Gantz: Rabin stressed importance of strong army

During memorial service marking 16 years since prime minister's assassination, IDF chief speaks out against cutting defense budget when 'Israel's strategic map complex, unstable'

Yoav Zitun|Published: 11.07.11 , 14:51

On the backdrop of the waning social protest and the campaign for a significant cut in the defense budget, IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz warned on Monday of the possible ramifications of such a budget cut.

Ignoring the fact that the Defense Ministry's budget was cut during Yitzhak Rabin's tenure, Gantz said the slain prime minister spoke of the risks involved with decreasing the defense budget.

According to the army chief, Rabin stressed that "(the country's leaders) must provide the people with the infrastructure that will allow them to enjoy their lives, (enjoy) freedom of speech and freedom of movement, a roof over their heads and, most importantly, life.

"In this spirit," Gantz added, "the IDF must continue to grow stronger and prepare for any threat, like a determined shielding force – deterring and decisive. Only in this manner will we be able to face the social and security-related challenges – as a state that is armed with powerful weapons."

Speaking to senior IDF officers and members of the Rabin family at a memorial ceremony marking 16 years since the prime minister's assassination, Lt.-Gen. Gantz said Rabin's economic doctrine during his tenure as prime minister was also based on security concerns.

"He (Rabin) was the one who worked to change the order of the national priorities and the way complex challenges which pave society's way are handled. However, he never (underestimated) the critical importance of allocating resources to the army to safeguard the State of Israel's security," the army chief claimed.

During the ceremony, which was held at the Rabin Center in Tel Aviv, Gantz said the social protest touched on important matters, but added that "at certain times" during the demonstrations "an accusatory finger was unjustly pointed at the IDF."

The IDF chief said that during the protests there were attempts to point to the army as the root of the problem, adding that some within the social movement have claimed that "hurting" the army would resolve the issue of the management of Israel's national infrastructures.

"Along with economic reorganization, the army has an operational, professional and moral responsibility to maintain its preparedness for any challenge, for the sake of Israeli society, so that we will be able to continue building it (society) with security – without fear of our enemies at the gate," Gantz told those on hand. "No one is more suitable than Yitzhak Rabin to bring us back to this way of thinking."

The IDF chief did not address the Iranian nuclear threat directly, but did say that "at this time, in which the State of Israel's strategic map is as unstable and complex as ever, we must steer the ship of security according to the values Rabin stood for and draw strength and faith from the figure of the honest and humble leader who risked his life for the sake of Israel's security. The responsibility lies to a large degree with us – those who determine the army's policy."