Israel's army chief has exposed deep divisions between the military and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon by branding the government's hardline treatment of Palestinian civilians as counterproductive and saying that the policy intensifies hatred and strengthens "terror organizations."
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 Ahmoud Abbas, by offering only "stingy" support for his attempts to end the conflict, he said.
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 characterized 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 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 Ya'alon is not known for being soft on the Palestinians. As deputy chief of staff, he described the latest conflict as 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," Ya'alon said. "It increases hatred for Israel and strengthens the terror organizations."
Earlier this week, army commanders in the West Bank told a meeting of the military administration in the occupied territories that Palestinians had reached new depths of despair, which was fuelling hatred for Israel 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," Ya'alon said.
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 growing support for Islamist groups is a reason to keep the clampdown in place. This is the preferred option of the defense minister and Ya'alon's predecessor as army chief of staff, Shaul Mofaz.
Sharon and 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 a better tactic to deride 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 on Thursday that the Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom agreed that there needs to be a substantial easing of restrictions on the Palestinian population.
Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was also reported to have backed the general's view.
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.
‘IN A DIFFERENT PLACE’: The envoy first visited Shanghai, where he attended a Chinese basketball playoff match, and is to meet top officials in Beijing tomorrow US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday arrived in China on his second visit in a year as the US ramps up pressure on its rival over its support for Russia while also seeking to manage tensions with Beijing. The US diplomat tomorrow is to meet China’s top brass in Beijing, where he is also expected to plead for restraint as Taiwan inaugurates president-elect William Lai (賴清德), and to raise US concerns on Chinese trade practices. However, Blinken is also seeking to stabilize ties, with tensions between the world’s two largest economies easing since his previous visit in June last year. At the
Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding, especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released yesterday. The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found that 45 percent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than 3mm per year, with 16 percent at more than 10mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables, but also the sheer weight of the built environment. With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
Beijing is continuing to commit genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang province, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a report published on Monday, ahead of his planned visit to China this week. The State Department’s annual human rights report, which documents abuses recorded all over the world during the previous calendar year, repeated language from previous years on the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, but the publication raises the issue ahead of delicate talks, including on the war in Ukraine and global trade, between the top U.S. diplomat and Chinese