Arad (top) is not a member of the prime minister's inner circle, Bentsur says
Photo:Tzvika Tishler
Error, not trial, balloon
Comments made by PM’s advisor are detrimental to Israel’s ability to benefit from disengagement
Eyal Arad, the self-appointed, self-proclaimed “advisor” to the prime minister prognosticated about yet another unilateral disengagement move – immediately to be dispelled by Mr. Sharon as baseless.
The trial balloon proved to have been an error balloon. But, oddly enough, Sharon’s rebuttal came not before Arad’s remarks caused commotion and excitement in the Israeli press and in the diplomatic corps in Israel – to a ridiculous extent.
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Arad is not a member of the prime minister's inner circle. He is there merely to contribute his know-how in sloganeering, electoral expediency and to advise how Sharon can outmaneuver and embarrass his political rivals.
He had rendered his services and expertise to Mr. Netanyahu in the past – and in the interim was also hired to advise a Neo-Fascist politician in Romania.
Mr. Arad is not in a position to fathom Mr. Sharon’s innermost thoughts and at best he can second-guess them – but it is still guesswork that cannot confirm a policy being devised and contemplated.
Arad is very vociferous – probably to increase his volume of business as a public relations expert, but he is not an authority entitled to reflect the whereabouts of Mr. Sharon’s policy. Had the Prime Minister wanted to lean on Arad’s political analysis, he could have appointed him as his Chief of Bureau, a job Arad so eagerly sought to attain.
Look to the Foreign Ministry for information
The forecasts as uttered by Arad are harmful. They are not authoritative; they presume a continued stalemate in the peace process, and they do not help Israel to fully benefit from the painful move of the disengagement from the Gaza Strip.
And there is yet another dimension to it: In order to achieve secure and recognized boundaries one has to have agreements with neighbors sanctioned by the international community. Unilaterally-declared boundaries, challenged by the bordering neighbors and not accepted by the international community will never be secure and recognized borders.
The next time Arad makes a “political statement” as to where Israel is heading – the press should be cautious not to give it undue credence by rushing to report it.
As to the diplomats residing in Israel, they would be wise to get a balanced and responsible assessment of Israel’s policy from the officials of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, who are far better informed.
Eytan Bentsur is former director-general of the Foreign Ministry
