it has become.

Actually “Haaretz” hasn’t changed, but reality has. “Haaretz” and it’s owner don’t seem to accept that previous truths have been proved to be lies, that peace is not possible with Arafat and that further bloodshed is sadly necessary so the Palestinians can see we are not weak and spoiled and we have no intention of going away just because they really really want us to.

So, is “Haaretz” buckling under the pressure to write something its ordinary non-radical, non-leftwing nutcase readers can bear to read? Time will tell.

Back to self-flagellators (I could talk about my dislike for “Haaretz” for hours) – they are damaging not just because they help Europeans feel good about their anti-Israel sentiments. They also help Palestinian leaders and intellectuals completely misread the widespread feelings and sentiment of Israelis, and thus encourage the terrorist attacks. Abd Rabo, for instance, mistakenly believes that Yossi Beilin has a chance of winning the next elections because polls show that the majority of Israelis are prepared to give up most of the territories and many of the settlements in exchange for peace. The guy has got it all wrong. Yes, we Israelis are prepared to do business. Unfortunately our former business partner took us for a ride and no way will we do business with him again. Yossi Beilin will never ever be voted as PM of Israel. No one forgets that he was the main guy to be fooled by Arafat, and there’s no evidence to show that Arafat and his henchmen aren’t still fooling him.