Israeli generals doubt peace, demand their money back

TEL AVIV -- Israel's military brass -- citing the prospect of war with the Palestinians -- has renewed its demand for more funding.

The demand comes as military leaders are growing increasingly skeptical of a diplomatic solution that will resolve the current tensions between Israel and the Palestinians. Military intelligence has predicted that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat will not agree to a final status agreement with Israel but will seek to declare a Palestinian state unilaterally.

The General Staff has scheduled a two-day meeting starting on Monday to discuss prospects of a confrontation with the Palestinians by the end of the year and its affect on the defense budget for 2001. Last year, the military budget was slashed by $250 million and the commanders want the Finance Ministry to return the money.

The Israeli Haaretz daily said on Sunday that Planning and Operations divisions have provided the General Staff with assessments regarding the Palestinian and Lebanese front and warned that the military faces shortcomings in its ability to respond to war because of manpower and training cuts.

The assessment said that without additional funds the military would be forced to dismantle the elite Givati brigade, reduce training, suspend research and development and suspend its reorganization.

Last year, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz launched a multi-year program called IDF 2000 based on a reduction of manpower and the improvement of the Air Force, intelligence corps and military research and development. Military sources said that about $900 million will be directed into these areas.