Happy New War

It is with great unease that I read the headlines these days, these sweet, special days of early autumn. Israel performed some provocative military act in Syria, just now, as the temperatures are dropping and blessed clouds return to the sky. At press time, the government has not seen any reason to inform the public what the hell is going on, while grapes ripen on the vines and the spirit of the Jewish new year is in the air.

Olmert needs another war, a successful war. Only thus can he save his political biography. Let's all die for that! If a new war goes well, (wars that go "well" involve multitudes of casualties and indescribable carnage), he will be sitting a year from now at the holiday table, dipping the traditional slice of apple in honey and saying: "may next year be just as wonderful as the one that just ended!"

You may think me a conspiracy theorist, but if one doesn't want war - one doesn't send combat planes to Syria while relations are tense, even if the Iranian nuclear bomb is hidden there among the olive groves, in fact - especially if it is. The time is ripe, by the way. Ehud Barak is a few months into his position as Minister of Defence. New Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazy is similarly at ease in his comfortable, bullet-proof swivel chair. A november peace summit is coveniently scheduled as proof of good intentions. Let's roll.

Our masters of war are not alone in wishing for a bit of action. The Hammas is shooting as passionately as it can out of the Gaza strip and into Israel proper. Last night it wounded several scores of soldiers while they slept at a base, just as the beautiful Hazzav flower begin to bloom and flocks of migrant birds appear in the sky. Several of them lost limbs. Israel is shooting into the strip as I write this. A mother and child were already reported severely wounded.

This summer has been a nice one. It's been rather low in violence. Last year there was a war in Lebanon, two years ago - tension preceding the disengagement (resulting in a massacre of Palestinian-Israelis in the city of Shefar'am). This Summer's violence was centered around the city of Nablous and several other spots in the West Bank. Both sides of the fence in Gaza were tense as well. For those living there - it was hell, for most of us, however, there was respite.

This respite may be coming to an end, so we should all toughen up, as well as speak out against violence when we get the chance. When I dip my apple in honey tomorrow, It'll be in hope that all will return to normal and that this post is dumb and deeply unprophetic. Round foods, such as specially baked round loaves of bread, are traditionally consumed on Rosh Hashannah in honor of the year's cycle. A year from now I'll be more than happy to dip my hat in honey and eat it.