The Changing of the Guard in the IDF Giora Eiland
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Rethinking the Two-State Solution
PolicyWatch #1408 : Special Forum Report Rethinking the Two-State Solution Featuring Giora Eiland and Martin Indyk October 3, 2008 On September 23, 2008, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Giora Eiland and Ambassador Martin Indyk addressed a Policy Forum luncheon at The Washington Institute. General Eiland is former head of the Israeli National Security Council and currently a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. Ambassador Indyk directs the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. The following is a rapporteur’s summary of their remarks. GIORA EILAND Within the Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies a paradox. Although the two-state solution is well known and widely accepted, and although there is international consensus regarding the need for it, little progress has been made to that end. This means that neither side desires the solution nor is willing to take the necessary risks to move forward and come to an agreement. Ultimately, the most the Israeli government can offer the Palestinians -- and survive politically -- is far less than what any Palestinian leadership can accept. As such, there is a gap between the two sides that continues to widen as the years go on. In many aspects, the current situation is worse than it was eight years ago. In 2000, there were three leaders who were both determined and capable of reaching an agreement: U.S. president Bill Clinton, Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. That type of leadership is missing today. In addition, while the two sides enjoyed a reasonable level of security, cooperation, and trust in 2000, the subsequent intifada has created a completely different situation on the ground today. -
Israeli Election Bulletin | January 15
Israeli Election Bulletin | January 15 On 23 December 2020 the Knesset was automatically dissolved after the national unity government failed to pass a 2020 state budget. The election will be held on 23 March 2021. For more background on the collapse of the coalition, watch BICOM Director Richard Pater and read this BICOM Morning Brief. BICOM's Poll of Polls Aggregate Polling January 5-15 Many parties such as Momentum, Labour, Veterans, New Economy and Telem are polling under the electoral threshold Two others, Blue and White and Religious Zionism, are polling very close to the threshold (4 seats). If either of them were to fall under it, it would signicantly aect the ability of Netanyahu or his opponents to form a coalition 1/11 Splits, Mergers and Acquisitions We are now in the rst stage of the election process. Over the coming three weeks, politicians will start jockeying for their places ahead of the formation of the party lists that need to be submitted by 4 February. Party size and where they stand on major political issues Political Cartoons Maariv 23.12.20 Santa delvers ballot boxes and 21.12.20 Yediot Ahronot The new mutation. A two headed Gideon Saar and Naftali Bennett chase Gantz and Netanyahu Israel Hayom 24.12.20 “The clothes have no emperor,” the briefcase says Blue and White, looking on former number 2 and 3 in the party. Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn who quit shortly after the government fell to join the Ron Huldai’s the Israelis Party and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi who will see out his role but not stand in the coming election. -
Military Activism and Conservatism During the Intifadas Murat ÜLGÜL* Abstract Introduction
Soldiers and The Use of Force: Military Activism and Conservatism During The Intifadas Murat ÜLGÜL* Abstract Introduction Are soldiers more prone and likely to use force Are soldiers more prone to use force and initiate conflicts than civilians? To bring a and initiate conflicts than civilians? new insight to this question, this article compares The traditional view in the civil- the main arguments of military activism and military relations literature stresses that military conservatism theories on Israeli policies during the First and Second Intifadas. Military professional soldiers are conservative activism argues that soldiers are prone to end in the use of force because soldiers political problems with the use of force mainly are the ones who mainly suffer in war. because of personal and organizational interests Instead, this view says, it is the civilians as well as the effects of a military-mindset. The proponents of military conservatism, on the who initiate wars and conflicts because, other hand, claim that soldiers are conservative without military knowledge, they on the use of force and it is the civilians most underestimate the costs of war while likely offering military measures. Through an overvaluing the benefits of military analysis of qualitative nature, the article finds 1 action. In recent decades, military that soldiers were more conservative in the use of force during the First Intifadas and Oslo conservatism has been challenged by Peace Process while they were more hawkish in a group of scholars who argue that the the Second Intifada. This difference is explained traditional view is based on a limited by enemy conceptions and by the politicization number of cases, mainly civil-military of Israeli officers. -
