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Photo: Michael Kramer
Maj. Gen. Doron Almog
Photo: Michael Kramer

Israeli general flees London

Former Southern Command chief abandons plans to visit Britain after Muslim groups try to get arrest warrant for 'crimes against humanity'

Former IDF Southern Commander Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog was forced Sunday to abandon plans to visit Britain at the last minute, after Muslim groups charged him with crimes against humanity for "his military role against the Palestinian people."

 

Israel's ambassador in London, Tzvi Hefetz, spoke with Almog during the flight, advised him not to get off the plane, and said if he entered Britain he would be served with the claim.

 

Immediately upon landing in London, Almog returned to Israel.

 

Ambassador Hefetz also reported the incident to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.

 

Moving up the ranks

 

From 1993-1995, Almog served as the IDF commander in the Gaza Strip, moving to head the Southern Command in 2000.

 

More recently, he has been a strong opponent of the Gaza disengagement program, saying the pullout would signify a "huge victory for terrorism."

 

"They'll say, 'we've won'," said Almog. "After all these years of fighting, we've won the land, and there's a lot we can do with it. Jews only understand power.

 

"It could be a catalyst for more terror in Judea and Samaria as well," he said.

 

Destroy refugee camps

 

"If it was up to me," he said, "I would try to achieve a wide international coalition to destroy the refugee camps in Gaza and replace them with new neighborhoods.

 

"We can transfer money, we can build, we can take steps to isolate those terror groups or work to lower their motivation.

 

I believe that overall, absolutely not one-sided, with international elements, including the U.S., Europe and Egypt, I think it would be possible to isolate a large part of the terror infrastructure."

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.11.05, 22:46
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