Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim has some advice for the Yesha Council, which is faced with the dismal prospect of over 30 outposts being dismantled and uprooted in the coming weeks. He said that he can understand those who feel that the removal of a populated outpost, "even if it's unauthorized," could be considered as a dangerous precedent in the struggle to preserve the Yesha communities. "But on the other hand," Boim said, "I think that the stubbornness to fight with full force for every single place will, in the end, not paint Yesha very favorably in the public awareness - and we know how important that is. I'm not envious of the Yesha leaders who have to make these decisions. But you cannot ignore the fact that resisting the uprooting of unauthorized outposts is liable, indirectly, to harm the entire Yesha settlement enterprise."
Yisrael Har'el of Ofrah, a former head of the Yesha Council, does not totally discount Boim's words - although he does not appreciate Boim's role in causing the problem in the first place:
"Boim was the one who, with some 'guidance' by U.S. Ambassador Kurtzer, put together the list of outposts to be uprooted. It is clear that he did this in a very superficial manner, without checking sufficiently. For instance, he included Migron on the list, and Defense Minister Mofaz was upset at him for this... But regarding the point itself, I can say the following: The glorious Yesha enterprise would never have achieved its great accomplishments had we not employed the proper proportion of good tactics and some flexibility. But we always knew when we had to insist on the principle and ignore considerations of tactics and timing - and that's why we have a great and splendid enterprise. I trust the leaders of the Yesha Council to once again make the proper calculations."
In Boim's interview with Arutz-7 yesterday, it was revealed that the government is operating according to an unofficial agreement made with the Americans - in blatant opposition to its own Cabinet decision of May 25, 2003. Asked why the government is embarking on a campaign to uproot outposts even before the PA fulfills its own obligations to fight terrorism, Boim said that the government is acting according to American demands: "The Americans said clearly that within the first phase of the Road Map, the sides were to fulfill their commitments in parallel, with our obligations not dependent on whether the PA fulfilled its obligations. So we have to do this in order to fulfill our commitment to the Americans." As noted here yesterday, however, the Israeli Cabinet version of the Road Map - with 14 add-on reservations - says precisely the opposite. The reservations, which Prime Minister Sharon said at the time were "red lines beyond which we cannot and will not withdraw," state that "there must be no terrorism during the process," that the PA must "dismantle the existing security organizations," and that "full performance will be a condition for progress between phases and for progress within phases."
Yisrael Har'el of Ofrah, a former head of the Yesha Council, does not totally discount Boim's words - although he does not appreciate Boim's role in causing the problem in the first place:
"Boim was the one who, with some 'guidance' by U.S. Ambassador Kurtzer, put together the list of outposts to be uprooted. It is clear that he did this in a very superficial manner, without checking sufficiently. For instance, he included Migron on the list, and Defense Minister Mofaz was upset at him for this... But regarding the point itself, I can say the following: The glorious Yesha enterprise would never have achieved its great accomplishments had we not employed the proper proportion of good tactics and some flexibility. But we always knew when we had to insist on the principle and ignore considerations of tactics and timing - and that's why we have a great and splendid enterprise. I trust the leaders of the Yesha Council to once again make the proper calculations."
In Boim's interview with Arutz-7 yesterday, it was revealed that the government is operating according to an unofficial agreement made with the Americans - in blatant opposition to its own Cabinet decision of May 25, 2003. Asked why the government is embarking on a campaign to uproot outposts even before the PA fulfills its own obligations to fight terrorism, Boim said that the government is acting according to American demands: "The Americans said clearly that within the first phase of the Road Map, the sides were to fulfill their commitments in parallel, with our obligations not dependent on whether the PA fulfilled its obligations. So we have to do this in order to fulfill our commitment to the Americans." As noted here yesterday, however, the Israeli Cabinet version of the Road Map - with 14 add-on reservations - says precisely the opposite. The reservations, which Prime Minister Sharon said at the time were "red lines beyond which we cannot and will not withdraw," state that "there must be no terrorism during the process," that the PA must "dismantle the existing security organizations," and that "full performance will be a condition for progress between phases and for progress within phases."