DOCSLIB.ORG

Executive Intelligence Review, Volume 29, Number 8, March 1, 2002

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Executive Intelligence Review, Volume 29, Number 8, March 1, 2002 EIR Founder and Contributing Editor: Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr. Editorial Board: Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr., Muriel Mirak-Weissbach, Antony Papert, Gerald From the Associate Editor Rose, Dennis Small, Edward Spannaus, Nancy Spannaus, Jeffrey Steinberg, William Wertz Editor: Paul Gallagher Associate Editors: Ronald Kokinda, Susan Welsh o, that’s not a typo on the cover. What’s “Cluster’s Last Stand”? Managing Editor: John Sigerson N Science Editor: Marjorie Mazel Hecht What’s a “Cluster-Bust”? To find out, read Lyndon LaRouche’s Special Projects: Mark Burdman speech to the Presidents’ Day weekend conference of the Schiller Book Editor: Katherine Notley Photo Editor: Stuart Lewis Institute and International Caucus of Labor Committees, our Fea- Circulation Manager: Stanley Ezrol ture story. INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORS: For the thousand people who attended the conference, and many Counterintelligence: Jeffrey Steinberg, Michele Steinberg more who tuned in over the Internet, this was an intense and uplifting Economics: Marcia Merry Baker, weekend of struggle over ideas. One woman’s response: “Do you Lothar Komp History: Anton Chaitkin realize that this was the longest time I have ever concentrated in my Ibero-America: Dennis Small life?” And an African journalist: “Your cause is, simply speaking, Law: Edward Spannaus Russia and Eastern Europe: sacred. In this time of insanity, it is enlightening to see such coura- Rachel Douglas geous, sane people. All I can say is, Americans should wake United States: Debra Freeman, Suzanne Rose up!” Many of the young people who attended stayed up all night for INTERNATIONAL BUREAUS: Bogota´: Javier Almario impromptu seminars on music and history—and somehow made it Berlin: Rainer Apel back the next morning for more. “How can we defeat the media Buenos Aires: Gerardo Tera´n Caracas: David Ramonet blackout of LaRouche?” they wanted to know. “Weren’t the Found- Copenhagen: Poul Rasmussen ing Fathers racists? If we build the Eurasian Land-Bridge, aren’t we Houston: Harley Schlanger Lima: Sara Maduen˜o imposing our values on other nations? How do you organize other Melbourne: Robert Barwick people? How do you organize yourself every day?” Mexico City: Marivilia Carrasco, Rube´n Cota Meza The speech to the conference by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the Milan: Leonardo Servadio United States, Dr. Simbi Mubako (see International), gave eloquent New Delhi: Ramtanu Maitra Paris: Christine Bierre testimony to the effect that the LaRouche movement is having world- Rio de Janeiro: Silvia Palacios wide. “We have learned that, after all, there is life after the IMF,” he Stockholm: Michael Ericson United Nations, N.Y.C.: Leni Rubinstein said. “We have learned that we should encourage everybody to join Washington, D.C.: William Jones the movement for the establishment of a New International Economic Wiesbaden: Go¨ran Haglund Order.” Many other nations, currently cowering before the blackmail EIR (ISSN 0273-6314) is published weekly (50 issues) threat of the International Monetary Fund and the “financial commu- except for the second week of July and the last week of December, by EIR News Service Inc., 317 Pennsylvania nity,” need to learn that lesson, fast. Ave., S.E., 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20003. (202) 544-7010. For subscriptions: (703) 777-9451, or toll- Elsewhere in this issue, we have extensive coverage of the Anglo- free, 888-EIR-3258. World Wide Web site: http://www.larouchepub.com American drive toward war, notably against Iraq—and the backlash e-mail: [email protected] against that. Almost no one outside the United States supports the European Headquarters: Executive Intelligence Review Nachrichtenagentur GmbH, Postfach 2308, idea of war against Iraq: not even Kuwait, whose Defense Minister D-65013 Wiesbaden, Bahnstrasse 9-A, D-65205, Wiesbaden, Federal Republic of Germany said nervously on Feb. 20, “We do not interfere in the internal affairs Tel: 49-611-73650. Homepage: http://www.eirna.com E-mail: [email protected] Executive Directors: Anno of any country.” Even in Britain, there are establishment voices being Hellenbroich, Michael Liebig In Denmark: EIR, Post Box 2613, 2100 Copenhagen ØE, raised, denouncing Tony Blair for having gotten the U.K. into a mess Tel. 35-43 60 40 in Afghanistan which is only going to get worse in the months to In Mexico: EIR, Serapio Rendo´n No. 70 Int. 28, Col. San Rafael, Del. Cuauhte´moc. Me´xico, DF 06470. Tels: 55-66- come. 0963, 55-46-2597, 55-46-0931, 55-46-0933 y 55-46-2400. Japan subscription sales: O.T.O. Research Corporation, Takeuchi Bldg., 1-34-12 Takatanobaba, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 160. Tel: (03) 3208-7821. Copyright 2002 EIR News Service. