NRO national review online April 11, 2002 No-Nuance Netanyahu by Kate O'Beirne NR Washington Editor The straight-talk express from Israel. While the Israeli military tackles the terrorists next door, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is manning the second front in Israel's war on terrorism. In a meeting with journalists, hosted by Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.), Netanyahu explained that his government asked him to head to Washington in order to make their case to the American public. For the past few days, he has ably conducted his mission on a host of TV shows and behind the scenes in sessions with Senate and House members. Although he is confident that the American public's sympathy is with Israel, Netanyahu sees some confusion about Yasser Arafat's track record and intentions. Arafat's agenda is "not about the construction of a state, it's about the destruction of a state," he explains, sitting beside a large map taken from the Palestinian Authority's website showing "Palestine," and only "Palestine," where Israel currently exists. There is no confusion or nuance in his message. The articulate advocate explains that terrorism must be defeated militarily, Arafat has to be exiled because he has clearly shown himself to be "not a King Hussein, but a Saddam Hussein," and Israel must build a security barrier as protection from its enemies in the West Bank. Netanyahu dismisses concerns about who might replace Arafat by confidently asserting that it doesn't matter once "deterrence is established." If whoever comes next shares Arafat's agenda, Netanyahu warns, he will share his fate. Netanyahu sees the current Israeli military action as "restrained," because it "could be over in two days" if Israel wasn't willing to risk its soldiers' lives to limit civilian casualties. He points out that the U.S. faced the same challenge in Afghanistan because "terrorists target civilians and hide behind civilians." Before heading off for an appearance on Israeli TV, Netanyahu warned that if there is a political solution to terrorism, there will be more terrorism to win political concessions. Benjamin Netanyahu articulates a very persuasive "Israeli line." |
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