This morning's newspapers reported "over 150,000" participants at the demonstration in favor of withdrawal from the Gaza strip last night. Organizers claim a quarter million. Even the lower figure makes it one of the largest rallies in Israeli history.
The most centrist speaker was former Shin Bet chief and unilateral disengagement supporter Ami Ayalon, who however chided the organizers for making no efforts to include people outside the left-wing crowd. Doing so would have made the demo even more impressive.
Failed parliamentarian Yossi Beilin, instead of watching the Eurovision finals with Yasser Abed-Rabbo, gave a speech in which he called for Sharon to resign, as did the Mother of all Whining Cows Zehava Gal-On. (Anybody forced to listen to her voice on a daily basis ought to be paid a hardship bonus.)
Shimon Peres, on the other hand, spoke in favor of a national unity government under Sharon "on condition that it has a real withdrawal agenda". This morning's Hebrew newspapers quoted sources in Sharon's circles as expressing satisfaction with the demonstration.
The Left offering their erstwhile bugbear something of a safety net against the lunar right. We sure are living in interesting times.
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