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission strictly prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Washington D.C., and at an additional mailing offices. Domestic subscriptions: 3 months—$125, 6 months—$225, 1 year—$396, Single issue—$10 Postmaster: Send all address changes to EIR, P.O. Box 17390, Washington, D.C. 20041-0390. EIRContents Economics 4 Derivatives Write Epitaph for the Financial Markets Cover Since the collapse of Enron, new This Week revelations are warning that underneath the visible spectacle of large corporations going bankrupt, are tens of trillions of derivatives contracts, threatening to bring down the biggest banks in the world. 7 South Korea’s Kim Gets Bush To Back Silk Road 16 After the Collapse of Enron: Next Comes the 9 Ibero-America and the Cluster-Bust! World Land-Bridge Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr.’s keynote speech to the Presidents’ Day weekend conference of the Schiller 15 Colombia’s Pastrana Institute and International Caucus of Labor Committees, Breaks With the FARC in Reston, Virginia. “We’ve come to a momentous weekend, as I promised you, when I issued the title for today’s remarks: The Enron crisis would be ‘Cluster’s Last Stand.’ That we are now on the weekend of the Great Cluster-Buster; the day that the walls fall down. Not that the falling is completed today, but, to many people around the world who are paying attention, it’s obvious that this financial system, as a whole, is in the process of disintegrating.” The solutions—the Eurasian Land-Bridge, the New Bretton Woods—are on the table. “All it requires, at this point, is . a leader of vision and understanding, who’s Photo and graphics credits: Cover design, Alan Yue; (Custer’s Last willing to break glass, the glass imprisonment of popular Stand) www.arttoday. Pages 5, 22 opinion, and say: ‘We are going to Hell. Would you like (except chorus), 45, 66 (O’Neill), to survive? Will you join me in surviving?’ And, what I EIRNS/Stuart Lewis. Pages 10, 12, need from you, and from many other people, is a simple, 13, 26, 31, EIRNS. Page 17, ‘Yes. We want to do it.’ ” EIRNS/Gene Schenk. Page 22 (chorus), EIRNS/Suzanne Klebe. Page 34, Courtesy of Walter Simon. Page 40, Courtesy of General Atomics. Page 43 (Blair), Digital Photo/Remy Steinegger; (Mugabe) UN Photo. Page 47, Afrique Relance´/United Nations website. Page 53, White House photo/Paul Morse. Page 55, (Fischer), EIRNS/ Christopher Lewis; (Ve´drine), photographic service of Minister Hubert Ve´drine. Page 58, NSIPS/ Per Wa¨hlin. Page 66 (Hamilton), National Archives. www.larouchepub.com Volume 29, Number 8, March 1, 2002 Science & Technology International National 32 New Nuclear Designs 42 British Colonialists Misfire 64 On Presidents’ Day, Ready To Power Economicin Zimbabwe LaRouche Is the American ReconstructionAs Zimbabwe’s March 9-10 Leader In America, Russia, and Southelections approach, Africa’s former During the long weekend of Feb. Africa, companies have designedcolonial masters, led by Britain, 16-18, Presidents’ Day, Democratic new nuclear reactors—small,have so accelerated their war of Presidential pre-candidate Lyndon inherently safe high-temperaturepropaganda and manipulation LaRouche was simultaneously the modules, ideal for industrializingagainst the Zimbabwe government, center of attention and leadership at underdeveloped regions. Marjoriethat they run the risk of losing some a national conference of his U.S. Mazel Hecht reports.of their control elsewhere in Africa. political movement, and in the press of a number of other nations. 33 South Africa’s PBMR Is 44 Zimbabwe Under Siege Moving Ahead A speech by Dr. Simbi Mubako, the 65 Bush’s Budget Seeks Ambassador of Zimbabwe to the British-Style ‘Reform’ 34 Russia’s GA Reactor To United States. Burn Weapons Plutonium 68 Pakistan: Little Substance An interview with Walter Simon. 