Israeli MK Effie Eitam on the choice now facing Israel

MK Effie Eitam (National Union – NRP) was a commander of IDF forces in Lebanon and an authentic IDF hero. You'll recall that it was he that used his personal prestige provided Israeli PM Ehud Olmert with cover to apologize after Olmert's stupid remarks on how the Lebanon War was going to provide more of an impetus for `disengagement' in Judea and Samaria, remarks during wartime that outraged the IDF rank and file and severely damaged Israel's wartime unity.

Here, in Yediot, Eitam writes about the choice facing Israel and places the choices Israel has in plain view. I've chosen to highlight certain things:

"Yesterday, the security cabinet approved one of the most fateful decisions in the history of Israel. The choice was between victory and humiliation, and the implications will be felt far past Lebanon, further even than security issues facing northern Israel.

Hanging in the balance is nothing less than Israel's ability to survive in this region in the face of an axis of evil that sees only one alternative for Israel: destruction.

This axis of evil will not reconcile itself to Israel inside the "green line" or "blue line." It is committed to destroying Israel – men, women and children, young and old alike. To a very large extent, the results of the current fight with Hezbollah will determine the Israel's long-term outlook.

Simple reality

There are periods in which a nation finds itself facing a complicated reality. But there are also times when we must simplify matters and bring time to the place each of us occupies today, where the only question is: To be, or to cease fire?

Everyone now understands that the current war is the one in which we promised ourselves that should it occur, we would stand strong, that we wouldn't blink.

This is the joint red line we swore we would never retreat from. Clearly, after this red line there is no where to retreat to. This is the place, and now is the time, upon which countries stand or fall.

Every one of us, in his own way, believes the State of Israel and its security have been left in our hands by the Jewish people. This country is a statement of hope, bequeathed to us by our parents and grandparents. Now, we have to defend it. It's as simple as that.


Occupied territory

We must understand that Hezbollah and its rockets have successfully captured a large section of Israel. What's at stake now is no different thank crossing the Suez Canal during the Yom Kippur War, or pushing the Syrians ff the Golan Heights, or moving the war to enemy territory during the Six Day War.

South Lebanon is the object of Israel's counter-offensive, in order to loosen the stranglehold Hizbullah enjoys over northern Israel.

Israel 's civilian home front is bearing the burden of this war with a stubbornness and a unity unseen since the War of Independence. This is the moment and this is the purpose for which the state and the army were created. The army must act now to carry out any action necessary, wherever necessary, to restore our civilians' basic right to life, even if soldiers must die to restore it.

If the prime minister and defense minister still fail to understand the fatefulness of the current situation. If they retreat into hesitation and delusion, and if they choose to hide behind empty, twisted words, or even worse – behind a phony shield that the IDF is not, it will become clear that this government does not, and never did, deserve the faith of hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have born the brunt of this war so far."

When I read this, it reminds me of what Stalin once said to the British Ambassador about Churchill during the 1930's when Sir Winston was a marginal and forgotten figure:

" You will turn to the old lion yet on the day of battle."

Lebanon is only the start of things..I think Effie Eitam knows that.

Olmert apologizes for his ridiculous remarks

Ehud Olmert now has a new tune to sing - the War has nothing to do with `realignment'.

After outraging Israeli opinion in a moment of hubris Olmert was forced to retract the nonsense he was peddling yesterday.




The first things his aides did was search frantically for this man. MK Effie Eitam













Eitam, a former General and an authentic Israeli hero who was the former commander of the IDF in South Lebanon is the leader of the National Union-National Religious Party and someone who commands respect even from those who disagree with him.


To give you an idea of his character, Eitam, during the forcible uprooting of his fellow Jews from their homes in Gaza defied the Israeli government and brought his wife and children into Gush Katif to stay with his fellow countrymen, ease their sorrow and share their burdens when they lost their homes.

Once Olmert's aides found him, a quick meeting was arranged with the chastened Israeli PM.

"The fighting in Lebanon has nothing to do with future diplomatic moves in other arenas," Olmert reportedly told Eitam.

MK Eitam later told the Israeli paper Yediot: "He understood that he made a mistake. He realized that he truly harmed the national unity."

Damn straight he did.

Eitam was taking part in the reading of the Book of Lamentations, on the eve of Tisha B'Av, while officials at the Prime Minister's Office were looking for him. Olmert clarified in his conversation with Eitam that "in these days, when the people of Israel remember the (Temple) destruction, we must maintain full unity in the military and home front in order to succeed in the difficult war."

Olmert's office issued a statement saying that "the prime minister spoke to MK Effie Eitam following the remarks related to him in the foreign news agencies. He made it clear to MK Eitam, who expressed his protest in the name of broad right-wing groups, that he (the prime minister) was only engaged in running Israel's battle in the north and south....The prime minister sought to stress that he did not come to bolster the support for the realignment. He made it clear that these were not the issues that should have emerged from this interview."

MK Eitam said that he had been receiving worrying messages from the field all day.

"From the moment the prime minister's remarks were published, I was approached by dozens of rabbis, heads of preparatory programs and reserve soldiers, who told me in an unequivocal manner that they are considering not to head north and join the war. I explained to the prime minister that his actions may cause real damage to the war efforts," he said.

"From the conversation I had with the prime minister I understand in an unequivocal manner that he will not deal with the realignment plan at all now. He made a big mistake and I helped him understand its ramifications. His clarification does not remove many fears for the future, but we will conduct the arguments only after the war," Eitam said.

Eitem made the correct and self effacing decision to allow Olmert to use the prestige of a far better, more courageous man to ease out of a quaqmire of his own making, for the sake of unity during wartime.

I hope the people of Israel remember that when it comes time to choose new leadership.