Weekly Commentary: Former Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter squanders his integrity
for shot at being a minister?

Aaron Lerner Date: 29 December 2005

What did the jumper say as he hurdled past the 10th floor?

"So far so good."

"The numbers speak for themselves. . . it is clear that disengagement has
decreased terror" Former Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter said yesterday as he
praised Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's retreat at a press conference where he
announced he was joining Sharon's Kadima Party.

Dichter went on to say that there may be more retreats (aka "unilateral
withdrawals") out of "security considerations."

Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter knew full well that one has to consider
considerably more than a few months of "numbers" in order to get an
indication if the retreat policy is panning out.

Sharon's team went into the retreat assuming that it would be possible to
impose effective controls on the movement of people and goods between Gaza
and the outside world. After the retreat they succumbed to American
pressure and the Palestinians now enjoy the final say on who and what passes
through the border.

The international observers are only window dressing. That's not
speculation - its written in black and white in the agreement that the PA
has final say on who and what goes through Rafah - and that arrangement is
the model for the seaport and the airport.

Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter knew how the Palestinians would exploit this.

Sharon's team went into the retreat confidently assuming that threats of a
harsh unprecedented reaction to terror attacks emanating from within the
Gaza Strip would serve to deter the Palestinians. But that threat has
already been tested and proven to be just as hollow as the threats Israel
made when the IDF retreated from Lebanon.

The vacuum Israel's retreat from the Gaza Strip created is being exploited
today by all the Palestinian militias to prepare, train and arm for a round
of conflict that could generate "numbers" of a magnitude Israel has yet to
experience.

In the last weeks we have already seen evidence how well the Palestinians
have advanced on their "learning curve" - successfully tunneling from the
Gaza Strip into Israel.

Yes. Shin Bet Chief Avi Dichter knew full well that one has to consider
considerably more than a few months of "numbers" in order to get an
indication if the retreat policy is panning out.

But politician Avi Dichter apparently has more important things to concern
himself with than the truth. Things like not offending the man who will
decide Dichter's placement in the Kadima list or what cabinet post Dichter
will get if Kadima's performance at the ballot box comes close to its
performance in the recent polls.

What a shame that a man who devoted his life to Israel's security should
squander his integrity for a shot at a ministerial portfolio.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il