Good News & Information Sites
Written Testimony of Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein1 Hearing on: A NEW HORIZON IN U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONS: FROM AN AMERICAN EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM TO POTENTIAL RECOGNITION OF ISRAELI SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE GOLAN HEIGHTS Before the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security Tuesday July 17, 2018, 10:00 a.m. Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2154 Chairman Ron DeSantis (R-FL) Ranking Member Stephen Lynch (D-MA) Introduction & Summary Chairman DeSantis, Vice Chairman Russell, Ranking Member Lynch, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for holding this hearing to discuss the potential for American recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, in furtherance of U.S. national security interests. Israeli sovereignty over the western two-thirds of the Golan Heights is a key bulwark against radical regimes and affiliates that threaten the security and stability of the United States, Israel, the entire Middle East region, and beyond. The Golan Heights consists of strategically-located high ground, that provides Israel with an irreplaceable ability to monitor and take counter-measures against growing threats at and near the Syrian-Israel border. These growing threats include the extremely dangerous hegemonic expansion of the Iranian-Syrian-North Korean axis; and the presence in Syria, close to the Israeli border, of: Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Quds forces; thousands of Iranian-armed Hezbollah fighters; Palestinian Islamic Jihad (another Iranian proxy); Syrian forces; and radical Sunni Islamist groups including the al Nusra Levantine Conquest Front (an incarnation of al Qaeda) and ISIS. The Iranian regime is attempting to build an 800-mile land bridge to the Mediterranean, running through Iraq and Syria. -
MDE 02/02/00 UA 30/00 Fear for Saf ISRAEL
PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 02/02/00 UA 30/00 Fear for safety 8 February 2000 ISRAEL/LEBANONCivilians in Lebanon and northern Israel During the night of 7 February 2000, at least 18 civilians were injured during an attack by the Israel Air Force (IAF) on civilian targets in Lebanon. Amnesty International fears that there may be more indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian objects in Lebanon and northern Israel by both the Lebanese armed opposition group Hizbullah, and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and its militia ally, the South Lebanon Army (SLA). In the last two weeks Hizbullah and other armed groups in Lebanon have carried out an increasing number of attacks against the IDF, which occupies part of south Lebanon, and the SLA. The deputy head of the SLA, Colonel Akel Hashem, and five Israeli soldiers have been killed. Israel had retaliated by bombing military targets in Lebanon. On the night of 7 February, however, the IAF bombed three power stations in Baalbek, Deir Nbouh, near Tripoli and another in Jamhur, 10 kilometres east of Beirut. According to media reports, the civilian casualties occurred around Baalbek. The IAF also attacked a Hizbullah base in the Bekaa Valley. Hizbullah leaders have recently threatened to attack Israeli civilians in reprisal for Israeli attacks on Lebanese civilians and civilian objects. In a radio interview on 3 February, a Hizbullah member of the Lebanese parliament said: "We would like to remind the enemy that our Katyushas [rockets] are always ready and capable of terrorising [Israel’s] settlers in the same way that the enemy terrorises our people." At a press conference on 8 February, the head of the Operations Directorate of the IDF, Major-General Giora Eiland, said: "We will consider other actions, more elaborate ones, severe ones .. -
A Threshold Crossed Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution WATCH
HUMAN RIGHTS A Threshold Crossed Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution WATCH A Threshold Crossed Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution Copyright © 2021 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62313-900-1 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org APRIL 2021 ISBN: 978-1-62313-900-1 A Threshold Crossed Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution Map .................................................................................................................................. i Summary ......................................................................................................................... 2 Definitions of Apartheid and Persecution ................................................................................. -
B'tselem Report: Dispossession & Exploitation: Israel's Policy in the Jordan Valley & Northern Dead Sea, May
