The State of Israel has been tied by an umbilical cord to America. Its political leaders believe that severing this cord would doom the Jewish State to extinction. Hence security has ever been their primary concern. Security punctuates their daily thoughts. It constantly interrupts their efforts to address the country's social, economic, and demographic problems.

Israel's ruling elites lack the courage and wisdom to deal with these problems -- and this, quite apart from the fact that their self-serving system of multi-party cabinet government renders it impossible to pursue coherent and resolute national policies. And so Israel limps from crisis to crisis, the prey of domestic and foreign whims and wiles.

The Jewish State is not in control of its destiny. Its leaders have no goal, no distinctively Jewish national purpose, in consequence of which petty partisan rivalries and personal egoism reign supreme. It should be obvious that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has no long-range plan, no national strategy. He deals only with tactics, for the most part reacting to the enemy with one eye on Washington. To conquer the enemy in one massive attack is beyond his mettle.

Sharon is a confused man. He does not know what to do about the "Palestinian problem." He goes to Washington without a brave idea in his head. Like his predecessors, he has forsaken the opportunity to proclaim Israel's G-d-given right to Judea, Samaria, and Gaza -- something the American Congress and countless Christians would applaud, yes, and no American president would dare reject, publicly. This fait accompli would be a giant step toward solving the "Palestinian problem."

Of course, we can hardly expect a secular prime minister to proclaim Israel's G-d-given right to Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. But if Israel's prime minister "must" be a secularist, must he also be inept and timid? Must Israel's leaders be "men without chests" and without "vision"?

Here we touch on the fundamental cause of the entire Arab-Israel conflict. Israel will continue to bleed so long as it has a prime minister who is more afraid of Washington than of G-d. In other words, Israel will not overcome the Arab-Israel conflict until it has a prime minister whose wisdom and courage are rooted in the Torah.

This is what the Arafat War is all about. Behold! G-d has given Israel the best of all enemies, one that will never give Israel "peace for land"! The Oslo covenant will never replace the Sinai Covenant. The failure of Oslo is intended to return the Jews to their spiritual origin at Sinai. Arafat is merely a whip to awaken and redirect our foolish people.

Therein is the purpose of Arafat's suicide bombers. Jews are here given to learn that Islam is a religion of death diametrically opposed to Judaism, the one and only religion of Life -- the only religion that unites heaven and earth! But this means that Judaism is not a religion but an all-embracing civilization.

Now, let us be clear on certain points. First, no matter how many suicide bombing attacks are foiled, they will continue and become even more horrific until the supposed-to-be Jewish State has a Torah-inspired prime minister that severs the umbilical cord that ties Israel to America.

Second, America cannot win the war against international terrorism, for this war is nothing less than a conflict between civilizations beyond the wherewithal of Christian America. Only Israel can put an end to international terrorism, and then only when Israel becomes Israel.

Third, America, Israel's best friend, is but a temptation, a weak reed. Security will not come from America. Security will not come from the Israel Defense Forces or from "buffer zones." Most assuredly security will not come from a "Palestinian state." Security can only come from G-d, the Master of war and peace.

When the Jewish State has a prime minister that sanctifiers the G-d of Israel, then only will we enjoy the blessings of peace -- blessings of unimaginable light and goodness.

Paul Eidelberg (Ph.D. University of Chicago), a professor of political science at Bar Illan University in Israel, is president and co-founder of the Foundation for Constitutional Democracy in the Middle East. He is the author of many books including The Philosophy of the American Constitution, A Discourse on Statesmanship, Beyond the Secular Mind, and Judaic Man. Professor Eidelberg, who lives in Jerusalem, is a member of the Advisory Council of the Ariel Center for Policy Research and of the Editorial Board of Nativ, to which he is a frequent contributor.

[Source: Tzemach News Service (TNS) is a ministry of Tzemach Institute for Biblical Studies http://www.tzemach.org ]