IDF Brig.-Gen. (res.) Oded Tira told the IDF's weekly BaMachaneh magazine that the only solution for the communities of Judea, Samaria and Gaza is "agreement by dialogue," and not force. Tira oversaw the 1982 destruction of the city of Yamit in Sinai in the aftermath of the peace agreement with Egypt.
Tira feels that "tens of divisions would be required to remove 50,000 Jews from their Yesha homes," and that even this would not be the end, as "many of them will continue efforts to return to their homes again and again, and the entire operation will last a year... with the world being treated to daily doses of these horrifying scenes on their television screens."
Tira, who today heads the Israel Manufacturers Association, said that for the army to remove 150,000 Yesha residents from their homes would be a "mission impossible." He said that in Yamit, it took two months for the division to deal with only 4,000-7,000 persons. Tira feels that the difficult television scenes of Jews striking Jews will cause even those who are in favor of leaving Yesha to have second thoughts, and that "in addition, many soldiers will refuse to take part in such operations. The army will thus have to operate without a national consensus behind it."
Tirah adds with certainty that "18 and 19-year-old soldiers and 21-and 22-year-old officers will not be capable of such a mission." In Yamit, he said, "we used older and more mature officers to head each team. But today this would be a totally different and much more complicated mission."
Tira feels that "tens of divisions would be required to remove 50,000 Jews from their Yesha homes," and that even this would not be the end, as "many of them will continue efforts to return to their homes again and again, and the entire operation will last a year... with the world being treated to daily doses of these horrifying scenes on their television screens."
Tira, who today heads the Israel Manufacturers Association, said that for the army to remove 150,000 Yesha residents from their homes would be a "mission impossible." He said that in Yamit, it took two months for the division to deal with only 4,000-7,000 persons. Tira feels that the difficult television scenes of Jews striking Jews will cause even those who are in favor of leaving Yesha to have second thoughts, and that "in addition, many soldiers will refuse to take part in such operations. The army will thus have to operate without a national consensus behind it."
Tirah adds with certainty that "18 and 19-year-old soldiers and 21-and 22-year-old officers will not be capable of such a mission." In Yamit, he said, "we used older and more mature officers to head each team. But today this would be a totally different and much more complicated mission."