* In spite of the terrorism, Sharon repeatedly asks for Abu Ala (Ahmed Qurei), the Palestinian Authority's current prime minister, to do him a favor and meet with him. There is no more demand for the elimination of terrorist infrastructures as a precondition for negotiations. Sharon begs for negotiations with no preconditions. In contrast, Abu Ala sets preconditions and refuses to meet until far-reaching concessions are promised to him ahead of time.

Sharon's entire security doctrine has been blown away. The Arabs have successfully identified Sharon's weak point and helplessness, his loss of political direction, his current focus on only two things: dismantling settlements, instead of dismantling terror infrastructures, and his criminal investigation.

And they are celebrating.

* Nasrallah threatens: We will again kidnap Israelis -- and this time, alive, not dead!

* The released terrorists on their way to Germany vandalized the Israeli airplane, destroying whatever they could. At their head was the German murderer Steven Smyrek, who announced explicitly that he would continue with terrorism. The days when there was a minimal demand to at least promise a commitment to cease terrorist activities are over.

* The released terrorists were greeted by Palestinian Arab children waving flags of Hezbollah, an organization that even America has declared a terrorist group. The freed prisoners chanted: "1,000 martyrs to Jerusalem!" That is how one dances on the corpse of a dead lion.

* The suicide bomber who murdered 11 souls on bus no. 19 in Jerusalem was a police officer in Arafat's police force and a member of Arafat's Fatah organization. He left from Bethlehem, the only city the IDF has withdrawn from -- unilaterally.

Thus, the writing was on the wall, a few meters from Sharon's residence, where the bomb on bus no.19 was detonated, but there was no one to read it.

Along with this panoramic, sickening view, certain past events that we did not necessarily see in their true context fall into place:

* The closure of Arutz-7 Radio, the chief nationalist media outlet.

* The decision not to return to the Tomb of Joseph in Shechem.

* The decision to make an alliance with the anti-religious party Shinui, breaking the traditional nationalist-religious alliance; a decision that represented a sharp turn to the left.

* The attempt to make a radical change within the Likud, changing it into a "peace party," adopting the entire political program of the Left.

* Subordination of Israel to the oversight of the Quartet -- Russia, Europe, America and the United Nations; in practice, turning Israel into a protectorate, without genuine sovereignty.

The ship of state is being tossed about as if there is no captain and the deck has been abandoned.

It is not that important what caused the change in Sharon. Is this the old Sharon, the destroyer of Yamit, striking again, or is he simply making the whole country hostage to the possibility that he will be indicted? Either way, at the head of the nation stands a man who is acting like someone throwing fuel into the flames. The ship of state is being tossed about by waves of terrorism and international pressure, in a different direction every other moment, as if there is no captain and the deck has been abandoned.

And the cabinet ministers, who see this, are silent like the ministers under Menachem Begin were silent for so many months. They saw him in his decline, they saw him lose control, staring helplessly, ill, without presence of mind -- and they hid it from the public.

The ministers of this government see the decline of Sharon -- every day -- as a mortal danger, and they too are silent.

History will not forgive them -- especially ministers Lieberman, Eitam, Elon,Orlev and their parties, which are still called "right-wing" parties -- for their continued presence in the government. That presence is what enables Sharon to bring all of these disasters upon the country.  

Elyakim Haetzni is an attorney and former Member of Knesset from the nationalist Tehiya Party.

March 2004               - 9 -               Outpost