47 UN Adviser Tells the Hard in Musharraf’s U.S. Visit Truth About Africa 36 General Atomics’ GT- 69 Maryland Teachers Fight MHR48 Sharon’s Two-Front War Bush’s Testing Policy Against Peace 70 Congressional Closeup Interviews 50 The Truth Sticks: Sharon Is a Liar 34 Walter Simon Mr. Simon is a nuclear engineer and 52 Washington Is Heading for Senior Vice President for Reactor a New Iraq War Projects at General Atomics in San Diego. He is in charge of the joint 54 Europeans Oppose ‘Axis of program GA has with Russia to Evil’ Line build a nuclear reactor, which will use weapons-grade plutonium as 56 Afghanistan Plants a fuel. Bumper Opium Crop 57 In Memoriam: John Departments Erickson (1929-2002) 72 Editorial 59 On the Passing of John What’s Really at Stake in Zimbabwe. Erickson By Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr. 60 OIC, EU Unite vs. Clash of Correction: In last week’s issue, an Civilizations Crowd editorial error was introduced into the article “Scalia Backs Feudal 62 Cambodia: UN, NGOs Law Against Democracy,” by Endanger Peaceful Marianna Wertz (p. 79). Scalia told Recovery the Pew Forum, “The Constitution I apply is not living but dead or, as I put it, ‘enduring.’” EIREconomics Derivatives Write Epitaph For the Financial Markets by John Hoefle It has been said that by the time you see the termites eating as a form of insurance policy; someone who owns a bond your kitchen table, your entire house is gone.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 2007 Israeli Democracy Index Is Dedicated to Captain Zur Zarhi from Nahalal, a Beloved Friend Who Went to War and Did Not Come Back
    Auditing Israeli Democracy – 2007 Cohesion in a Divided Society Asher Arian, Nir Atmor, Yael Hadar The Israel Democracy Institute is an independent, non-partisan body on the seam of academia and politics. The Institute proposes policy recommendations and reforms for government and public administration agencies. In its plans and endeavors, the Institute strives to support the institutions of Israel’s developing democracy and consolidate its values. The Institute’s research is followed up by practical recommendations, seeking to improve governance in Israel and foster a long-term vision for a stable democratic regime adapted to the structure, the values, and the norms of Israeli society. The Institute aspires to further public discourse in Israel on the issues placed on the national agenda, to promote structural, political, and economic reforms, to serve as a consulting body to decision-makers and the broad public, to provide information, and present comparative research. Researchers at the Israel Democracy Institute are leading academics directing projects in various areas of society and governance in Israel. The IDI Press produces, markets, and distributes the results of their work in several series of books (“The Democracy Library”), policy papers, the Caesarea Forum Series, periodicals, and conference proceedings. The Guttman Center was established in its present form in 1998, when the Guttman Institute for Applied Social Research became part of the Israel Democracy Institute. Professor Louis Guttman founded the original Institute in 1949 as a pioneering center for the study of public opinion and the advancement of social science methodology. The goal of the Guttman Center is to enrich public discourse on issues of public policy through the information retrieved from the Center’s databases and through public opinion surveys conducted by the Center.
    [Show full text]
  • The Other Crimes of Ariel Sharon
    Click here for Full Issue of EIR Volume 28, Number 48, December 14, 2001 deploying tanks a few dozen meters from Arafat’s main of- camps in Lebanon, will again bury any chance for peace. fice, while he was in it. In a speech on Dec. 3, Sharon an- The additional danger now, is that there is even less oppo- nounced “war” against Arafat and the Palestinian Authority, sition to Sharon’s insane plans than in 1982. A senior leader and later rammed a resolution through the Knesset (parlia- of the Israeli peace movement warned, “Sharon has always ment) declaring the Palestinian Authority to be a “terrorist- thought he made two mistakes in 1982. The first was that in sponsoring” entity, a legalistic term to justify the “Taliban 1982 he did not have enough popular support for launching treatment.” the war. The second was that the government coalition of When asked if Israel planned to oust him, Arafat told the Menachem Begin was two narrow. Now he thinks he has press, “Not only me—me and the Palestinian Authority.” overcome both those mistakes.” A senior Israeli military source, in comments to EIR, put Despite the international diplomatic mobilization, the sit- it just as strongly. “Sharon has decided that Arafat is not uation remains grave. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed relevant for the process, that Arafat is no partner. Sharon is Maher El Sayed was dispatched to Israel on Dec. 6, to deliver systematically attacking all of Arafat’s symbols,” the source a warning from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak not to said.
