Former Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer, currently serving at Minister of Infrastructure in the Olmert government, addressed the Jerusalem Conference Wednesday morning, saying long-range missiles make retention of territory irrelevant for Israel.
“Syria today has the Shahab-3 missile,” Ben Eliezer said, “with a range of 1,250 km.” The Shahab-3 is an Iranian-produced missile that places all of the Jewish state within striking range. “The era of missiles makes territory less important than ever before,” Ben-Eliezer added.
(Photo: Ezra HaLevi)
The former Defense Minister is considered one of the more hawkish members of the left-wing Labor Party.
MK Yisrael Katz (Likud), the next speaker on a panel dealing with the missile threat, disagreed sharply with Ben Eliezer. “The claim that territory is no longer important because of long-range missiles always emanates from an ideology that seeks withdrawals regardless,” MK Katz suggested.
(Photo: Ezra HaLevi)
Katz warned that past and continued discussion of relinquishing the Golan Heights to Syria are clear indications that many in the Israeli government do in fact agree with Ben Eliezer’s assessment that Israel has entered a post-territorial era.
“Technological solutions must be developed for long-range missiles,” Katz said. “Missiles against missiles. But territory is indeed critical to providing an answer to short-range missiles. The ways to stop them are to control the territory from which they are launched and to create and preserve deterrence. This applies today in Sderot and tomorrow to Jerusalem.”
MK Eitam: Problem is Deeper
MK Effie Eitam (National Union) said that the concept of tailoring borders based on the threats facing a nation is absurd. “A nation has its borders and must figure out how to defend them – not the other way around,” he said.
“The threat of long-range missiles has been co-opted by those with an obsession with relinquishing territory as somehow bolstering their positions – but it is absurd,” Eitam said.
The IDF brigadier general (res.) said that the current problem began during the first Gulf War, when Israel did not respond to Saddam Hussein’s firing of hundreds of Scud missiles at its civilian populace. “We deployed Patriot missiles to knock them out – they didn’t – and only thanks to miracles were there not mass casualties,” Eitam said.
“Now we are speaking about programs to create a protective box around Israel from all long-range missiles. It is like putting a pillow over your head when someone is beating you and letting them continue because you are not feeling the blows.”
Eitam pointed out that Britain carpet-bombed Dresden during World War II in response to attacks on its civilians, and said the US, dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan “for an attack not even on civilians – but on military targets,” Eitam stressed.
The MK pointed out that the main point of the recent Winograd Committee report was that Israel failed to restore deterrence. “The war was a missed opportunity because there was a legitimate opportunity to show the Arab world what our response is when thousands of missiles are launched at our populace,” he said.
Netanyahu: Disproportionate Response Necessary
Earlier in the day, Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu suggested that Israel must announce an end to its policy of proportionate responses to attacks and provide decidedly disproportionate responses to the firing of missiles into its sovereign territory.