Mofaz - goodbye and goodriddance
Finally - a civilian is taking over the defence ministry in Israel, Amir Peretz. Many in the defence ministry have their doubts (as do many in the labour party.) I think it is a perfectly healthy development. Simply because a person has had a long service in the army does not make the person fit to be defence minister. A defence minister needs to thinks outside the army's conceptual square and see the broader political impacts of the army's recommendations. Peretz is well suited to this role. He does not see the Israeli/Palestinian conflict through the barrel of a gun but understands the conflict for what it is: a territorial political conflict. In short, finally we have a defence minister who is the government's man in defence not the IDF's man in the government.
One can certainly not say this for Peretz predecessor, Lietenant General Shaul Mofaz. As Akiva Elder points out in a lengthy artilce in Haaretz's Friday weekend section, Mofaz was an utter disaster both as Chief of Staff and as a defence minister. As Elder points out, Mofaz's own intellectual capacity was somewhat limited having failed the officer's test three times. Beyond that, it was Mofaz as defence minister, who more so then even Sharon pressed for the harshest military responses against the Palestinians. During Operation Defensive Shield, Mofaz decided to harm Jibroul Rajoub and his forces attacking their headquarters despite the fact that his security establishment did not fire at Israelies, and did not use the revolving door policy. A senior officer who was in on the plans described the attack as "operative intoxication - a chain of events without rational".
In the early days of the intifada when Israel was trying to take measures to calm things done, it was Mofaz as Chief of Staff who was doing the opposite. As Shlomo Ben-Ami has written, the IDF under Mofaz's command despite government agreements to the contrary worsened the economic grip in the territories raising the level of Palestinian fury to unprecedent levels. It was the IDF under Mofaz command that responded in a disproportionate manner to Palestinian violence in the inital weeks of the intifada adding much unnecessary fuel to the flames. It was Mofaz who suggested at the time the Clinton parameters were raised in December 2000 that they were dangerous ideas despite the fact that any sensible person knows that such parameters will form the basis for any final agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. And he was making these commands as IDF Chief of Staff not as a politician. Around the disengagement period (until it was understood Sharon would not torelate it), Mofaz was against the move and instead proposed more assassinations, closures and checkpoints. When negotiations over the Karni crossing commenced during this period, Mofaz together with his crony Amos Gilad did everything in their power to prevent any agreement with the Palestinians.
In short, Mofaz in his tenure as chief of staff and defence minister proposed only one option: force and when that failed more force to finally etch into the minds of Palestinians that terrorism does not pay. Mofaz had no nuisance for negotations or dialogue. Mofaz now feels annoyed that someone with his "talent" is being pushed aside for the inexperienced Peretz. He expects a senior position in the government despite the fact he bolted from Likud to Kadimah only after he realised he was not going to win the Likud vote for leadership.
I don't believe Mofaz should be awarded with any post. I consider Mofaz's term as defence minister as the worst term since Sharon was defence minister during the Lebanon war. Israel now has a defence minister in Peretz who will hopefully approach the position in the responsible and judicious way the job should be exercised in. Labour for some reason felt that getting the treasury position was the key portfolio. With respect, defence is. The minister who controls defence ultimately bears significant responsibility for the way the IDF conducts itself in the territories, which in turn has a significant political impact as the last 5 years bear out.
One can certainly not say this for Peretz predecessor, Lietenant General Shaul Mofaz. As Akiva Elder points out in a lengthy artilce in Haaretz's Friday weekend section, Mofaz was an utter disaster both as Chief of Staff and as a defence minister. As Elder points out, Mofaz's own intellectual capacity was somewhat limited having failed the officer's test three times. Beyond that, it was Mofaz as defence minister, who more so then even Sharon pressed for the harshest military responses against the Palestinians. During Operation Defensive Shield, Mofaz decided to harm Jibroul Rajoub and his forces attacking their headquarters despite the fact that his security establishment did not fire at Israelies, and did not use the revolving door policy. A senior officer who was in on the plans described the attack as "operative intoxication - a chain of events without rational".
In the early days of the intifada when Israel was trying to take measures to calm things done, it was Mofaz as Chief of Staff who was doing the opposite. As Shlomo Ben-Ami has written, the IDF under Mofaz's command despite government agreements to the contrary worsened the economic grip in the territories raising the level of Palestinian fury to unprecedent levels. It was the IDF under Mofaz command that responded in a disproportionate manner to Palestinian violence in the inital weeks of the intifada adding much unnecessary fuel to the flames. It was Mofaz who suggested at the time the Clinton parameters were raised in December 2000 that they were dangerous ideas despite the fact that any sensible person knows that such parameters will form the basis for any final agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. And he was making these commands as IDF Chief of Staff not as a politician. Around the disengagement period (until it was understood Sharon would not torelate it), Mofaz was against the move and instead proposed more assassinations, closures and checkpoints. When negotiations over the Karni crossing commenced during this period, Mofaz together with his crony Amos Gilad did everything in their power to prevent any agreement with the Palestinians.
In short, Mofaz in his tenure as chief of staff and defence minister proposed only one option: force and when that failed more force to finally etch into the minds of Palestinians that terrorism does not pay. Mofaz had no nuisance for negotations or dialogue. Mofaz now feels annoyed that someone with his "talent" is being pushed aside for the inexperienced Peretz. He expects a senior position in the government despite the fact he bolted from Likud to Kadimah only after he realised he was not going to win the Likud vote for leadership.
I don't believe Mofaz should be awarded with any post. I consider Mofaz's term as defence minister as the worst term since Sharon was defence minister during the Lebanon war. Israel now has a defence minister in Peretz who will hopefully approach the position in the responsible and judicious way the job should be exercised in. Labour for some reason felt that getting the treasury position was the key portfolio. With respect, defence is. The minister who controls defence ultimately bears significant responsibility for the way the IDF conducts itself in the territories, which in turn has a significant political impact as the last 5 years bear out.
posted by SJ at 5:04 AM
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