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Paying the price of ego
Israel to pay price for Prime Minister Olmert's hasty decision to suspend Amos Gilad
Amos Gilad's dismissal from the role of special envoy vis-à-vis
Egypt is an unwise and even hasty move in diplomatic terms. Moreover, submitting a formal complaint to the Public Service Commission is a disproportional move that attests more to Olmert's temper than to Gilad's guilt.
There is no doubt that Major General (res.) Gilad misbehaved. He hinted publicly that Olmert neglected the Gilad Shalit affair and also accused the PM of abruptly changing his position on the Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas. Gilad also badmouthed – unjustly apparently – Ofer Dekel, PM Olmert's mediator in the Shalit case.
Beyond the issue of insulting the prime minister, Gilad's remarks apparently undermined the Israel-Egypt relationship. They confirmed Egypt's claims and presented Israel's position on the crossings issue as uncompromising. Moreover, Gilad refused to apologize, insisting that his comments were factually true and that he merely responded to the charges against him made by Olmert and his associates in talks with journalists.
All of the above certainly justify Olmert's decision to reprimand Gilad and the defense minister who backs him. However, dismissing Gilad from leading the contacts with Egypt at such sensitive junction causes much greater damage to the State of Israel's interests than the words uttered by Gilad in his overly impassioned interview.
Gilad has been able to position himself a trusted figure in the eyes of the Egyptian government and as a level-headed and deep-thinking advisor to Israel's defense minister – that is, a person who is justifiably trusted by both sides as a faultless civil servant.
According to the Middle Eastern code, his suspension constitutes an indirect yet public slap on the face to those who put their trust in him and negotiated through him – President Mubarak and Egyptian Intelligence Chief Suleiman.
Such dismissal, on top of the cabinet's decision to condition the opening of the crossings on progress in the Gilad Shalit talks – while shunning an explicit request by Egypt's president – constitutes a double insult for Egypt.
| Amos Gilad |
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| Shalit's friends: This is no time for ego / Ahiya Raved |
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Kidnapped soldier's friends irate about PM Olmert's decision to bar Amos Gilad from negotiations meant to secure Shalit's release. An Israeli soldier is rotting away in captivity and they're busy with politics, they say |
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We must recognize the fact that at this time Israel needs Egypt's mediation and Cairo's goodwill more than any other time in the past three years. The contacts recently managed by PM Olmert in a bid to secure Shalit's via an alternate channel hit a dead-end. France, Qatar, Turkey, and Norway were unable to influence Syria's president and through him Hamas (or influence Hamas directly) to soften its stance. Therefore, Egypt has remained the lone mediator.
Egypt is at this time also the main element that can effectively curb the smuggling of rockets, explosives, and experts into the Hamas-ruled Strip. On this issue, there is a written agreement (for the first time) which Amos Gilad was able to secure vis-à-vis the Egyptians in the wake of operation Cast Lead. It is a good agreement that now waits to be implemented on the ground. The Egyptians are also supposed to mediate on the question of the lull, and as we know they do not take it easy on Hamas. In short: Insulting the Egyptians at this time undermines Israel's interests.
For the sake of balance, we should note that Egypt also serves its own interests well on the issues where it mediates between us and Hamas. However, when Mubarak and Omar Suleiman are insulted, they are in no rush to do anything, thereby delaying a lull or Shalit's release.
Some proof of this is the lenient attitude adopted by the Egyptians in recent days in the face smuggling efforts at the Philadelphi Route and Rafah Crossing. There are other indications that the offended Egypt is dragging its feet in a matter that is of importance to Israel. Ultimately, everything will end well, yet at a great delay – which means more suffering for Gilad Shalit and for Gaza-region residents.
Another damaging aspect of the Amos Gilad affair is the destabilized relationship between the prime minister and defense minister. Olmert suspended Gilad, Barak openly backed him, and as if aiming to amplify the madness, the defense minister said Monday morning that Gilad continues to engage in contacts with Egypt on behalf of the defense establishment. Who will take a government whose two leaders clash in public like this seriously?
All of this is happening while we discover that Iran is closer than estimated to achieving nuclear capabilities, while Amnesty charges Israel with war crimes, and while Hizbullah may be tempted to exploit the situation in order to avenge Imad Mugniyah's assassination.
These three security issues cannot wait for the next government – they require immediate handling and daily monitoring. Even if Netanyahu is able to form a government within a week, it will be a narrow government with a new defense minister who will need to learn the issues or at least be brought up to date. The new minister and the incoming prime minister will have to formulate work procedures, as will the defense establishment. Therefore, several months at least will pass before the new security cabinet (irrespective of its problematic positions) will learn the material and be able to function.
At least four months need to pass before we see a functioning government in Israel, and in the meanwhile opportunities will be missed and problems that can be resolved at this time will be neglected. And all of it – absolutely all of it – is because of ego.
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