Israel elite forces focus on larger war, not Palestinian conflict
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Friday, June 1, 2001
TEL AVIV — A leading Israeli military commander said the Middle East
is approaching a regional war.
Brig. Gen. Yisrael Ziv, chief infantry and paratroop officer,
acknowledged that elite Israeli units are not participating in the current
war with the Palestinians. Ziv said these units are training for the
prospect of an Arab-Israeli war in the Middle East.
"We are not so far from this [war]," Ziv said. "The Israel Defense
Forces must be prepared for the possibility and those above it must see to
it that this possibility is not realized."
It was the second time in less than a week that a senior Israeli
commander said the Jewish state was preparing for war. On Friday, Chief of
Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz said Israel is preparing for what he termed "the
deterioration in the situation." Mofaz said war could break out in several
months or a year.
"There are no signs at the moment of war," Mofaz told the Jerusalem
Post. "Perhaps there will be in a few more months or another year. I don't
know."
For his part, Ziv said the Arabs, including the Palestinians and the
Lebanese Hizbullah, are searching for Israel's vulnerable points. The
brigadier said Palestinian attacks on Israeli motorists is the result of
gains made by the military that denies Palestinian attacks in other areas.
"Every field in that we achieve success brings them to enter another
sphere," Ziv said.
In Netanya, a Palestinian blew up a car bomb outside a school on
Wednesday. Six students were treated for shock. Later, Palestinian gunners
resumed mortar attacks on Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened his security Cabinet to discuss the
continuation of the unilateral ceasefire. Government sources said Sharon is
not under pressure by his senior ministers to end the ceasefire.
Sharon is said to have urged his ministers that Arafat wants Israel to
launch a massive offensive so that he can obtain international intervention
in the conflict. But at least one coalition partner has threatened to bolt
from the government unless Sharon ends the ceasefire.
"We have to go into Area A [PA territory] and destroy the entire
military infrastructure," National Infrastucture Minister Avigdor Lieberman
said.
On late Wednesday, Israel and the Palestinian Authority held another
security meeting. A PA official reported slight progress and the two sides
agreed to continue meeting.
Friday, June 1, 2001
|