Dispossession & Exploitation Israel's policy in the Jordan Valley & northern Dead Sea May 2011 Researched and written by Eyal Hareuveni Edited by Yael Stein Data coordination by Atef Abu a-Rub, Wassim Ghantous, Tamar Gonen, Iyad Hadad, Kareem Jubran, Noam Raz Geographic data processing by Shai Efrati B'Tselem thanks Salwa Alinat, Kav LaOved’s former coordinator of Palestinian fieldworkers in the settlements, Daphna Banai, of Machsom Watch, Hagit Ofran, Peace Now’s Settlements Watch coordinator, Dror Etkes, and Alon Cohen-Lifshitz and Nir Shalev, of Bimkom. 2 Table of contents Introduction......................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter One: Statistics........................................................................................................ 8 Land area and borders of the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea area....................... 8 Palestinian population in the Jordan Valley .................................................................... 9 Settlements and the settler population........................................................................... 10 Land area of the settlements .......................................................................................... 13 Chapter Two: Taking control of land................................................................................ 15 Theft of private Palestinian land and transfer to settlements......................................... 15 Seizure of land for “military needs”............................................................................. -
THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION the CURRENT: What Does the Gantz
THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION THE CURRENT: What does the Gantz-Netanyahu coalition government mean for Israel? April 21, 2020 PARTICIPANTS Host: Adrianna Pita, Office of Communications, Brookings Guest: Natan Sachs, Fellow and Director, Center for Middle East Policy, Brookings (MUSIC) PITA: You’re listening to The Current, part of the Brookings Podcast Network. I’m your host, Adrianna Pita. Israel has been in a prolonged political crisis for the last year, as three successive elections each failed at producing either a conclusive majority or a coalition government. On Monday, Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival, Benny Gantz, came to an agreement on a coalition deal, after weeks of talks following the last round of elections in March. With us to discuss what this means for Israel is Natan Sachs, fellow and director of our Center for Middle East Policy here at Brookings. Natan, thanks for talking to us today. SACHS: Thanks so much, Adrianna, it’s my pleasure. PITA: During the last election, Benny Gantz ran pretty strongly on in fact refusing to serve with Netanyahu because of the criminal charges against him. So, how did this wind up coming about? SACHS: Yes, this is a major shift for Gantz. He ran very explicitly on the idea that he would not serve under a prime minister who has been indicted and will serve will stand trial very shortly for corruption charges, including bribery. But Gantz really weighed the options, and I think two things led to this decision. One, he thought of the alternatives. He had managed to block Netanyahu forming a government three times now, in these three elections within 12 months, but he had also failed to form a government himself. -
A Third Lebanon War
CONTINGENCY PLANNING MEMORANDUM NO. 8 A Third Lebanon War Daniel C. Kurtzer July 2010 The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business execu- tives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Founded in 1921, CFR carries out its mission by maintaining a diverse membership, with spe- cial programs to promote interest and develop expertise in the next generation of foreign policy leaders; convening meetings at its headquarters in New York and in Washington, DC, and other cities where se- nior government officials, members of Congress, global leaders, and prominent thinkers come together with CFR members to discuss and debate major international issues; supporting a Studies Program that fosters independent research, enabling CFR scholars to produce articles, reports, and books and hold roundtables that analyze foreign policy issues and make concrete policy recommendations; publishing Foreign Affairs, the preeminent journal on international affairs and U.S. foreign policy; sponsoring Inde- pendent Task Forces that produce reports with both findings and policy prescriptions on the most impor- tant foreign policy topics; and providing up-to-date information and analysis about world events and American foreign policy on its website, CFR.org. The Council on Foreign Relations takes no institutional positions on policy issues and has no affiliation with the U.S. government. All statements of fact and expressions of opinion contained in its publications are the sole responsibility of the author or authors. -
May 20 Ceasefire in Israel
