“The silence is deceptive. We are on borrowed time” stated Defense Minister Ehud Barak to a forum of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) which met on Wednesday in Tel Aviv.
Barak feels that in order to prevent renewed conflict, Israel must address “core issues” towards reaching a “comprehensive peace agreement with the Palestinians”. He added “this may not be possible so we may have to look at an interim agreement or possible a unilateral withdrawal”.
Barak received the full support of former Chief of Military Intelligence Amos Yadlin, who today stands at the head of the INSS. Yadlin also presented a report prepared by researchers in the institute who feel it is highly unlikely that any substantial agreement between Israel and the PA is realistic in the foreseeable future and feels that the current reality demands an alternative plan. The current stalemate he feels is the worst possible scenario for Israel. “Israel must implement a gradual unilateral process, pulling out of Yehuda and Shomron towards the partition barrier” Yadlin added.
Vice Premier Moshe Ya’alon disagrees, attacking Barak’s opinion. Ya’alon explained “Anyone who believes this disputes starts and ends with [the] 1967 [borders] errs. Such a person simply does not understand the dispute. One who feels this will be resolved by declaring a unilateral process must realize the opposite is true and doing so strengthens the extremists who believe at the end of the day the Zionists will give in”.
Minister of Education Gideon Saar also expressed his opposition to Barak’s unilateral process. He warned of the dangers which should be evident to all following the failures of the Disengagement Plan implemented in 2005, leading to the expulsion of the Jewish presence in Gaza and the establishment of the Hamas state in its place.
Saar added that Barak’s opinion is a minority one and it in no way reflects the policy of the current coalition.
It should be pointed out that Barak ordered Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the security zone in southern Lebanon, which was under Israeli control from 1985 – 2000. After being elected prime minister, Ehud Barak ordered the withdrawal of IDF forces under the cover of darkness, selling out Israel’s Southern Lebanese Army allies and compelling the IDF to literally run out of the area during the night.
It was later learned that classified equipment and documents were left behind and many frum soldiers were not permitted to go back to their bunkers to take tefillin and seforim that were left behind in Barak’s unilateral move.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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14 Responses
Some people will never learn. The world saw what happened in Gaza and doesn’t care. Israel has given the Arabs back Sinai and Gaza, all they’ve given is death and destruction. The next positive move is in the Arabs hands. They should not be given anything more.
If you assume that the State of Israel is doomed, it is reasonable to withdraw from the post-1967 settlements first, and only then start the withdrawal form the 1949-1967 settlements, followed by the 1914-1948 settlements, and finally the 1880-1914 settlements.
The successful Anglo-French withdrawal from Czechoslovakia in 1938-1939 illustrates the correct way to get rid of a piece of territory in order to preserve peace in our time.
Barak has to move fast, since after the next election he’ll be largely out of politics since his own party has repudiated him, and he survives only with Netanyahu’s suffrance.
What does the fact that frum soldiers were not permitted to take their tefillin out of lebanon have to do with this story. The article was good up until the mention of lebanon.
I think Barak is simply bored. When there is no active security conflict, he simply looks for things to do. Someone should get him a chavrusa.
If we remember what happened (and is still happening) to Arik Sharon when he pressed for the expulsion of the Jews of Gush Katif, then we might wonder if perhaps HaSh-m might be “Considering a Unilateral Withdrawal” of something from Mr. Barak when he is me’vazeh the heartland of Eretz Yisrael and the holy pioneers that are mosair nefesh to build it.
It looks like Barak wants to give back the whole of Eretz Yisroel and be done with it! That’s exactly what those monsters want. It’s definitely time for him to go!
Ehud Barak is an embarrassing and dangerous apologist, defeatist coward. It was he who offered Yasser Arafat, Yimach Shimo V’zichro the entire East Jerusalem along with 98 percent of the territories the sad world insists on calling ‘occupied.’ It was only b’chasdai hash-m that that Arafat’s heart was hardened and he refused to accept this offer, instead launching the second intafada. Had this not happened, Israel would be in an even more precarious position than they currently are. With friends and “leaders” like Barak, Israel does not need enemies. Barak, its time to leave politics-for the greater good!
At times, I just have no clue what apukerma is all about. Usually, he has a radical ,almost Neturei Karta-like, opinion on Israel but his present comment defies logic. Is he being sarcastic? Is he just interpreting Barak’s view? And he should not worry- nothing will happen before next year’s elections and nothing will happen afterwards. Barak is just spouting some old tired ideas that have been totally discredited.
Barak is no coward. And it just might be that he is actually talking sense. The “mesirus nefesh” of those who live in Yehudah and Shomron is beside the point. A few wise people predicted the present situation already back in 1967. What reason was there to believe that all those arabs living in Yehudah and Shomron would willingly go along with being ruled by the Jews?
The fallacy with “yussel”s comment is that “wise people predicted the present situation already back in 1947”. Yussel just doesn’t understand that the Arabs will never, never accept Jewish sovereignity over any part of OUR Eretz Hakedosha. It should be irrelevant what Arabs are thinking. It is our patrimony and will be forever.
If he’s the Defense minister there’s a good chance that Netanyahu knows about this and there just getting everyone used to the idea gradually…
Let’s wait and see.
Based on the State’s record for the past 19 years with so many seemingly illogical decisions, this is quite possible.
Someone’s obviously pulling the strings upstairs, and his thoughts and plans are are much higher than ours. (Yes, even more than YWN’s readers and commentators.)
rabbiofberlin:
How, exactly, do you propose to solve the problem. Saying that it is “our patrimony and will be forever” is not a solution. Unless you are prepared to “exterminate all the brutes”, you are going to have to find a way to live with them. They will NOT accept Jewish rule. What is left?
Rabbi of Berlin:
If you know something of 20th century European history, you realize I am making a sarcastic analogy to the Anglo-French policy of appeasing Hitler by offering territory.
I see the state as doomed, at least under current management. They will offer the Arabs land to appease them, but without demanding peace. What the Arabs want is not real estate, but an Islamic state. The Muslim Arabs are proud, arrogant, jingoistic and racist – and will never accept living under rulers that are non-Muslim and non-Arabs. The Jews in Eretz Yisrael should insist on the right to live as frum Jews anywhere in Eretz Yisrael, and should make concessions in other areas, such as banning anti-Islamic behaviors that we also find offensive, agreeing to let the Muslims run the government as long as we are autonommous and secure, etc. – things that frum Jews can offer, but the secular zionists can’t- which is why instead they offer Jewish neighborhoods in hopes it will appease the Muslims.
yussel : how are we handling the problem today ? we live and build, we live and expand, we live and defend ourselves. What is wrong with this approach? We continue living on every part of Eretz Ysroel and we will continue doing this. What is wrong with this scenario?