Ya'alon: Golan Heights Not Pivotal To Israel's Security [As Long As There Is Peace]

2005-05-31

JPost.com Staff

The Jerusalem Post

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[IMRA: "Ya'alon said that if there were a real peace with Syria, Israel could secure its territories even without the strategic mountainous zone." COS Ya'alon joins a long line of Israeli "snapshot" strategists - proposing long term moves based on possibly short term conditions..

The operative question is not if Israel needs the Golan to be safe during a period of "real peace" but if Israel needs the Golan if - for any of a variety of reasons having absolutely nothing to do with Israel - that period should come to an end.

You can sit on a chair a few meters from the breakers at low tide - but you will drown when the tide comes in.]

Israel could defend itself without the Golan Heights, outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon told Asharq Al-Awsat in a rare interview with the London-based pan-Arab daily, which is seen as the most important newspaper in the Arab world.

Responding to Ya'alon's statement, MK Gideon Sa'ar said the "Chief of Staff acted irresponsibly and inappropriately." Deputy Agriculture Minister Gila Gamliel estimated that Ya'alon's comments were a move toward a political career in the Labor party, Israel Radio reported.

The interview comes as Ya'alon serves his last day as IDF Chief of Staff on Tuesday, after Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz decided not to renew his term. Former Air Force Commander Dan Halutz is replacing Ya'alon.

Referring to Ya'alon's comments made to Yediot Aharonot in August about relinquishing the Golan Heights in exchange for peace with Syria, Asharq Al-Awsat asked the Chief of Staff if it were still a possibility. Speaking from a security perspective, Ya'alon said that if there were a real peace with Syria, Israel could secure its territories even without the strategic mountainous zone.

When the Golan Heights were in Syrian hands before the Six-Day War in 1967, Syria often attacked Israeli kibbutzim east of the Kinneret from the mountainous area.

Syria has lately made weak overtures to Israel - generally through third parties - to resume talks, but Israel has dismissed them, saying they were unconvinced of Syrian President Bashar Assad seriousness.

If Assad were serious, he would crack down on Lebanon's Hizbullah organization and close the offices of terrorist organizations in Damascus, Israel has said.

Touching on the conflict with the Palestinians, Ya'alon severely criticized PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's feeble efforts to combat Palestinian terror activity coming from within the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

Though Ya'alon praised the Palestinians' choice of a leader with "new, good ideas," he qualified his praise by saying that there needs to be one authority in charge, and one party in control of all weapons.

Ya'alon disparaged the Palestinian Authority as moving forward too slowly, thereby allowing other groups to take advantage of the situation. He noted Hamas in particular as utilizing a weak government to its advantage.

The outgoing chief of staff warned that Hamas should not be included in the Palestinian parliament until it ceases to act as a military party and acts solely as a political body.

Abbas had no excuse for not arresting Islamic Jihad terrorist Muhammad al-Hindi, who was behind the fatal suicide attack February 25 at the Stage nightclub in Tel Aviv, Ya'alon said. Five Israelis were killed in the bombing. The Palestinian leader "is not serious and not determined," Ya'alon said.

Parts of the interview had a surprisingly poignant and personal pitch, considering the infrequency with which Israel's senior security officials agree to be interviewed by the Arab media.

When he was asked whether he was hurt by Mofaz's decision not to reappoint him, Ya'alon replied: "We are all human, and we are all hurt sometimes." Hurt to tears? his interviewer questioned. "I make an effort not to show it, but sometimes a tear falls," Ya'alon answered.

Ya'alon even touched on the personal subject of his family history, telling a story of how he was deeply moved when he recently met a woman in New York raised in the same village as his mother, a Holocaust survivor. He also related the travails of learning Arabic when he was first appointed to head the IDF's intelligence department.

Raed abu Shamsyh contributed to this report.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis