[Abcdxxxx]

A good portion of Israel is socialized - they take great pride in some of the government run agencies.... namely El Al. Privatizing these industries is an incredibly huge and dangerous mistake. Not only would it change their way of life, and how their Country governs itself... but it would kill the communal foundations it was based around.

Israel was created mainly through private donations, to be self sufficient, and untouchable... the worst crime for Sharon and the Knesset to make would be to allow anyone with a briefcase full of cash to buy into it....or to assume the private sector shares in "the dream of Israel" above and beyond the cash dollar.

Why is this happening? Not because of the economy, or the intifada. Surely it is due in part to the existance of Israel and the soveriengty of Jews becoming a respectable topic of debate, but that's not the sole reason. It's happening because of US pressure to open up it's industries and do business they way they do....to be more democratic and less socialist... and why would the US care? Because they're investing tons of money placing American style democracy through out the middle east... and it makes them uncomfortable that Israel's most solid industries and the knesset itself aren't in the mold of the United States of America. Also, globilization.