FROM HAIFA

“THERE WAS A TIME when we could beat every army they sent at us,” remarked former Israeli general Moshe Golan as he looked out to sea. “I landed here as a kid from Auschwitz in 1947. At night. In secret. I fought in 48, in 56, in 67, in 73. And we were heroic. Then, quietly, something changed. Perhaps we grew too strong. Too many victories. Got rich and fat and conceited. Because since then it’s been nothing but setback. Lebanon was a disaster. Hizbollah virtually defeated us. The only success we have had in recent times is taking Arab land in the West Bank. Nothing good will come of it. Look I believe in Never Again, but it does not mean we can have everything and treat others with contempt. Ask the Germans where that leads.

“The slaughter down south is awful. I weep for my people. But something more than mere massacre has taken place. The enemy breached our walls. Others are watching. We can pummel them to Kingdom Come from here on in but unless we want to wipe them off the face of the earth – and believe me, there are Israelis who do – then when Bib has had his revenge, Gaza will still be there, only even more angry than before. And this will happen again. Just look at the numbers. What will we do when Gaza has five – and then maybe seven – million angry Arabs cooked up inside its walls? I just don’t want it to end like this. You know I was there when we captured Jerusalem in 67. What a day that was! It’s never been better. And that’s the point, isn’t it?”