All of us must learn to stand tall and talk eloquently like Baruch Kimmerling who died this week in Israel. None of us can remember him other than moving spasmodically, seated in his mobile wheel chair, speaking his words with tremendous effort and grinning over a point that he had made in an argument.
The Winograd Commission appointed by the government to examine shortcomings during the prosecution of the recent war in Lebanon, issued a report this week thoroughly condemning the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister and the former Chief of Staff for “serious failure” and “rash decision making.” The Commission blasted everyone concerned in the July adventure for impulsiveness, inefficiency, incompetence, etc.
Together with the left in Israel and abroad, the Editorial Board of Hagada Hasmalit mourns the sudden death of Professor Tanya Reinhart. Exceptionally talented and astute, Tanya was in the front line of those fighting the occupation and racism, all of her life. Tanya played a central role in the left through her thinking, her journalism and her personal activism. Tanya had a special talent for explaining the most radical ideas and concepts in clear and unadorned language. We did not agree all the time – but we were always on the same side of the barricade. She really was bigger than life.
Both within the ranks of Hamas and Fatah, there are hot headed trigger happy adventurists ...