Sharon to troops: World applauds you
Says to soldiers, police officers, ‘there was a cabinet meeting today, and the ministers sent you their congratulations on carrying out a difficult and complicated task; it is hard, it hurts, but we must recover and rebuild
I have received numerous phone calls, letters and faxes from world leaders in which they expressed their amazement at your actions under the harshest of conditions during the pullout, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told IDF soldiers and Israel Police officers Sunday.
In a meeting with security personnel at the Ein Hashlosha evacuation base, Sharon praised the forces for their efforts during the pullout, saying, “There was a cabinet meeting today, and the ministers sent you their congratulations on carrying out a difficult and complicated task.”
“It is hard, it hurts, but we must recover and rebuild, “ he said.
Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Disengagement Authority Head Yonantan Bassi were also on hand for the meeting with the security forces.
Sharon added, “The government’s main goal is to resettle the evacuees in communities or independently. They must be relocated in a way that would accommodate their preferred lifestyle.”
Halutz said during the meeting with the soldiers, “With all the love and sensitivity, those who dared to call soldiers ‘Nazis’ are the soldiers of tomorrow, and therefore we must deal with the lacuna on an educational level.”
Earlier Prime Minister Ariel Sharon slammed Yesha Council leaders during Sunday's government session, saying their conduct has brought suffering to Gaza Strip evacuees.
"I see the Yesha Council, which caused them (evacuees) plenty of suffering and is calling on them to move to tent camps, when there have been plans for a long time now that would allow them to live the way they want to live," he said.
Sharon called on evacuated settlers to ignore the calls to set up tent cities.
"There are those who are willing to make people suffer as long as their political objectives are met," he said.
