After Arafat

For many long decades, Arafat has been the incarnation of evil for most Israelis. He was compared to Haman, Hitler, Amalek and every other villain in Jewish history one can name. It therefore came as something of a surprise that his death evoked little reaction hereabouts. A few extreme right-wingers went dancing in the streets on receiving the news of his demise and a few left-wingers eulogized him and/or attended his funeral. Going even further than anyone else on the left was Uri Avnery, journalist and politician, who, in a three-page eulogy published by Ha'aretz, described Arafat as "a very gentle person, a very warm person."

Leaving aside Israeli Arabs - who mourned him officially but didn't seem particularly distraught - most of the people in this country scarcely had anything to say about the departure of a man who had made things so difficult for them over a period of some 40 years.

The one notable reaction was an emotion little felt by Israelis for many long years - hope. People are suddenly talking about the possibility of a real settlement with the Palestinians, some of them Israelis who habitually declare "you can't trust any of the Arabs" or "like the Nazis before them, all they want to do is kill us all." This isn't to say that anyone, on whatever side of the political spectrum, is suggesting that the Israel Defense Forces be disbanded or that guards be removed from supermarkets and movie theaters. But, for the first time in many years, a significant percentage of the people you meet at a family gathering or in the bank are openly talking about the possibility that some Palestinian leaders might just be trusted.

Much depends on how things develop in the Palestinian Authority, whether relatively moderate elements gain control and, even if they do, whether the diehard terrorists can be brought to heel. For their part, Israelis, despite verbal sniping from the settlers and their friends, must be ready to compromise if circumstances indicate that compromise is called for.

Alas, there are other factors over which we have no control. The Iranians will certainly be stirring up trouble in the Palestinian areas and now, with nuclear weapons very soon available to them, they may be tempted to drop an A-bomb on Tel Aviv. Citizens here are asking what we can do about that. Do we depend on American willingness to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear option or must we act ourselves as we did in regard to Iraq two decades ago? That issue is being debated behind closed doors in the Defense Establishment and around the dinner table in Israeli apartments.

So the hope that was born with the death of Arafat, traditionally seen as the foremost impediment to peace, is circumscribed by the reality of a turbulent Middle East. This doesn't prevent us from dreaming that our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will enjoy the peace that was denied to us. The odds aren't too good, but this week, there is a little more reason to hope.

Nechemia Meyers is a free-lance writer in Rehovot, Israel.

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