Amos Oz, from April 1996 in The New York Times, during the last flare up on Israel’s northern border, but in a more hopeful time …
The fighting in northern Israel and Lebanon that’s still raging after two weeks started because Iran wants to destroy the peace process and because Syria — at least as long as President Hafez al-Assad’s dictated peace is rejected by Israel — backs Iran.
It is a no-win situation that suits Iran’s leaders. If Israel is attacked and doesn’t retaliate, it turns Israeli citizens against peace. If Israel hits back, the Arabs turn against peace. Iran is pleased either way.
Islamic extremists want Israel to be loathed and isolated again in the Middle East — Israel against the whole of Islam, the whole world against Israel.
Israel’s goal has been the opposite: to isolate Islamic fundamentalism by making peace with the Palestinians and Arab nations. In fact, Iran and its proxies might have been quicker than Israel to grasp the idea that in a peaceful Middle East they would become as isolated as Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. If the peace process collapses, however, Israel will once more be the neighborhood’s leper.
Which country will find itself in unsplendid isolation? This is a subtle struggle, taking place primarily in people’s hearts, not in military arenas.
In forcing the civilians of southern Lebanon to flee their homes and in the horrific accidental shelling of refugees at the United Nations base near Qana, Israel brought upon itself a moral and political defeat in this battle over hearts and minds.
The whole piece is really worth reading on many levels.
