The regular term of
service for the IDF Chief of Staff is three years; however,
it is customary almost the rule, that this is extended by another
year. In fact, it has never happened that a Chief of Staff 'was
sent home' after just three years. Now, for whatever reason,
Defense Minister Mofaz has informed General Ya'alon that he
is not getting another year and will be retired in July, just
before the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four settlements
in northern Samaria.
David Essing reports:
An earthquake in the IDF, a bolt out of the blue, that is how
the Defense Minister's move is being viewed. His early retirement
is all the more surprising because IDF Chief of Staff Moshe
Yaalon is credited with playing a key role in containing more
than four years of Palestinian violence.
| 
Ma'ariv Headline
|
'DEMOTED', that is the banner headline in the Maariv newspaper.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz is seen as voting 'no confidence'
in the IDF Chief of Staff and for no good reason. On the contrary,
a new top commander will take over in July shortly before the
massive evacuation of the Gaza Strip begins, a withdrawal that
hundreds of thousands of Israelis, have threatened to fight
tooth and nail. To complicate the situation even more, a new
chief of the Shabak Security Service is also about to take over,
meaning that two top officials, who will bear responsibility
for carrying out the problematic evacuation, will be in the
driver's seat. It was known for some time, that the highly successful
Shabak chief Avi Dichter would be retiring after having his
term extended to five years. But there was not the slightest
hint that the IDF Chief of Staff, probably the most venerated
position in Israel, was about 'to be sent packing'. When General
Ya'alon briefing the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee
yesterday there was absolutely no sign that he was about to
be retired.
The big question is why? Defense Minister Mofaz can say that
the three-year term is up and he wants a change. However, such
a formal response will not hold water. There have been rumors
of some differences between the Defense Minister and the Chief
of Staff. However, this is only normal and maybe healthy. While
the Defense Minister is the boss, the Chief of Staff is expected
to present a professional military opinion without regard for
political considerations. It is then up to the government and
the Defense Minister to determine policy. General Ya'alon has
a reputation of being a professional soldier from 'head to toe',
a 'straight shooter' and he has never been charged with insubordination
during his entire career.
Defense Minister Mofaz was the former Chief of Staff and as
a matter of fact, he was accused of insubordination while serving
as Israel's top soldier. After the cabinet decided to withdraw
from the Palestinian suburb Abu Sneinah of Hebron, which was
a terrorist hothouse, Mofaz dragged his feet and expressed reservations
in public. The then Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer hit
the roof and wanted to fire Mofaz. Prime Minister Sharon had
to step in and Mofaz kept his job. The question is whether Mofaz
consulted with Sharon about Chief of Staff.
General Ya'alon, in his previous post as intelligence chief,
foresaw the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada in September
2000 and helped preparing the military to cope with the unprecedented
wave of suicide bombers. He also oversaw the massive 'Defensive
Shield' operation in the West Bank to root out the terrorists
and their infrastructure. He and Shabak Security Chief Avi Dichter
devised tactics, which eventually contained the terror attacks.
The result was the cease-fire announced by Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas at the Sharm el Sheik summit on February 8th.
