The Palestinian Authority has applauded the letters written by two groups of Israeli officers and soldiers threatening to refuse to serve in Yesha (Judea, Samaria & Gaza) areas. Hundreds of reservists, including senior commanders, released a statement condemning the 50 soldiers, adding they were “ashamed” to serve in the same army with them.
It was noted today that Israeli media are referring to the letter as \"The Officers\' Letter,\" when in fact only 30% of the signatories are officers. Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha\'ul Mofaz said that they would be judged individually, and that those officers who continue to refuse orders to serve in Yesha would be stripped of their command. Former Chief of Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shachak said today, \"Refusal to serve is a crack that could split open the Israeli society into little pieces...\"
PLO officials released a statement yesterday stating that Israel’s proposed security plan for Jerusalem would not lead to peace in place of a political agreement between the two sides. Israel is presently considering a “Jerusalem Envelope” security plan calling for barriers, observation points, checkpoints around the city, and even an 11-kilometer wall-and-fence separating Gilo and Har Homa from Beit Jala and other Arab villages. The PLO representatives dubbed the proposed structure Jerusalem’s \"Berlin Wall.\"
It was noted today that Israeli media are referring to the letter as \"The Officers\' Letter,\" when in fact only 30% of the signatories are officers. Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha\'ul Mofaz said that they would be judged individually, and that those officers who continue to refuse orders to serve in Yesha would be stripped of their command. Former Chief of Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shachak said today, \"Refusal to serve is a crack that could split open the Israeli society into little pieces...\"
PLO officials released a statement yesterday stating that Israel’s proposed security plan for Jerusalem would not lead to peace in place of a political agreement between the two sides. Israel is presently considering a “Jerusalem Envelope” security plan calling for barriers, observation points, checkpoints around the city, and even an 11-kilometer wall-and-fence separating Gilo and Har Homa from Beit Jala and other Arab villages. The PLO representatives dubbed the proposed structure Jerusalem’s \"Berlin Wall.\"