Army chief: This isn’t a war

Halutz arrived at the army camp at Ein HaShlosha with his deputy in order to address the commanders for the last time before the pullout mission gets under way Monday morning.

The army chief told the commanders: “we’ll give you all the backing to the act we are doing, as difficult as it may be. We handled in recent months several difficult missions, that are not part of the army routine, but the difficult part in the evacuation mission is still before us.”

“The first thing I ask everyone is not to take this part of the mission lightly,” Halutz said. “Don’t think things are already behind us, they’re still ahead of us…we won’t hurt a soul…”

“We are not heading into battle, and this must be understood by everyone, to the last soldier,” he said. “There is no war here, we are not seeking to win or defeat anyone.”

'Genuine pain'

The army chief added that Gush Katif residents worked and lived in the area for dozens of years.

“They express deep pain, genuine pain,” he said. “Their dignity is important to us just as it is to them and just as it is to every single one of those who lead the resistance to the evacuation,” he said. “We’ll continue to stand with them as required, even after this move…because I think it’s our responsibility to offer a hand where we can.”

“The deep public controversy has reached the IDF’s doorstep as well,” Halutz said. “It threatened, and still threatens to crack our solid structure…we’ll have to go back to our soldiers, one by one, and return them to routine. I assume that even within us there are those who carry with them all sorts of feelings and our duty as commanders is to address the last soldier even after (the pullout.)”

“You’re allowed to cry”

“Tomorrow we will move from house to house, and as much as possible, we will look them in the eye. We are allowed to cry with them, and we must love them and help them to help us. Because at the end of the day, this mission is all of ours, and just like the settlers helped the army fulfill its mission all these years, I believe the clear majority won’t form an obstacle for the army and police to carry out this mission,” said Halutz.

"When mission Brotherly Hand is over, we will have to move over to the phase that is hard, and it will force us all to go from one way of thinking to another."

It will be hot

"I’m not saying that the shift will mean that we use force, but it will obligate us to put most of the sensitivity to one side, and replace it with determination, because in the next two days, there is no room for determination. We must carry out what has been placed on our shoulders, but we are not fighting with anyone, and are not planning to fight with anyone, as far as we’re concerned.”

“The commanders are, in my eyes, expected to be at the front of the forces. That’s where your experience and maturity will most be visible, as will be your ability to pour cold water over situations that have overheated. It will be hot, temperature wise, but I hope not in any other sense.”