    [Show full text]
  • Olmert, Abbas Meeting Overshadowed by Israeli's Political Woes, East
    Tuesday 3rd June, 2008 7 Ariel Sharon's Olmert, Abbas meeting son to be released from overshadowed by Israeli's prison early for good behavior political woes, east JERUSALEM (AP) - Justice Ministry officials say Ariel Sharon's son will be released from prison early for good behavior. Omri Sharon, son of Israel's ex- Jerusalem building Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, was sentenced to a seven-month prison JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli Prime Olmert took hundreds of thousands of term in late February. He was con- Minister Ehud Olmert is getting togeth- dollars in cash from American Jewish Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, center, attends a meeting of his Kadima party victed of campaign funding viola- at the Ammunition hill historic site in Jerusalem, Sunday, June 1, 2008. Israel dis- er with Palestinian President donors - including large sums to sus- tions. closed plans on Sunday to build nearly 900 new homes for Jews in disputed east Mahmoud Abbas on Monday to talk tain a lavish lifestyle - have provoked Jerusalem, adding new turmoil to peace talks already troubled by Prime Minister Tal Vider, a Justice Ministry peace before heading out on a U.S. trip unprecedented public censure and open Ehud Olmert's corruption probe. (AP) spokesman, said Sharon asked soured by mounting calls for his ouster. rebellion by former political allies. Sunday to have his sentence reduced Olmert is up against the toughest The backlash has led to efforts Olmert has denied any wrong- leader was set to fly to Washington on grounds of good behavior. political test of his career, following within his Kadima Party and coali- doing and said he would resign only for talks with U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • El Nuevo Código Secreto De La Biblia Michael Drosnin
    EL NUEVO CÓDIGO SECRETO DE LA BIBLIA MICHAEL DROSNIN http://www.librodot.com 1 Para mi familia, para mis amigos, para todos aquellos que tienen fe, una vez más. Y ocurrirá un tiempo de angustia, como no ha habido desde que hubo nación. Libro de Daniel 12: 1 Para resolver un problema hasta el momento indescifrable, tenemos que dejar abierta la puerta a lo desconocido. RICHARD FEYNMAN, Premio Nobel de Física INTRODUCCIÓN Durante tres mil años, la Biblia ha mantenido oculto un código en su interior. Ahora, gracias a la informática, ha sido descifrado y sabemos que puede revelarnos el futuro. Hace cinco años publiqué un libro acerca de ese descubrimiento. El científico que lo había hallado era un famoso matemático israelí, Eliyahu Rips. Aquel libro puso en conocimiento de todo el mundo el código de la Biblia. En verdad creí que mi pequeña contribución en esta aventura había finalizado. Yo sólo soy un periodista y no tengo nada de profeta, científico o estudioso de la Biblia. Pero lo cierto es que el código bíblico siempre ha estado presente en mi mente. No deja de asombrarme. Yo no soy religioso, ni siquiera creo en Dios, de manera que no puedo ni imaginar cómo es posible que exista un código en la Biblia que revele sucesos acaecidos después de la redacción de la misma. Pero de una cosa estoy seguro: el código es real. Una y otra vez he sido testigo de que las predicciones de la Biblia se hacen realidad. Incluso advertí a un primer ministro de que el código anunciaba su asesinato.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel and the Occupied Territories Page 1 of 51
    2008 Human Rights Report: Israel and the occupied territories Page 1 of 51 2008 Human Rights Report: Israel and the occupied territories BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices February 25, 2009 Israel is a multiparty parliamentary democracy with a population of approximately 7.3 million, including Israelis living in the occupied territories. Israel has no constitution, although a series of "Basic Laws" enumerate fundamental rights. Certain fundamental laws, orders, and regulations legally depend on the existence of a "State of Emergency," which has been in effect since May 19, 1948. The 120-member, unicameral Knesset has the power to dissolve the government and mandate elections. March 2006 elections for the Knesset were considered free and fair. On September 17, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that he would resign following a Kadima Party primary election but remain as caretaker prime minister pending the outcome of general elections scheduled for February 10, 2009. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces within Israel. (An annex to this report covers human rights in the occupied territories. This report deals only with human rights in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.) The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, although there were problems in some areas. There were several high-profile cases involving corruption by political leaders. Institutional, legal, and societal discrimination against Arabs, non-Orthodox Jews, and other religious groups continued, as did societal discrimination against persons with disabilities. Women suffered societal discrimination and domestic violence. The government maintained unequal educational systems for Arab and Jewish students.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel and the Middle East