Ceasefire in Israel May 21, 2021 After more than 11 days of fighting, a ceasefire, agreed to by both sides, seems to be holding. Here are the main updates for today: Ceasefire • A ceasefire came into effect at 2:00am Israel time early Friday morning (7:00pm Thursday night ET) following more than 11 days of intense fighting between Israel and Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza. • Around 11:00pm Israel time, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that the security cabinet had unanimously agreed to a "mutual and unconditional cessation of hostilities.” Hamas also agreed to the ceasefire terms. • Egypt brokered the agreement, with considerable help from the United States government, including President Biden’s personal involvement. • Hamas claims that the agreement includes guarantees by Israel that it will not evict the Arab tenants in the Shiekh Jarrah property dispute, and that it will remove police from the Temple Mount. Israel strongly denied that this is part of the agreement. • Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel after the ceasefire was announced, but since 2:00am, when the ceasefire formally came into effect, there have been no violations of the agreement. • Israel has said it is ready to retaliate significantly if Hamas breaks the truce; and IDF troops remain in position along the border. • Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that "the reality on the ground will determine the continuation of the campaign…quiet will be met by quiet…The defense establishment continues its readiness to protect Israeli citizens." • Ayelet Kaufman, the sister of slain IDF soldier Hadar Goldin whose body is believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza, expressed the family’s dismay that the ceasefire did not include the return of her brother’s remains - and other captives. -
Israel's Battle of the 'Benjamins': Netanyahu Vs. Gantz | the Washington Institute
MENU Policy Analysis / PolicyWatch 3075 Israel’s Battle of the 'Benjamins': Netanyahu vs. Gantz by David Makovsky Feb 11, 2019 Also available in Arabic ABOUT THE AUTHORS David Makovsky David Makovsky is the Ziegler distinguished fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations. Brief Analysis Various political, personal, and legal factors make Benny Gantz a formidable challenger to Binyamin Netanyahu, but the prime minister may nevertheless welcome a potential two-man race against the general. s he seeks his fifth term in Israel’s April 9 elections, Prime Minister Netanyahu may be facing his stiffest A competition in recent history: former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Benny Gantz. Several trending factors could be pivotal in shaping how Gantz and his new Israel Resilience Party fare at the polls. BIOGRAPHY AND MILITARY GRAVITAS P art of Gantz’s appeal is that he represents old Israel with its values of modesty and military service. He grew up in a small moshav (communal farm) as the child of Holocaust survivors, then dedicated his life to the IDF. His good looks and steady persona bolster his image as the quintessential Israeli warrior—as does his campaign video highlighting the number of terrorists killed during the Gaza war of 2014, when he was Israel’s top general. Coupled with Gantz’s largely respectful tone toward his main rival, this biography could be bad news for Netanyahu, whose Likud Party has lost only three national elections outright in the past twenty-seven years, two of them to former IDF chiefs of staff. -
Israel's Possible Annexation of West Bank Areas: Frequently Asked
Israel’s Possible Annexation of West Bank Areas: Frequently Asked Questions Updated July 14, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46433 SUMMARY R46433 Israel’s Possible Annexation of West Bank July 14, 2020 Areas: Frequently Asked Questions Jim Zanotti Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has stated his intent for Israel to annex parts Specialist in Middle of the West Bank in 2020. Annexation could raise issues for Congress, and varying Eastern Affairs congressional views on the subject have contributed to debate about implications for U.S.-Israel relations. Congress may conduct additional oversight of Trump Administration actions and could modify or place conditions on U.S. funding for Israel, the Palestinians, and various international organizations. While the West Bank has been under Israeli military administration since its capture from Jordan in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, its status has been different from Israel proper (the territory Israel controlled before the war). Israel’s government has a mandate—based on the May 2020 power-sharing agreement between Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz—to bring the matter of annexation to a cabinet and/or Knesset vote as early as July 1, 2020, provided that it is done in coordination with the United States. Palestinian leaders strongly oppose annexation, partly because it could undermine their hopes for a viable Palestinian state with territorial contiguity. Israeli annexation could thus have significant consequences for future U.S. efforts to secure a negotiated Israeli- Palestinian peace. In addition to the specific territorial and administrative impact of annexation, it could more broadly affect Palestinian national aspirations and the future of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Gaza, Israel’s efforts to reconcile its actions with its self-proclaimed identity as both a Jewish and a democratic state, and Israeli and Palestinian security concerns.