MKs urge discussion of Eiland's pullout remarks

Senior lawmakers yesterday demanded that a key Knesset committee discuss outgoing National Security Council chief Giora Eiland's remarks to Haaretz, in which he criticized the disengagement from the Gaza Strip as a "missed opportunity of historic proportions" that was marred by faulty planning.

In the weekend interview to Haaretz, Eiland also spoke against a unilateral withdrawal in the West Bank, saying that it would lead to a "radical Hamas state, not satisfied and not viable," and a situation of "continuous instability."

MK Ran Cohen (Meretz) and MK Avraham Ravitz (United Torah Judaism) yesterday demanded that Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Tzachi Hanegbi schedule a special session to discuss Eiland's views.

Ravitz said Eiland's comments represented "a political-defense bombshell," which necessitated an urgent debate. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Eiland should all be called to address the committee and answer questions, Ravitz said.

Cohen also said Eiland should be summoned before the committee, to testify about what Cohen called the government's "faulty handling" of political and security issues.

	Giora Eiland (Archive)