Knesset's special meeting will take place in Poland

In advance of 70th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz (which will take place next year) and on the 69th anniversary of it, January 27th, Holocaust Remembrance Day, over 60 Knesset Members will hold a special session in Auschwitz (over half of the Knesset members). Later they will meet with Polish MPs and public figures from both countries as well as from the USA and Canada (possibly other countries too).
It will be the largest Knesset delegation to Poland so far.

The two planes carrying the Knesset delegation will land at a military base in Krakow. From there the delegation members will be taken by bus to Auschwitz, where they will tour the prisoner blocks and the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, which is located in Block 27. The tour will be conducted by Education Minister Shai Piron and MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, both of whom gave guided group tours of Auschwitz in the past.

Following the tour the delegation will march to the Birkenau concentration camp. The march will be headed by Speaker Edelstein. In Birkenau, a memorial ceremony will be held on behalf of the Polish government, during which Edelstein, Holocaust survivors and representatives of the Polish and Russian governments will speak. More than 1,000 people are expected to take part in this ceremony.

Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein notes: “The Holocaust did not start with Auschwitz-Birkenau, but with boycotts, words and throwing stones at Jewish shop windows.” He is also particularly concerned about some of the “openly anti-Semitic” parties and politicians around the world today, especially in Europe warning that anti-Semitism “is not just a Jewish or Israeli problem alone” and that while “it starts with the Jews, it doesn’t end with the Jews.” Auschwitz, originally built as a camp for Polish prisoners of war, subsequently turned into concentration camp (it was so till the end of the war) and subsequently having its part turned into death camp for Jewish people is astounding symbol of his warning after which we may (and should as often as possible) add only the words "never again". They used to be so powerful but with history fading in European children's minds and antisemitism on the rise the words lost some of their drive at the time when they should be heard more loudly than ever! And as the awful thinks happen when good people do nothing we are all under obligation to remind what those words "Never Again!!!" stand for.

Ariel Sharon

Today the former PM of Israel, Ariel Sharon, who has spent last 8 years in coma after 2 strokes and died last week, is being buried. Just when I write it the funeral takes place.

Sharon was not only PM but also a soldier. He took part in 1948 independence war when Israel was attacked by 7 Arab armies not even 24 hours after its creation. He was wounded in that war and today the procession will stop in Latrun where he was wounded on its way to Sycamore Ranch where he will be buried along his wife who passed away in 2000. He took part in 6 days war in 1967 and in Yom Kippur war in 1973. Both were the deadly danger and if any of those wars (all of them defensive) had been lost it would have been like opening hell's door for all Jewish people again.

As a soldier he pursued victory, as a PM he pursued peace and made many steps towards it. His was the move to abandon Gaza strip taking all Jewish inhabitants from there. Since than (2005) the only Jew who has spent there considerable time was abducted soldier Gilad Shalit kept by Hamas for nearly 6 years and exchanged for over 1,000 convicted Palestinian terrorists.
He knew what was at stake and the fate of Israel and Jewish people, their well being, their safety, were always on his mind.

In his own words: "Before and above all else I am a Jew. My thoughts are dominated with the Jewish future."

He was a hero.

It is just worth noting that Palestinian authorities (not just ordinary people who do many things anywhere) are celebrating his death with joy in the same way as they did 9/11.

What should be done to achieve peace and how does EU counteract it?

In any conflict (between persons, businesses or international law subjects) if mediation come into the picture the role of the mediator is to find the deepest needs of each party and try to accommodate them all. Contrary to expectation it can be done as those most important needs do not have to be conflicted. And - certainly - not all needs of all parties may be met.

For example in Israel-Egypt peace deal on the Israel's side it was security, on the Egypt's side it was regaining Sinai Peninsula. Making the last but as a demilitarized zone enabled both parties to accommodate their primary needs (sacrificing some other but it is always a case with agreements).

Equally important is the question if the deal is possible to be executed. And not only forcibly by law (as in civil law cases) but is it generally possible. The famous case of the specious deal was the Versailles Treaty finishing I WW. If the contribution Germany was to pay would have been paid (or even tried to be paid) Germany would gone bankrupt leading to revolution or alike.  There were also no willing parties to try to impose it on Germany which leaded in a way to II WW showing how fictitious was the treaty.

Going back to Israeli-Palestinian treaty what would be the most important needs of the parties was there to be a treaty? For Israel certainly being recognized as Jewish state and security. On Palestinian side gaining the status of a country but is it doable? In contrast to Israel attacked not even 24 hours after independence declaration Palestine would be safe externally at least for starters but internally and specially economically it could be completely other story....
Certainly there are poor states in abundance and it is no reason for them to cease existence, but a newly-created country (had there been one) with people brought up in extremism, 50% with no work (Gaza), accustomed to relatively good conditions of living in sharp contrast to not being accustomed to paying for media and on territory with lots and lots of weaponry may be problematic both for neighbors  (not only Israel, Jordan likewise) and for authorities.

What is the role of EU in it?

here it is

EU pays with taxpayer money for PA administrative staff out of which many do... nothing.
I have already written about debts towards Israel for electricity and other media. Generally speaking PA lives for Israel money when it comes to everyday needs of the people and media and on EU's money when it comes to money itself, specially paying renumerations.
Does a territory with no proper health care, no media supply, high unemployment, lots of weaponry and dependent on others for payments to administration  stand a chance of creating and maintaining state? I very much doubt it.
So, if Palestine was created and - as should be expected - broke relations with Israel how will they supply energy? Will they be willing or able to buy it from neighbors? Possibly not. Will they maintain schools and health care? No. Are they to stay as a country clients of EU at the time when in many European countries pensions are being reduced and maybe soon to be gone? (Eastern Europe specially). Is the aging EU able to support one of the most demographically explosive territories as it does now together with Israel and the USA? What would be the price of not to? Intifada in Europe?
Last but not least - is it not so that "preliminary conditions", breaking negotiations and all alike is in fact escaping by PA authorities, living on (good) European money, the horrifying (to them) perspective of taking responsibility by the state? Are they already hostage of their hateful rhetoric frightened that they may get what they were bragging about and have no idea what to do with?

Tell me what do you think...