Once a dissident, always a dissident

International | Russia's Sharansky is fighting an old battle in a new land | David Aikman

Natan Sharansky stands barely five-foot-three. He never wears a tie, and his headware of choice is a green Israeli Army forage cap. It reminds him of the old days, when he was a refusenik in the Soviet Union fighting a constant guerrilla war against KGB apparatchiks wanting to intimidate Jews.

Now Israel's Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Sharansky is a large reminder to ordinary Israelis of two important facets of life in the Middle East. First, undemocratic regimes like the Soviet Union are not to be trusted. Second, the 700,000 Jews from the former Soviet Union who have emigrated to Israel as a result of Soviet oppression now comprise a major political force. As Palestinian and Israeli envoys head into another round of peace talks, begun last week with moderation from U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, what Mr. Sharanksy represents is central.

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