Back to Rabin Square

May 3, 2007 - 11:28 AM by Nicky

My husband and I are off to the demonstration in Tel Aviv against Ehud Olmert tonight.

I haven’t been to a rally since the night Rabin died. What a night that was. I was pregnant with my first son. When we got there the police were turning people back because the square was already so full. Some 300,000 people were crammed in, all of them demonstrating for peace. We climbed up to a roof overlooking the square and watched the rally from above. It was so inspiring, so exciting. There was a real genuine feeling that Israel could achieve peace and that this is what the people wanted. We came away exhilarated and drove round to see friends afterwards. The moment we walked in, they told us Rabin had been shot. We were watching the TV news when they announced he was dead.

I will never forget that evening. It was as if a close relative had died. We sat with our friends long into the night discussing what might happen next to Israel without Rabin to lead us. The sad thing is that even when we discussed the worst-case scenarios, they didn’t come close to what has actually happened in Israel since Rabin died. The intifada, bombing campaigns, the fighting in Gaza, missiles in Sderot, and yes the Second Lebanon War.

The Lebanon war was a shambles that dishonored us. As Ari Shavit writes in Ha’aretz:

“The Israeli public is the real hero of the past decade. It supported the bold peace process of 2000. It overcame the massive terrorist offensive of 2001-2004. It supported Ariel Sharon’s efforts to reduce the occupation in 2005. It withstood the Katyusha attacks of Hezbollah against the North in the summer of 2006.

Over six years of difficult challenges, the Israeli public exhibited maturity and responsibility. It did not get carried away by extremism or defeatism, it did not become delusional or despondent. Lacking an inspiring leadership, it defended its home. It developed a vibrant economy under conditions of conflict, and a stable, normal day-to-day routine despite the constant threats. Even when the State of Israel failed, the Israeli public showed its mettle.

But this last year, the Israeli public failed: It did not manage to impose its views on its government.”

So tonight is the night. It’s time we all stood up and said “Enough!” We are decent, honorable people and we deserve a decent, honorable government.

One that can achieve peace too preferably.

Hope to see you there. ???

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