Rehavam Ze'evi's son Palmach had sharp words for the army's leadership Sunday, berating its handling of the war in Lebanon and lambasting Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz for thinking "that the air force could wipe out a [fanatical] religious organization like Hizb'allah."
Speaking at the official memorial ceremony on Jerusalem's Mount Herzl marking the fifth anniversary of his father's assassination, Ze'evi emphasized his father's military service and lifelong dedication to Israel's security. Ze'evi said that his father's vision for a secure Jewish state was not being followed, and warned against what he described as the growing danger of militant Islam, whose purpose, he said, was "to exterminate everything that is not Islamic."
Archive: Knesset votes to memorialize Ze'evi legacy
Palestinians are indoctrinating their children to hate Israel, Ze'evi said, while Israel "gives gifts to terror."
"The Yassers and Mohammeds took you from us," the bereaved Ze'evi said in what seemed to be a mixture of anger and grief. Pausing to collect himself, Ze'evi added "but they did not take your legacy."
Among the political figures who attended the ceremony was President Moshe Katsav. When asked Sunday if he objected to Katsav, who is currently facing a number of criminal charges, making an appearance, Ze'evi replied, "Until [Katsav] resigns voluntarily, or is forced to by a Knesset vote, he's my president."
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert eulogized Ze'evi as a "man of iron principles that did not bend and did not change." If the political reality did not match Ze'evi's powerful convictions, Olmert said, "then the reality had to change, and not the other way around."
"Ghandi could be a bitter political enemy and the most loyal friend at the same time," the prime minister remarked, reflecting the late Ze'evi's reputation as an outspoken firebrand who was also widely respected for his fairness and decency.
Born in Jerusalem in 1926, Ze'evi served in the underground Palmach and as an intelligence officer during the War of Independence. He headed the army's Central Command from 1968 until a week before the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War. When the war broke out he returned as a special adviser to the general staff and then served briefly as head of the army's operations branch.
Ze'evi retired from the military in 1974 and served in prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's government as an adviser on terrorism and security.
In 1988, Ze'evi founded the nationalist Moledet party, which won two seats in the 12th Knesset that year and later united with Israel Beiteinu. Ze'evi was known for his controversial right-wing views - in particular his advocacy of a "voluntary transfer" of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza.
He joined Ariel Sharon's government in 2001 as tourism minister, but resigned in protest of its handling of the second intifada.
Before his resignation went into effect, Palestinian gunmen shot Ze'evi in the head at close range as he walked to his room at the Hyatt hotel in Jerusalem.
Six members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine were held for his murder for almost four years in a Palestinian Authority jail in Jericho under British and American supervision, until the IDF captured them in March, after the US and Britain ordered their guards home.
Ahmed Sa'adat, the alleged mastermind of the assassination, was jailed in Israel on terrorism charges after authorities concluded there was not enough evidence to charge him with Ze'evi's murder.
Jerusalem Post
10.23.2006
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment