The current situation regarding the UN resolution to end this conflict reminds me an old scene in “Monty Python’s Life of Brian”.

BRIAN: How much? Quick.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: What?
BRIAN: It’s for the wife.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: Oh. Uhhh, twenty shekels.
BRIAN: Right.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: What?
BRIAN: There you are.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: Wait a minute.
BRIAN: What?
HARRY THE HAGGLER: Well, we’re– we’re supposed to haggle.
BRIAN: No, no. I’ve got to get–
HARRY THE HAGGLER: What do you mean, ‘no, no, no’?
BRIAN: I haven’t time. I’ve got–
HARRY THE HAGGLER: Well, give it back, then.
BRIAN: No, no, no. I just paid you.

Both Israel and Lebanon wish to end this Bath of Blood and start living normally. Both parties acknowledge that there’s no other way to live.

I watched CNN yesterday, after a long time i ignored TV. There was a live feed of the UN Security council discussion regarding the resolution. It seemed like two Kindergarden pupils were arguing. The Lebanese delegate stated how much Israel damaged the city of Tyre where there was no apparent reason; on the Other Hand, the Israeli delegate stated that the Lebanese delegate did not mention Hizbullah. The problem is that the security council is reluctant to understand how the middle east acts. Here, every side has to show they won. that’s why Haggling is applied in the same way as the Monty Python sketch. No party wishes to agree with the offer, in order to not seem weak and in need of help.

Fifteen thousand soldiers sent by Lebanon are a good offer that Olmert will have a hard time to refuse. But he needs to Haggle. He needs to show that he won- — In order to do so, he has to explain to everyone that it is hard to trust the Lebanese soldiers. They are closer to the Hizbullah then to Israel, and we can’t trust them to keep our border safe. The international forces that will be deployed cannot be understood as something serious as well. Would you trust another nation to keep you safe?

The current situation looks like we can’t trust them anyways. Israel was established as a nation to protect the Jews, that’s why it is a “Jew(ish) Democracy”, two words that cant be really read together, with an internal conflict. As a Jew(ish) Democracy, we aim to protect Jews world wide – the Israeli Criminal Code makes it possible to prosecute and offense made against Jews (for being Jews) no matter where. Israel tries its best to protect itself and be independent. I Personally have my problems with this method.

However, one must understand that jews as jews see this state as the only form that they can rely on. I think that this system only makes the situation worse, on one hand, and that on the other – it’s a facade; Israel relies on the US and foreign aid more than ever, and this will never make us independent. We don’t want an International Force keeping the border quiet; we want peace – not by force – real peace, where people do not wish to attack us.