Soldiers' anti-war festival at A'hziv
While the collapse of bank shares provoked panic amongst the vast majority of the population, who had been attracted by the high rate of profit on neighbourhoods, not for the settleinconsiderable audience.
the government took the This article was originally published in reason for their presence at A hziv under tunity to raise the prices of basic necessities by 50 per cent and to devalue the
"This is only a beginning, the new minister told the employers, not slow to add 'Now or never is the moment to implement austerity policies, including if that means the end of full employment.' (Yediot Aharonot October
For the workers, the era of the car and video seems to have definitely ended The guarantee of buying power by the sliding scale, and the guarantee of employment are the subjects now being discussed in the factories and popular neighbourhoods. A turbulent meeting of delegates from the Workers Committees forced the Histadrut to organise a twohour protest strike which, for the first time for a long time, was observed by almost all the workers.
While pathetic in relation to what is at stake, the strike was, by virtue of the massive participation, a warning as much to the leaders of the Histadrut as to the government.
The workers' organisation and its Labour Party leaders are completely incapable of presenting an alternative economic policy to that of the government. In fact, the only way to at the same time maintain buying power and sig nificantly reduce the budget and balance of payments deficits would be to substantially reduce military spending and the settlement budget.
No significant Zionist party is prepared to do that. This is the reason why one can talk of a consensus within the ruling class about the need for a sharp attack on the living standards of the workers. The Labour Party is content to demand 'an equitable sharing' of the effort.
We still cannot forecast the rhythm and form of the workers fightback. Will it be through committees of workers elected in the factories, co-ordinated at 10 issue No 30, dated October-November 1983, of Sharara (The Star - Arab language journal of the Revolutionary Communist League, section of the Fourth International in the Israeli state). Leila KHATIB
It no longer makes the front pages, the massacres have given way to more discreet search operations, and the big operations to routine ones. However, the war in Lebanon continues The government's budget and the number of soldiers permanently mobilised on the other side of the northern frontier testify
The fact that the operation "Peace in Galilee' has been transformed into Endless War in Lebanon undoubtedly explains why the centre of gravity of the anti-war movement has shifted towards the soldiers movement Yesh Gul ('There is a limit' or "There is a border').
While there has been a certain dropping off in the mobilisations by Peace Now and the Committee Against the War in Lebanon, Yesh Gul has just organised an anti-war festival at A'hziv near the Lebanese border. Over 15,000 people attended in the most massive anti-war action since the Peace Now demonstration on the anniversary of the invasion
Despite the threats of a future boycott, and the real risk of seeing the doors of television and radio studios shut to them, the best known singers and groups in the country responded to the appeal of Yesh Gvul to come and perform in a benefit for the families of soldiers who have refused to serve in Lebanon. These soldiers have been deprived of their salaries for the weeks, or even months, that they have been in prison.
The poet Yehonatah Gefen hosted the show where one could hear Hava Alberstein, Shalom Hanoch, Arik Sinai, the group Benzine, and many others. Most of the huge banner 'Bring the boys home.
Those attending, mostly young people, came from kibbutzim in the south as well as immigrant villages in the north. One could even note, sitting side by side, soldiers recently released from prison for refusing to serve in Lebanon, and military police who just a few weeks ago and who the next day would return to prison No 6 with messages of solidarity
The success of the Yesh Gvul festival dubbed Yesh Gvulstock the Israeli press) is in the main explained by the real impact of the refuseniks in the Israeli army, and in society as a
While the war is less spectacular than previously, it is a tangible and dangerous reality for tens of thousands of reserve soldiers. As our comrade Michel Warschawski, who is presently serving 28 days in Prison No 6, wrote 'In each unit that must leave for Lebanon there are only one or two soldiers who are prepared to go to prison. But there are dozens of others who discuss whether or not one should refuse to go, who hesitate, who will refuse to go the next time, or the one after. That's to say nothing of the dozens who find some scheme to avoid going Whatever it is, before going to prison I took part in dozens of discussions in my unit on this subject. Never once did I meet a completely hostile reaction, in general it was encouraging'
It is because the opposition to the war in Lebanon is so strong within the Zionist army that the military authorities do everything possible to discourage people from refusing. Three weeks after he had completed his sentence Michel Warschawski had to rejoin another unit in Lebanon, or once again go to prison. This could go on indefinitely. They would have to do more to break Yesh Gul, and more still to persuade Israeli soldiers that there is something to be gained in the Lebanese quagmire. • International Viewpoint 28 November 1983
NETHERLANDS
DE KRISIS DETAIPAI
For that reason also, it is essential to unite the working class to resist this onslaught. But the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (PVdA) and the trade-union leaderships are obstructing this.
As an alternative to the government's