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Israel pessimistic on jewish new year { August 2006 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/09/22/060922143758.mdu177v3.htmlhttp://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/09/22/060922143758.mdu177v3.html
Israelis pessimistic on eve of Jewish New Year
Sep 22 10:38 AM US/Eastern
This Jewish New Year, Israelis are looking back grimly on the passing year and, with the Lebanon war still fresh in their minds, see little hope that the coming one will bode any better.
According to Jewish tradition, Rosh Hashana, or new year, which begins at sundown Friday, offers a chance to turn over a new leaf and to ponder the passing months.
The passing year -- 5766 since the creation of the world according to Jewish tradition -- took Israel through some of the most dramatic moments of its recent history.
It began with Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation, saw the disappearance of veteran leader Ariel Sharon and the election of the radical Islamist Hamas movement in the Palestinian territories.
And now the year ends shortly after the Lebanon war, which many here consider a failure both politically and militarily.
The year 5767 is beginning with Israelis disappointed in their government, angry over the mistakes of the Lebanon war and deeply pessimistic about any breakthroughs in the all-but moribund Middle East process.
Former left-wing MP Yossi Sarid paints a bleak picture, both of the year passed and the one about to begin.
"This was a year which, unfortunately, has heavy ramifications and an impact on many years to come. We are in the midst of a severe crisis from the political, social, security, diplomatic and moral point of view.
"We are buried under a mountain of problems," he says. "And unfortunately, I can't see any breakthough in the next year."
At his kiosk in downtown Jerusalem, Ariel Elias thinks quietly for a long time before giving his judgement on the past year. "It was a very difficult year, and I can only hope for a better one this year," he finally says.
"The war in Lebanon changed everything for Israel and the government."
With 162 soldiers and civilians killed in the war that started after Hezbollah fighters abducted two Israeli servicemen in a cross-border raid on July 12, Israel's leadership is today on the defensive, facing harsh criticism and an inquiry over its handling of the offensive.
Olmert, who swept to power in March general elections on a promise to unilaterally pull out from most of the occupied West Bank, conceded in the war's aftermath that his policy must be changed.
Now he appears to be trying to revive the stalled peace process with the Palestinians, led by the Hamas government which refuses to recognize Israel's existence or renounce violence.
Haim Meir, a taxi driver from Tel Aviv says that "the war destroyed all our hopes from the government, which can't be blamed for the events."
Nor are Israelis hopeful that the coming year will bring a breakthrough for the peace process with the Palestinians.
"The peace process is jammed and will remained jammed as long as Hamas does not recognize Israel," says Yohai Bar, taking a break from reading a paper outside a Jerusalem kiosk.
"There is no peace process because of Hamas. The Palestinians are now trying to pull a stunt by joining (the moderate) Fatah movement to the government in order to get money" from the international community, which suspended hundreds of millions of dollars in financial aid after Hamas came to power.
"It could well be they succeed in their stunt," Bar says. "And that means no hope for any peace process."
Towering over the year's events is the shadow of former prime minister Sharon, who had led Israel through the traumatic years of the Palestinian uprising or intifada and later the withdrawal from Gaza.
But after suffering a debilitating stroke on January 4, the 78 year old's leadership was brought to an abrupt end.
Even after the swift succession of Olmert as prime minister, and a victory of his centrist Kadima party in the elections, many felt the new government lacked Sharon's strength and leadership.
"It is a shame Sharon is no longer in power. Such things wouldn't have happened if he had been around," Elias says.
Against the general gloom, some nevertheless are optimistic.
"The war in the north went pretty smoothly, I believe. The situation in the north of the country will improve. Hezbollah is no longer in control of the border with Israel," says Itai Krauzman, a waiter in a falafel restaurant.
Copyright AFP 2005, AFP stories and photos shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium
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