“I need your policy plan,” says Akiva Hoshech to Avi Lisker. He’s in a different office, this one in Rishon LeZion, Israel’s fourth-largest city, an important center for commerce, services, construction, wine, and think tanks. Yes, think tanks. Like the one headed by Lisker.
“Which one?” says Lisker.
“You know which one.”
“Hoshech, look around. Do I look like a guy who has just one policy plan?”
Hoshech looks around. The ordered chaos here so different from Noa Perelman’s blast from the past or the other places he’s visited, rounding up the old guard, shoring up support for BenTov. Different offices, the same mission, the same goal: build support for BenTov’s Tikkun Olam movement.
Avi Lisker was a brilliant tactician back when Center Command was Jerusalem Command. After the war of ’67, he left the army and set up one of the first Israeli policy think tanks.
“Your policy plan. The policy plan.”
“Oh, that policy plan.”
“That one.”
“It’s a pipe dream, Hoshech. It won’t fly.”
“It will.”
Lisker realized back in ’67 that holding on to the conquered territories would be a long-term thorn in the ass.
Israel was drunk on success. No need to give away land our boys had bled for, died for, most said. Fuck ’em, most thought. The triumphant ascent of Begin, Likud, and the political Right made Lisker’s views unpopular.
When Begin and Sadat made peace, and Israel gave the Sinai Peninsula back to Egypt, Lisker drafted a policy plan for disengagement from Gaza and the West Bank. He shopped it everywhere. No buyers, anywhere.
“Hoshech, you were on the policy team who shot me down in the eighties. Now you want it?”
“I’ve seen the light,” says Hoshech.
“Is it true you’re working for the Elder BenTov?”
“He sent me.”
Lisker goes to an old steel cabinet at the back of his office. Comes back with a dust-covered cardboard filing box.
Maps, three binders, a set of floppy disks wrapped in two rubber bands.
He goes back.
He brings another box, this one not as old, not as dusty. Inside are more maps and a slimmer binder.
“This is it, Hoshech. The first box is the original. The second has info and locations of recent settlements. It was up to date two years ago. Please let him know I’m on board. I’ll prepare and send you another box of these in a month. I hope sooner, but I think a month’s just about right.”
“You’re a mensch, Avi. A mensch.”
Lisker blushes.