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World Jewish News
Shalit group: Our leaders play ego games while a soldier rots in captivity
23.02.2009
Organizers of the Campaign for Gilad Shalit's Release responded angrily to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's announcement Monday that he plans to replace Israel's emissary to Egyptian-brokered truce talks with Hamas after the envoy publicly criticized the government's negotiating strategy.
The removal of Amos Gilad comes at a critical juncture. Olmert hopes to wind up a cease-fire deal and win the release of Shalit, an Israel Defense Forces soldier captured by Gaza militants in 2006, before his term ends in a few weeks. His designated successor, Benjamin Netanyahu, says Israel halted its Gaza offensive too soon and must topple the territory's Islamic Hamas rulers.
Gilad is the Defense Ministry's mediator in talks with the Egyptians over a cease-fire agreement with the Palestinian group Hamas. He was quoted in Wednesday's paper as saying that Olmert's behavior and decision to make Shalit's release a precondition to a cease-fire is an insult to Egypt, and therefore undermines national security.
The Campaign for Gilad Shalit's Release issued a statement Monday, saying "it is regrettable and worrisome that while an Israeli soldier is rotting in captivity, our leaders are occupied by ego wars."
"If only they would invest in securing Gilad's freedom half the amount of effort they put into internal politics, he would have been home a long time ago," the statement continued.
The statement went on to "demand that Israel's government continue the process in accordance with the latest cabinet decision and bring about the immediate release of Gilad Shalit."
Hamas responded to Gilad's dismissal by accusing Israel of poor faith and urging Egypt to respond to the reshuffle by opening its own border with Gaza.
"This shows that the Zionist occupation government has no intention of reaching an agreement on the calm or of concluding a prisoner swap," said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum.
Also Monday, defense officials warned that Olmert's decision would harm Israel, saying "it is the prime minister's right not to rely on the ability and expertise of Amos Gilad, but it is Israel who suffers the consequences."
According to the defense officials, Olmert's decision does not constitute a dismissal, because Gilad's official position is the director of the Defense Ministry's political-security bureau - an office appointed by the Defense Minister and therefore only the Defense Minister can dismiss him.
They added that Gilad will continue his work as mediator vis-a-vis foreign officials, including Egyptian officials, on behalf of the Defense Ministry. "It is a shame that all this background noise is drowning out the negotiations on the really important issues," they said.
Trade Miniser Eli Yishai said asked to delay Gilad's replacement until after Shalit is released. In a letter to the prime minister, Yishai said that the ramifications of relieving Gilad of his mediation duties is seen by the public as another setback on the obstacle-laden path to bring the captive soldier home safely.
On Sunday, Olmert's bureau filed an official complaint against Gilad with Civil Service Commissioner Shmuel Hollander. Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office General Ra'anan Dinur, who filed the complaint, wrote that the remarks published in Maariv constitute inappropriate criticism by a senior government official against an incumbent prime minister and his office.
Dinur wrote that after the interview's publication, Gilad admitted to Olmert that he had in fact been the official quoted. Gilad's remarks, Dinur wrote, "seem to represent a disciplinary violation, as they direct inappropriate criticism against the prime minister, including leaks from private discussions and the disclosure of Israeli positions in the sensitive negotiations with Egypt."
Dinur called the remarks "embarrassing and significantly harmful," saying that they "reflect behavior unsuited to Gilad's position as a prime ministerial envoy."
The letter of complaint, which was also sent to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, stated, "Gilad's statements as expressed in the letter are particularly serious, and seem to harm Israel's foreign relations and the prime minister's status.
"In light of this, I ask you to immediately order a disciplinary investigation against Amos Gilad, and, inasmuch as disciplinary infractions are found, to take binding measures," it said.
Also on Sunday, the Defense Ministry issued a statement supporting Gilad, saying "it is a shame that the prime minister, in his last days in office, chose a path of extreme provocation and an attempt to litigate against a faithful civil servant."
Источник: Haaretz
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