Bloody Mofaz

IDF elite sent to kill, be killed for defense minister's satisfaction

Shulamit Aloni|Published: 12.13.05 , 12:08

If we thought the strategy of power and more power and still more power had come to an end, that the policy of destruction and assassination "over there" and terror attacks here in response had come to an end, if we'd hoped we'd reached the end of the systematic extra-judicial violence, with no judge or jury - guess again.

The addition of Shaul Mofaz to Kadima, and the apparent promise made to him that he would be defense minister in the next government, should set off many flashing red lights amongst those who hope for an end to bloodshed, to the lawlessness in the occupied territories, to deceit, to lies, to abuse and to unnecessary danger of " the best soldiers" being sent to kill and be killed for the satisfaction of Mofaz and his chief of staff.

Yes, for Mofaz's satisfaction, as well as that of his emissaries. For there is no existential need for the provocations undertaken again and again by the IDF amongst the Palestinians in the West Bank – provocations that do much to perpetuate feelings of fear and hatred.

Encouraging terror

Despite the fact that the Palestinians have decided to halt terror attacks, the army continues to invade private homes and villages and kill people. This appears to be in order to satisfy the desires of the occupation lords, the purveyors of killing and hatred.

More than that: These actions are in order to preserve the wartime tension and make terror attacks against us possible – in order to justify continued occupation, slavery, theft and expulsion.

It is no wonder that when soldiers from "elite units" refused to take part in a combat mission after suffering trauma hunting "wanted suspects" in Jenin, one officer said, "In other armies they would have been shot in the back."

Systematic killing

Really? Tell us, in what army would that be? In what situation? How many armies today control a foreign nation, pillage their land, place entire villages under siege, and cut down thousands of trees in order to build illegal settlements?

What other army encourages colonialism, connects those settlements to water lines and electricity while preventing basic water service from reaching local children? What other army, of a society pretending to be democratic, kills "suspects" from the air, and by the way also kills civilians and pedestrians and many, many children - not once, not twice, but systematically?

We have many people with blood on their hands. But yet we have never had as malignant or bloody a period as during Shaul Mofaz's term as chief of staff and defense minister.

Now, since IDF chiefs have declared the Palestinians are an enemy to be treated under the rules of war, does this not say that we, too, are their enemy?

If we are allowed to destroy, kill, demolish, cut down and uproot and to detain civilians without charge or trial – why should they not use the means at their disposal to fight us?

From 'holy cow' to 'mad cow'

Under Mofaz, the IDF has transformed from a "holy cow" into a "mad cow," especially in light of the threats emanating from and against Iran (a problem for the entire world, really, not just us. Nor can it be compared to our attack on Iraq's nuclear reactor, for Iran's nuclear program is spread out over several reactors around the country).

Itching for fire

Sometimes it seems to me that this man is just itching to see the region go up in flames. It is no surprise that when he speaks about compassion and the need to strengthen education, at the same time the IDF is spending billions of dollars on fighter planes and the most advanced bombs.

We can assume that he and his chief of staff and the director general of the defense ministry know what it's all for, for we've already got enough to wipe out all the Palestinians and the Syrians in one shot.

The addition of Shaul Mofaz to the prime minister's camp has brought many people to realize that Sharon and Kadima are nothing more than an illusion. Peace is nowhere in sight, the ritual militarization of our schools continues out of control at every grade level, and the playing on Jewish trauma and our fears will strengthen, assassinations will continue, provocations will grow, and so will terror attacks against us.

And Mofaz's and Sharon's army will continue to expand the borders of the occupying country, cruel and anti-democratic, while uttering strange statements by fanatic rabbis in the name of God and his messiah.

There is danger on the horizon that the hope for peace and benefit will be destroyed, and therefore we must – as someone who has always wanted, and continues to want, a glorious homeland, as we were promised in the Declaration of Independence, to stand up and put an end to the erosion as soon as possible.

Otherwise, the price could be very, very high. The time has come to replace the strategy of might with one of reconciliation, and to allow the State of Israel and its citizens to live a normal life.