Israel’s Gaza Mess Has Soldiers Disobeying Orders

The hard-line Jewish resistance to Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his plan to withdraw the settlements from Gaza suffered a tactical defeat this week, which turned into a strategic victory. The Israeli Defense Force sealed off all 21 settlements to keep non-resident protesters out, and then raided a former hotel to push out 150 protesters. By Friday, the situation was well enough in hand that the IDF could reopen the settlements to outsiders. Support for the withdrawal plan had also reached 48% in one poll, down from 70% earlier this year. More significantly, some of the troops aren’t obeying orders.

While the IDF is one of the most disciplined military bodies in the world, it remains made up of human beings, and some of them have consciences. Corporal Avi Bieber is not the first soldier to disobey orders related to the withdrawal plan, but he is the first to get jail time. On Sunday, he was ordered to remove some right-wing protesters from a site they were occupying. He declined saying “I didn’t come to Israel to beat up Jews.” The corporal, whose family emigrated from the US when he was 10, received 56 days in the brig for his refusal. According to the Israeli paper Ma’ariv, he is the fifth soldier since January to refuse to follow such an order. One other trooper was dismissed from the ranks, while three others went unpunished.

Clearly, the Sharon government needs to prevent this attitude from spreading. When a corporal refuses to obey an order, it’s a problem. When a captain refuses, it’s a crisis. When a general refuses, it’s a coup d’etat. Thus far, the IDF remains solidly behind whatever government is in power, a fine example of civilian control of the military.

However, for Jews, the forcible removal from their homes (even in a bid for peace) strikes a dismal chord from 65 years ago. And for men like Corporal Bieber, there is too much of a parallel in their minds between then and now. Months ago, some of the protesters started wearing yellow Stars of David on their clothes. The Gaza withdrawal is not the same as the Nazi’s Final Solution, but with a little psychological prodding, the soldiers can be made to feel that they are on the wrong side.

This journal has maintained for some time that peace in the Middle East, and especially a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, is not possible under the current constellation of power. The death of Yasser Arafat only improved prospects a bit. In the end, though, peace will require far more people to support the withdrawal than the 70% who backed in months ago, and certainly more than the 48% who support it now. Mr. Sharon must go on the offensive and take no prisoners – in the Israeli media.


© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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