Israeli military chiefs demand call up of reserves
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, January 17, 2001
TEL AVIV — Israel's military chiefs are pressing the government for
a major mobilization of the reserves to allow many combat units of the
standing army to leave the West Bank and Gaza Strip and train in preparation
for a regional war.
The effort comes as the military is expressing frustration with
government policy toward the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, Jewish settlers have joined the fighting between Israeli and
Palestinian forces in the Gaza Strip, Middle East Newsline reported.
The settlers uprooted trees and torched greenhouses, cars and other
property of Palestinians who neighbored the Gush Katif bloc of settlements
in Gaza. The attack on Monday was in retaliation for the abduction and
killing hours earlier of a Jewish settlers.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz and members of the General Staff
have urged Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who is also defense minister, to order
a major reserve call-up to ensure that the standing army is prepared for war
this year. The military has termed 2001 as a "year of readiness" for
regional war.
"The situation is very difficult because the process of training and
preparation is vital to building the military," said Brig. Gen. Yiftah Ron,
chief of staff of the Ground Forces Command. "And we will pay a heavy price
for stopping training."
Military sources said the army began the mobilization late
last month, moving up plans that were to have been implemented in March. The
reservists will allow regular units to return to their base for two weeks of
exercises as well as a week of rest.
The commanders said that after six months of being in the field, the
troops are exhausted and are beginning to make mistakes. This includes
excessive
shooting toward Palestinians.
Less than one-third of the number of Israeli troops in the West Bank are
reservists. In Gaza, about 15 percent are reservists. Military sources said
commanders want to raise this percentage but Barak is said to be concerned
that the deployment of insufficiently trained reservists could result in
greater casualties.
Military sources said senior commanders in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
are also frustrated over Barak's inconsistency in fighting the Palestinian
revolt. The sources said Barak demands instant results after Palestinian
attacks only to rescind security measures hours later when PA officials
agree to cooperation. The sources said the cooperation is not implemented.
In Gaza, Israeli police arrived but failed to stop the settlers. Two settlers
were arrested and were to be remanded in a court in Beersheba.
Settlement leaders said they have been under siege by Palestinian
attacks over the past few months. They said Palestinians have regularly
attacked Israeli motorists and property in Gaza settlements.
President Moshe Katsav and Israel's chief rabbis called on Jewish
settlers to exercise restraint and not launch revenge attacks on
Palestinians. "We call on all Israeli citizens not to take the law into
their hands and to ensure restraint," Katsav said.
Overnight Tuesday, Palestinian forces held gun battles with Israeli
troops in the Muwasi area, where settlers torched Arab property hours
earlier. Gun battles were also reported around Khan Yunis and the Islamic
opposition Hamas group asserted that a bombing attack destroyed two Israeli
army jeeps.
The violence led to a decision by Israel to postpone talks on security
cooperation and a peace accord with the Palestinian Authority. Palestinians
said Israel has again divided Gaza into four sectors, closed border
crossings and the airport and accused Jewish settlers of attacking a
Palestinian motorist in the West Bank.
The rampage came as Fatah leaders said they would continue their attacks
of Israeli positions in the Gaza Strip despite PA talks with Israel to
restore security cooperation. The leaders said the effort is meant to stop
Israel's occupation of Gaza.
At the same time, the Palestinian Authority said collaborators are
surrendering to PA police in wake of the execution of two Palestinians over
the weekend. The PA has offered a pardon to any Palestinian collaborator who
surrenders and provides a full accounting of his activities for Israel.
PA officials said seven Palestinians have surrendered to authorities and
have offered information on their relations with Israel.
The PA effort comes amid continued assassination attempts on Palestinian
field commanders. On Tuesday, Palestinian sources said a suspected
Palestinian collaborator, Murshid Kassem, was killed by PA agents.
Over the weekend, Israeli agents failed in an assassination attempt of
Fatah secretary-general Yazid Huweihi. Huweihi
heads the northern Gaza branch of the movement.
Wednesday, January 17, 2001
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