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Israel's top general may be fired for publicly opposing withdrawal

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Monday, October 15, 2001

TEL AVIV Ñ Israel's military chief faces dismissal amid his public opposition to a government plan to ease restrictions on the Palestinian Authority.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and senior ministers are said to be furious with Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz and have threatened to fire him.

Mofaz has publicly opposed an Israeli withdrawal from a Palestinian neighborhood of Hebron, the launching pad of numerous shooting attacks against an adjacent Jewish neighborhood.

"I am going to fire him," Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told a Cabinet meeting on Sunday.

Ben-Eliezer told ministers that he was shocked by an Israeli military statement that expressed opposition to any withdrawal from Hebron's Abu Sneina neighborhood. The withdrawal was pledged by Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to Palestinian leaders.

Sharon was said to have agreed with Ben-Eliezer. The prime minister said the military statement was unprecedented and marked an intervention in political issues.

Later, Ben-Eliezer acknowledged a dispute with Mofaz. But he would not elaborate.

"No dispute between me and the chief of staff will appear in the media," Ben-Eliezer said.

But Ben-Eliezer strongly reprimanded Mofaz and warned senior military officers not to speak to the media.

Mofaz and senior commanders have opposed any concessions to the Palestinians amid their refusal to end attacks on Israel.

"I never opposed the decisions of the government. I only advise," Mofaz said. Mofaz said he would not resign.

The Israeli withdrawal from Abu Sneina was completed overnight Monday. PA police officers took over the Israeli positions in the neighborhood while Jewish settlers protested the withdrawal.

The Israeli army also eased restrictions on the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Jericho. In Nablus, Palestinian sources reported that a leading Hamas member was killed when an Israeli helicopter fired a missile at his car near Al Najah University. Ahmed Marshoud, 34, was killed and another Hamas member was injured in the explosion. Marshoud was wanted by Israel for alleged involvement in attacks against Israelis.

Earlier, the National Union Israel Beiteinu party quit the government in response to the Israeli withdrawal from Abu Sneina.

Infrastructure Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the seven-man party would consider returning to the national unity government "if the foreign minister would resign his post and the Israel Defense Forces would return to the neighborhoods they have withdrawn from in Hebron."

The government also faces four no-confidence motions in the Knesset which will begin its winter session on Monday.

In other developments, the Health Ministry is checking ten envelopes that arrived in Israel for anthrax.

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