    Israel and the MiddleEast Israel THEYEAR WAS full of surprises for the people of Israel. Prime vilnister Ariel Sharon, who had created thenew centrist party Kadima tnd removed Israeli settlers from Gaza andthe northern West Bank In 2005, seemed poised to continue a policy of unilateralwithdrawal from the territories, but was felled bya stroke. His successor, Ehud Olmert, won the Knesset elections in the spring.His plans to carry on Sharon's program, however, could not be implementedas the Pales- tinian Authority, which came under Hamascontrol in elections held in January, refused even to recognize Israel, Qassamrockets began falling on the western Negev with some regularity, andan Israeli soldier was kid- iapped in June. rhe kidnapping of two more Israeli soldierson July 12, this time near northern border with Lebanon, precipitateda bloody war against the nian-backed Hezballah, which controlled southernLebanon. The 34- conflict cost both sides dearly, and in the end, whilean international 'ould be stationed in southern Lebanon and thusremove, at least arily, the immediate threat to northern Israel,the Israelis did not their goals—return of the hostages and theinfliction of a de- ing defeat on Hezballah. re were other surprises as well. While Israel had, over theyears, be- used to charges of misdeeds directed against highofficials, what ed in 2006—the prospect of the president of thenation being tried xual misdeeds—came as a shock. One pleasantsurprise was the re- e of the Israeli economy, which continued to grow despite the ef- if'the
    [Show full text]
  • Israel and the Occupied Territories Page 1 of 36
    Israel and the occupied territories Page 1 of 36 Israel and the occupied territories Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2007 Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor March 11, 2008 Israel is a multiparty parliamentary democracy, with a population of approximately 7.2 million. "Basic laws" enumerate fundamental rights. The 120-member, unicameral Knesset has the power to dissolve the government and mandate elections. After free and fair elections in March 2006, Prime Minister Olmert presented his government to the Knesset. The civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces. (An annex to this report covers human rights in the occupied territories, including the treatment of security detainees from the occupied territories. This report deals only with human rights in Israel.) The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens; however, there were problems in some areas. There were several high profile cases involving corruption or sexual misconduct by political leaders. Institutional, legal, and societal discrimination against Israeli Arabs, non-Orthodox Jews, and other religious groups continued. Women suffered societal discrimination and domestic violence. The government maintained unequal educational systems for Arab and Jewish students. Trafficking in and abuse of women and foreign workers remained a problem, as did societal discrimination against persons with disabilities. Palestinian rocket and terrorist attacks killed and injured Israeli civilians. RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From: a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life The government or its agents did not commit politically motivated killings. On October 22, a Palestinian prisoner, Mohammed al-Askar, was killed during a riot at the Ketziot prison in southern Israel.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Integrity 2006 Country Report
    GLOBAL INTEGRITY 2006 COUNTRY REPORT ISRAEL Corruption Notebook Corruption Timeline Integrity Scorecard Country Facts Page 1 Corruption Notebook: Israel By Yossi Melman In June 2006, three months after losing the Israeli national election, Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview that Israeli business leaders tried to bribe him when he served as Minister of the Treasury in the previous government. Reporters who knew the media-obsessed Netanyahu assumed he was seeking to grab headlines and place himself once again at the center of Israeli social and economic discourse. Nevertheless, such a statement would have led to a public outcry and demand for police investigation in any Western democratic country. Though Israel considers itself part of the Western democratic world, the news was received with widespread indifference. Many Israelis share the feeling that in their country "anything goes," even an attempt to bribe cabinet ministers, and no human failure or wrongdoing surprise them any longer. These feelings long ago transformed into a notion that in terms of corruption—whether personal greed, political patronage or abuse of power—Israel is a third world country. Some context: The last five prime ministers all came under police investigation, either while in office or after they left. Shimon Peres, Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon were investigated for receiving illegal donations to their election campaigns; Benjamin Netanyahu for accepting expensive gifts and abusing state property. The current premier Ehud Olmert is under three separate investigations for receiving presents (for his prized pen collection), receiving bribes in dubious real estate deals (selling his posh Jerusalem flat to American billionaire Danny Abraham), and giving government jobs to cronies.
