Olmert: Gaza Disengagement carried out at the right time
Comments came before inquiry committee where Olmert said Israel 'maximed results' of withdrawal.
By Chaim Levinson Tags: Ehud Olmert Israel news GazaFormer prime minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday praised the 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, saying the Disengagment "was carried out at the right time."
Olmert's statement came before an inquiry committee assembled to investigate the Gaza Disengagement, carried out while Olmert's predecessor, Ariel Sharon was prime minister.
Olmert supported the government's decision to evacuate Gaza and said that "there might not have been a better time carry out such an operation which enabled Israel to maximize results."
His testimony was the first time that a former Prime minister, who was part of the Sharon administration that approved the evacuation in 2005, expressed his opinions on the governments' actions. He also gave testimony on the second Lebanese war in 2007 and operation "Cast Lead".
"Decisions which entail a disparity between governmental procedures and popular opinion never come at an ideal time," Olmert said during the hearing. He added that "implementing the decision at another time would not have resulted differently."
Olmert also told the committee that he was one of the first officials who discussed the disengagement from the Gaza in 2003. "I said at the time that if circumstances enabling a serious negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians fail to develop, the only option will be a unilateral evacuation."
The head of the inquiry committee, Judge Matza, asked Olmert to elaborate on the relevant governmental proceedings during his 3-year term as Prime minister. Olmert said that "the evacuated settlers were offered a stipend for two years after the evacuation, and none of them searched for jobs due to this." He added that "the overriding question the settlers were interested in was where their children would go to school. As long as this question remained unanswered, the settlers would not commit to permanent living arrangements."
During the hearing Olmert also stressed the critical consequences this decision entailed. "Its important to remember that the evacuation was a principal component in the process which lead to one of former prime minster, Arial Sharon's, most essential and strategic accomplishments."
Olmert reminded the committee that after the unilateral evacuation former U.S. president, George Bush, wrote a letter to Israel in which he mentioned that Palestinian authorities were responsible for finding a solution to the Palestinian refugee problem. He also said that Israel's borders do not necessarily have to return to the 1967 borders in order to reach an agreement.
Gush Katif council slammed Olmert's comments saying that "the former Prime Minister blamed everyone but himself for the judicial failures proceeding the withdrawal."
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Former prime minister Ehud Olmert. |
| Photo by: Emil Salman / Jini |
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O a, so tired of people citing the attack on the King david Hoptel as an example of Jewish terroristm. It was the headquarters of the British armed forces that was stopping Jews from entering the Palestinian Mandate, You know, that piece of land given to the Brits to control while they helped set up a home for Jews, under the mandate from the League of Nations. The Jews sent warnings, telling the Briotish that the hotel was going to be attacked, sort of a precursor of warning Arabs of actions to be taken during Cast Lead. However, the mighty Brits did not believe that the scrawny little Jews would dare attack this fortress. After all, we had walked mildly into the ovens during the Shoah. But we had changed. Now how much of the world does Britain still rule over! Bermuda and the Falkland Islands.
The problem, never recognized, by the Israeli's is "unilateral" part of the withdrawal. Ostensibly carried out this way to avoid giving those who resisted the occupation any credit for it. In reality it was to avoid giving any credit to the moderate Abbas and empower Hamas. Hamas gained electoral advantage not because of their denial of Israel's right to exist, but because of their extensive social programs provided to the Palestintians. BTW, no one has ever explained the appropriate way to resist an occupation and struggle for self determination. One can only guess the tactics Jews would use if Tel Aviv was occupied. Oh wait we do know how Jews resisted the British occupation. King David hotel ring any bells?
What Olmert and now Netanyahu need to account for is the continued incompetence in the follow through for the people evacuated. Why were the rebuilt settlements in the Negev and Galilee never built? Why wasn't a security arrangement made with the PA to coordinate and assure things wouldn't deteriorate as they have?
What self-serving claptrap. Besides setting a precedent that Jews cannot live somewhere because they are Jews (anyone kicking the Arabs out of Um el Fahum?), it only resulted in rocket fire, a Hamas takeover, and a pointless war for which Israel is being held responsible by a grateful world and charged with war crimes. Olmert's chickens will come home to roost--he'll spend time in jail and will feel what it's like to be denied a home bed.
Sharon has stated that the withdrawal from Gaza was so that the IDF could concentrate on its occupation of the West Bank - and so it has been. As for Bush's letter, as I have written before, why is it right that Americans and Jews decide what happens to arabs? Arrogant colonialism by both groups.
Kicking out Jews from Gaza (for no other reason but for being Jews) was a resounding success!!!!!! Way to go! The people of Sderot thank you!!!
And those that carried it out and allowed it to be carried out are responsible.The Israeli courts should be ashamed that they did not stand up for the rights of the Jews living there.
"Its important to remember that the evacuation was a principal component in the process which lead to one of former prime minster, Arial Sharon's, most essential and strategic accomplishments." Olmert He is confirming what Dove Weisglass said to Ari Shavit in Haaretz in 2004 about the real purpose behind the disengagement that had nothing to do with being "good-guys" but with formaldehyde: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=485929
The disengagement from Gaza was a very sad and a very heroic day, both for the sensitive young soldiers who had to implement it physically, and for the dismayed and protesting settler families who were obliged to leave a sort of paradise-on-earth... after having been encouraged by messianic shtadlanim and a misguided politicians, to illegally occupy the territory of our neighbors the Pals... The disengagement itself was carried out well, but the aftermath was botched both by Israel and the Gazans themselves...