Yediot Ahronot: Yes to National Referendum

".Support for a national referendum is a sharp change in the position
expressed here in the past. But things that happened in the last months
require a reevaluation of prior positions.
.

It will force Sharon to roll up his sleeves, leave the controlled atmosphere
of the Cabinet and go out to the citizens of Israel in order to address
their questions, get rid of their doubts and convince them that his path is
correct. Ariel Sharon will discover in his campaign that a considerable
number of Likud supporters feel that he personally deceived them. They will
demand an explanation for the dramatic change from his traditional positions
and he will have to provide them. Sharon won't have a hard time doing it;
the new reality will speak for itself. If Sharon applies himself to the
campaign he will cause 65% of the participants in a national referendum to
say "yes".

Thus the carrying out of a national referendum should not be conditioned on
the a priori commitment of the disengagement opponents to forego their
protest. Protest within the bounds of the law is the very lifeblood of a
liberal regime and the backbone of civil rights. The results of the
national referendum must be so convincing and so overwhelming that the
disengagement opponents will accept them as a clear expression of the will
of the People and will themselves give up."

Yediot Ahronot editorial written by Sever Plotzker 3 February 2005
[Translated from the original Hebrew]

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il