    [Show full text]
  • Codice Genesi, Perché Il Suo Annuncio Di Un Incontro a Camp David Tra Barak E Arafat Conferma Una Predizione Rilevata Dal Codice"
    CAPITOLO 1 LA FINE DEI GIORNI ALLE 8:48 DELL'II SETTEMBRE fui svegliato dal boato di un'esplosione che cambiò per sempre il mondo. Accesi la radiosveglia e ascoltai un notiziario: un aeroplano si era schiantato contro una delle Torri Gemelle del World Trade Center. Corsi sul tetto e feci appena in tempo a vedere un secondo Boeing 767 centrare in pieno anche l'altra, che si incendiò immediatamente. Non poteva trattarsi di un incidente. I due aerei erano stati dirottati da terroristi. New York stava subendo un attacco. Rimasi per più di un'ora da solo, sul tetto, a guardare sempre più sconvolto e incredulo quei due monoliti argentati di centodieci piani l'uno, che dominavano la Lower Manhattan dove vivo, gettare spaventose fiamme arancioni da tutti gli squarci e rigurgitare nel cielo giganteschi pennacchi di fumo nero. Improvvisamente una delle torri crollò su se stessa. Poi implose anche la seconda. Scomparvero tutt'e due in una nube di polvere che invase le strade, arrivando fino a casa mia. In un attimo, le due torri non c'erano più. La mia mente non riusciva a comprendere il livello di devastazione di quello spettacolo. Sciagure di tale portata erano presenti solo nelle profezie della Bibbia. Rientrai in casa e mi precipitai subito al computer, a cercare nell'antico codice, il codice della Bibbia. Soltanto lì avrei avuto una conferma dell'entità del pericolo, e una rivelazione di ciò che doveva ancora accadere. Il codice nascosto, scoperto da un famoso matematico israeliano, aveva già rivelato numerosi eventi che avevano scosso il mondo centinaia d'anni dopo la scrittura della Bibbia.
    [Show full text]
  • Environmentalism in Israeli Party Politics
    1 סדרת מאמרים לדיון Working paper series No. 13 – 2011 The Battle of the ‘True Believers’: Environmentalism in Israeli Party Politics Orr Karassin 142 מערכות מידע חשבונאיות ממוחשבות 1 The Battle of the 'True Believers': Environmentalism in Israeli Party Politics Orr Karassin Orr Karassin (Ph.D) is a Lecturer at the Department of Sociology Political Science and Communications at the Open University, Israel. She can be reached at: [email protected]. A. Introduction Environmentalism has been a latecomer to Israeli politics, in fact it is arguable whether it has come at all. While other Western nations were already experiencing heated environmental political debate in the 1970's (Dryzek, 1997 pp. 203-206), this was not the case in Israel. At that time, the terms environmentalism and ecology were relatively unknown to Israeli politicians, nor were they cognizant of the fundamental concepts and grand ideas that lay behind them. In 1965, Israel's Minister of Finance and one of Israel's most influential politicians for two decades, Pinchas Sapir, conveyed the spirit of the times when he asked the then-member of the Israeli Parliament, Yosef Tamir, "what is that ecology shmecology you are constantly talking about?." (Greenpeter, 2008; Eldar, 2009). His rhetorical question not only reflected ignorance but also a disdain and alienation from environmental trends. Sapir's sentiment was neither unique nor exceptional. It mirrored the predominant "development" ethos that had governed Zionist-Israeli society and politics from the 1930's (Tal, 2002 p. 24; De-Shalit, 1995). Even if, since the days of Pinchas Sapir, some knowledge about environmentalism, it is still far from a sweeping concern dominating the various arenas of Israeli party politics.
    [Show full text]