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De ha ez nem, akkor mi? Nyilván ez nem jó senkinek sem. Tehát?

A terroristákat szolgálja Saron politikája?
Király András 2003. október 31., péntek 14:24


Váratlan helyről érte támadás Ariel Saron palesztinpolitikáját. A hadsereg a palesztinok elleni harcot korábban függetlenségi háborúként jellemző parancsnoka szerint az elnyomás reményvesztést, a kilátástalanság erőszakot szűl. Véleményét a hadsereg és a titkosszolgálatok jelentései is alátámasztják, és még kormánytagok tetszését is megnyerte.


Saron politikája csak a terroristákat erősíti - vélekedett az izraeli hadsereg főparancsnoka. Moshe Ya'alon altábornagy szerint Izrael "a katasztrófa szélére sodródott". Bár véleménye Saronból és Saul Mofaz vezérkari főnökből szó szerint dührohamot váltott ki, a Guardian értesülései szerint több kormánytag, a hadsereg és a titkosszolgálatok álláspontját is tükrözi.


A hadsereg főparancsnoka szerint a palesztinok elkülönítése, a Ciszjordániában épített kerítés csak fokozza a kilátástalanságot - írja a Guardian. A reményüket vesztett palesztinok így egyre inkább támogatják a terroristacsoportokat.


Véleményét a megszállt területeken szolgálatot teljesítő alakulatok parancsnokainak jelentései és a titkosszolgálatok is alátámasztják.


Ya'alon eredetileg névtelenül szivárogtatta ki véleményét csütörtökön. Bár célja szerint csupán a hadsereg az utóbbi időben elnyomott álláspontját akarta jobban kommunikálni, a névtelen nyilatkozat komoly hatást váltott ki. Olyannyira, hogy az izraeli sajtó már másnap nyilvánosságra hozta, hogy az altábornagy a nyilatkozat forrása.


Ez, ha lehet, csak tovább növelte a kritika súlyát. Ya'alon ugyanis egyáltalán nem a palesztinokkal szembeni engedékenységéről volt ismert - írja a Guardian. A második intifáda elleni harcot régi beosztásában, a vezérkari főnök helyetteseként még az izraeli "függetlenségi háború második lépcsőjének" nevezte.


Saron és Saul Mofaz vezérkari főnök dühödten reagált Ya'alon nyilatkozatára, annak visszavonását vagy az altábornagy lemondását követelvén. Véleményük szerint Ya'alon csak a hadsereg kudarcát próbálta a kormányra hárítani - írja a Guardian.


Az izraeli katonai rádió értesülései szerint azonban két kormánytag, Silvan Shalom külügyminiszter és Ehud Olmert miniszterelnök-helyettes is egyetért az altábornagy kritikájával.

sashimi

Fierce rebuke exposes rift between military and government

Chris McGreal in Jerusalem
Friday October 31, 2003
The Guardian

Israel's army chief has exposed deep divisions between the military and Ariel Sharon by branding the government's hardline treatment of Palestinian civilians counter-productive and saying that the policy intensifies hatred and strengthens the "terror organisations".
Lieutenant-General Moshe Ya'alon also told Israeli journalists in an off-the-record briefing that the army was opposed to the route of the "security fence" through the West Bank. The government also contributed to the fall of the former Palestinian prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas, by offering only "stingy" support for his attempts to end the conflict, he said.

Gen Ya'alon had apparently hoped his anonymous criticisms would strengthen the army's voice, which has been subordinated to the views of the intelligence services in shaping policy.

But the comments were so devastating that he was swiftly revealed as the source.

The statements - which a close associate characterised to the Israeli press as warning that the country was "on the verge of a catastrophe" - will also reinforce a growing perception among the public that Mr Sharon is unable to deliver the peace with security he promised when he came to office nearly three years ago.

The criticism is made all the more searing because Gen Ya'alon is not known for being soft on the Palestinians. As deputy chief of staff, he called the latest conflict the second stage of Israel's independence war.

The general warned that the continued curfews, reoccupation of towns and severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, combined with the economic crisis they have caused, were increasing the threat to Israel's security.

"In our tactical decisions, we are operating contrary to our strategic interest," Gen Ya'alon said. "It increases hatred for Israel and strengthens the terror organisations."

Earlier this week, army commanders in the West Bank told the military administration in the occupied territories that Palestinians had reached new depths of despair, which was fuelling a hatred for Israeli that had little to do with the propaganda so often blamed by the government.

"There is no hope, no expectations for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, nor in Bethlehem and Jericho," said Gen Ya'alon.

The commanders warned that the situation was strengthening Hamas, a view the Israeli intelligence services agreed with. But while the army sees the solution as easing most oppressive elements of occupation, the Shin Bet argues that rising support for Islamist groups is a reason to keep the clampdown in place. This is the preferred option of the defence minister and Gen Ya'alon's predecessor as army chief of staff, Shaul Mofaz.

Mr Sharon and Mr Mofaz were reportedly furious at the general's statements and initially demanded that he retract them or resign. But the political establishment apparently decided it would be better to deride Gen Ya'alon.

Anonymous sources in the prime minister's office were quoted in the Israeli press complaining that the army chief was trying to blame the politicians for the military's failures.

But army radio reported yesterday that the foreign minister, Silvan Shalom, agreed that there needs to be a substantial easing of restrictions on the Palestinian population. The deputy prime minister, Ehud Olmert, was also reported to have backed the general's view.

Gen Ya'alon also waded into one of the most contentious issues of the day by saying the army had recommended a less controversial route for the steel and concrete "security fence" through the West Bank.

He said the military had warned that the fence, which digs deep into Palestinian territory, caging some towns and villages and cutting farmers off from their land, will make the lives of some Palestinians "unbearable" and require too many soldiers to guard it.

Further questions were raised yesterday after the chairman of parliament's defence budget committee revealed that the cost of the fence could triple to Ł1.3bn - or 3% of the national budget - if Mr Sharon fulfils his plan for the fence to run around Jewish settlements and the length of the Jordan valley so that it encircles the bulk of the Palestinian population.

In response to questions about Gen Ya'alon's comments, the army's chief spokeswoman, Brigadier General Ruth Yaron, said they reflected a debate within the military.

"No uniformed officer has expressed criticism of the government. The articles reflect fundamental deliberations within the army, in light of a complex reality," she said.