"The year 2003 is likely to be a positive turning point for Israel," said IDF Yesha Activities Coordinator Maj.-Gen. Amos Gilad last night. He was speaking at a memorial gathering for Rehavam Ze'evi at the Land of Israel Museum that Ze'evi directed and helped build. Arutz-7's Effie Meir reports that Gilad noted that the PA has failed in several areas, and is on its way to a general failure in its campaign against Israel:
"Even if Arafat scored a temporary victory in the Mukata, he is on his way to defeat. He faces growing internal criticism, even by his top aides, and there is a tremendous gap between the people and him. Many of them are asking, 'Where are you leading us?' [Their desperation is evident] especially on the backdrop of the blatant corruption - a thin layer of fat-cat PA leaders whose eye-popping riches stand in stark contrast to the genuine poverty so prevalent in the PA. Arafat has failed totally in the organization of popular demonstrations. The 'intifada' is no more; the word means 'awakening' or 'popular uprising' - but as of now, despite all the poverty, and all the hatred for Israel, and all the oppression, there is no popular uprising. Only small groups rally here and there. Why is this? Because 'apathy' is their tool of protest..."
Gen. Gilad said that it is not right to talk of "terrorist organizations in the PA," but rather "a state of terror that teaches its children to hate." He said that Arafat was also wrong in his judgment of the Israeli spirit:
"After our withdrawal from southern Lebanon [two years ago], we were perceived [by Arafat] as fragile, breakable, and soft - and on this backdrop, he broke out the intifada. He thought that we would break... but he totally misunderstood us. Arafat has a technical superficial knowledge [of Israel], but no understanding of the soul of the Israeli people - this is a tremendous difference. He has met many Israelis, but even now he simply does not understand the spirit here."
Gilad said that Saddam Hussein's cooperation with Arafat is great, but, "as Saddam falls, Arafat is likely to fall along with him." He praised Israel's intelligence services - "There is no attack that we don't know who did it and who sent him, and in the end, he is usually killed" - and noted that Israel's standing-power now is of critical import:
"The Arab nations around us are carefully watching how we fight terrorism, and if we show weakness, it could encourage countries like Egypt and Jordan to form a dangerous coalition for war against us."
"Even if Arafat scored a temporary victory in the Mukata, he is on his way to defeat. He faces growing internal criticism, even by his top aides, and there is a tremendous gap between the people and him. Many of them are asking, 'Where are you leading us?' [Their desperation is evident] especially on the backdrop of the blatant corruption - a thin layer of fat-cat PA leaders whose eye-popping riches stand in stark contrast to the genuine poverty so prevalent in the PA. Arafat has failed totally in the organization of popular demonstrations. The 'intifada' is no more; the word means 'awakening' or 'popular uprising' - but as of now, despite all the poverty, and all the hatred for Israel, and all the oppression, there is no popular uprising. Only small groups rally here and there. Why is this? Because 'apathy' is their tool of protest..."
Gen. Gilad said that it is not right to talk of "terrorist organizations in the PA," but rather "a state of terror that teaches its children to hate." He said that Arafat was also wrong in his judgment of the Israeli spirit:
"After our withdrawal from southern Lebanon [two years ago], we were perceived [by Arafat] as fragile, breakable, and soft - and on this backdrop, he broke out the intifada. He thought that we would break... but he totally misunderstood us. Arafat has a technical superficial knowledge [of Israel], but no understanding of the soul of the Israeli people - this is a tremendous difference. He has met many Israelis, but even now he simply does not understand the spirit here."
Gilad said that Saddam Hussein's cooperation with Arafat is great, but, "as Saddam falls, Arafat is likely to fall along with him." He praised Israel's intelligence services - "There is no attack that we don't know who did it and who sent him, and in the end, he is usually killed" - and noted that Israel's standing-power now is of critical import:
"The Arab nations around us are carefully watching how we fight terrorism, and if we show weakness, it could encourage countries like Egypt and Jordan to form a dangerous coalition for war against us."