Member of Knesset Colette Avital spoke with Ameinu leadership on the political and security situation in Israel on the 10th day of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. MK Avital has served as a Knesset member with the Labor Party since 1999. In the Knesset, MK Avital sits on many committees and is an observer of the Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee. A career diplomat, MK Avital has held many prestigious positions in the Israeli foreign office and is fluent in many languages. Her writings have appeared in Le Monde, the New York Times and the New York Post. What follows is an edited transcript of her discussion.
I would like to say that I appreciate what Ameinu has done, attending rallies and starting the Ameinu Children’s Emergency Fund.
I must say by way of introduction that the morale is high even though for some people this is their tenth day in a shelter.
Military strategy
Success is limited. So far the war is mainly conducted by the air force acting on intelligence. But there is only so much it can do, so expectations of a swift resolution are wrong.
The main military purpose is to destroy Hezbollah’s arms in the south. They have around 30,000 missiles.
Most of their missiles have a range of 37 kilometers but they even have missiles which have a range of 200 kilometers. They have drones, munitions, anti-tank missiles. I think Olmert pointed out that the Iranians could not have sent this heavy equipment to Hezbollah only to help them abduct two Israeli soldiers. There must be another purpose.
But it should be understood that Israel has two goals with their military action. The first, as I mentioned, is to make sure Hezbollah cannot come near the border and that the Lebanese army is deployed to the south. The second goal is deterrence.
Hezbollah has lost respect for Israel. It is important to understand that since our withdrawal in 2000 Hezbollah has been under the illusion that it had a military victory against us – something that of course has eluded other Arab governments. Arafat’s decision to launch the second intifada was inspired by this kind of thinking.
When missiles are launched and soldiers are abducted, Israel cannot give a weak answer. Nasrallah portrayed Israel as “threads in a cobweb” that will collapse with the first swipe. Strategically, an important message of force must prevail, if we ever want to reach a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians. If they learn to believe that the only way to push us out is by force, then there can be no settlement.
A legitimate war
This war is different from other wars. Coming form me this will sound strange, but I believe this is a legitimate war. Neither the issue nor the pretext is Israeli occupation of Arab territories. This war did not start because we occupied Lebanon. We left of our own free will in 2000. The United Nations measured every line of our withdrawal and placed every boundary stone.
With Hezbollah and Iran, the fighting has returned to its source which means the existence of the Jewish state. In Israel, this has always been the dividing line between left and right. The left has always said, “Let’s return to 1967 borders. Ending the occupation will end the conflict.” And the rights says, “No, this is an existential war.” This time left and right are united. Peretz and Olmert are working hand in hand. I have never seen such harmony before between left and right in Israel!
Timeline
Israel has two enemies in any war, including this one: the army it faces and the time limitations imposed on us.
The fear is that one minute before we are to win, a ceasefire will be imposed on us. At this moment, no one faces Israel with a stop watch — at least not now, not this week or next week. Most countries would like to see us bring this issue to a good end, which means doing the job. The reaction of the world would be much different, however, if Israel were still occupying southern Lebanon or settlers were still in Gaza. I think international goodwill was created from those two withdrawals which helps us now.
However, we already hear voices in Europe that are not pleasant. Spanish Prime Minister José Zapatero recently appeared at a rally wearing a keffiyeh and saying Israel is murdering Lebanon. You see the same response in countries in South America and even in Canada. Right now we have broad international support, but as the fighting continues, and people see more images of destruction and refugees, the atmosphere is bound to change.
The United States’ contribution is giving Israel time. The solution is probably to have an international force, but if there is one it cannot be the kind that lets people get abducted right under their noses. It has to have a mandate to stop terrorists and use force, like the international coalition in Yugoslavia that destroyed Milosevic. And it has to monitor what kind of armament is pouring into Lebanon. The Iranian embassy in Syria was the main exporter of arms that were shipped through the Damascus airport.
The Europeans can play a larger role in engaging Syria through bribes or threats. I think they can try to draw a wedge between Syria and Iran. This would be an outcome that would be very, very good for us.
Alternative sources of energy
Japan has to import 97 or 98 percent of its oil from abroad, some of it from Iran. Sanctions should be tried on Iran, of course, but at the same time we ought to develop alternative energy sources. If we don’t, we will always remain connected to, and dependent on, countries like Iran.
Gaza and Lebanon are separate
The two conflicts should not be linked together and negotiations for the release of the soldier held by Hamas and the two soldiers held by Hezbollah should be kept separate. Under no circumstance can we allow Nasrallah the possibility of giving three soldiers back at the same time. He will be crowned king of the Arab world. He cannot be seen to represent the Palestinian cause.
The use of Israeli force has not been indiscriminate
Many of Hezbollah’s launching pads are mobile and can be hid behind homes or near civilian populations. These are the Katyusha rockets. They are small, and that is why we have had a rain of them.
If Hezbollah moved out their big rockets, they would have to be moved out on trucks and we would see them and wreck them.
So far the attacks have been very precise. When the Hezbollah command bunker was attacked a few days ago, there was serious consideration whether we should do it, because next to it there was a nine story building. Olmert was afraid that if we missed the bunker and hit the building we would bring casualties to many, many people. Ultimately we did attack the bunker, but the building was not hit and the people weren’t hurt. We try to use the thinnest knife that we can use. But with rockets hidden in backyards and living rooms, there is only so much one can do. We have sent leaflets telling people that if you have rockets or terrorists in your house, you have to leave or get them to leave. What I have to say is: we’re trying to impose as few casualties as possible. I am not saying this as a demagogue. The difference between us and Hezbollah, is that we’re doing everything not to hit civilians, and they are doing everything only to hit civilians.
