Monday, April 30, 2007

Winograd Committee Releases Findings




Official Press Release of Winograd Committee
Investigating 2006 Summer Warfare in Lebanon

1. On September 17th 2006 The Government of Israel decided, under section 8A of The Government Act 2001, to appoint a governmental commission of examination "To look into the preparation and conduct of the political and the security levels concerning all the dimensions of the Northern Campaign which started on July 12th 2006".

Today we have submitted to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence the classified interim report, and we are now presenting the inclassified report to the public.

2. The Commission was appointed due to a strong sense of a crisis and deep disappointment with the consequences of the campaign and the way it was conducted. We regarded accepted this difficult task both as a duty and a privilege. It is our belief that the larger the event and the deeper the feeling of crisis – the greater the opportunity to change and improve matters which are essential for the security and the flourishing of state and society in Israel. We believe Israeli society has great strength and resilience, with a robust sense of the justice of its being and of its achievements. These, too, were expressed during the war in Lebanon and after it. At the same time, we must not underrated deep failures among us.

3. This conception of our role affected the way we operated. No-one underestimates the need to study what happened in the past, including the imposition of personal responsibility. The past is the key for learning lessons for the future. Nonetheless, learning these lessons and actually implementing them are the most implication of the conclusions of the Commission.

4. This emphasis on learning lessons does not only follow from our conception of the role of a public Commission. It also follows from our belief that one Israeli society greatest sources of strength is its being a free, open and creative. Together with great achievements, the challenges facing it are existential. To cope with them, Israel must be a learning society – a society which examines its achievements and, in particular, its failures, in order to improve its ability to face the future.

5. Initially we hoped that the appointment of the Commission will serve as an incentive to accelerate learning processes in the relevant systems, while we are working, so that we could devote our time to study all of the materials in depth, and present the public with a comprehensive picture. However, learning processes have been limited. In some ways an opposite, and worrying, process emerged – a process of ‘waiting’ for the Commission’s Report before energetic and determined action is taken to redress failures which have been revealed.

6. Therefore we decided to publish initially an Interim Report, focusing on the decisions related to starting the war. We do this in the hope that the relevant bodies will act urgently to change and correct all that it implies. We would like to reiterate and emphasize that we hope that this Partial Report, which concentrates on the functioning of the highest political and military echelons in their decision to move into the war will not divert attention from the overall troubling complete picture revealed by the war as a whole.

7. The interim report includes a numer of chapters dealing with the following subjects:

a. The Commissions’ conception of its role, and its attitude to recommendations in general and to recommendations dealing with specific persons in particular. (chapter 2): We see as the main task of a public commission of inquiry (or investigation) to determine findings and conclusions, and present them- with its recommendations – before the public and decision makers so that they can take action. A public commission should not – in most cases – replace the usual political decision-making processes and determine who should serve as a minister or senior military commander. Accordingly, we include personal conclusions in the interim report, without personal recommendations. However, we will reconsider this matter towards our Final Report in view of the depiction of the war as a whole.

b. The way we balanced our desire to engage in a speedy and efficient investigation with the rights of those who may be negatively affected to ‘natural justice’ (chapter 3): The special stipulations of the Commissions of Inquiry Act in this regard do not apply to a governmental commission of Examination, but we regard ourselves, naturally, as working under the general principles of natural justice.

The commission notified those who may be affected by its investigation, in detailed letters of invitation, of the ways in which they may be negatively affected, and enabled them to respond to allegations against them, without sending "notices of warning" and holding a quasi-judicial hearing before reaching out conclusions. We believe that in this way we provided all who may be negatively affected by our report with a full opportunity to answer all allegations against them.

c. The processes and developments in the period between the withdrawal of the IDF from Lebanon until July 11, 2006 which contributed to the background of the Lebanon War (Chapter 4): These processes created much of the factual background against which the decision-makers had to operate on July 12th, and they are thus essential to both the understanding and the evaluation of the events of the war. Understanding them is also essential for drawing lessons from the events, whose significance is often broader than that of the war itself.

8. The core of the interim report is a detailed examination of the decisions of senior political and military decision-makers concerning the decision to go to war at the wake of the abduction of the two soldiers on the morning of July 12th. We start with the decision of the government on the fateful evening of the 12th to authorize a sharp military response, and end with the speech of the Prime Minister in the Knesset on July 17th, when he officially presented the campaign and its goals. These decisions were critical and constitutive, and therefore deserve separate investigation. We should note that these decisions enjoyed broad support within the government, the Knesset and the public throughout this period.

9. Despite this broad support, we determine that there are very serious failings in these decisions and the way they were made. We impose the primary responsibility for these failures on the Prime Minister, the minister of defence and the (outgoing) Chief of Staff. All three made a decisive personal contribution to these decisions and the way in which they were made. Howwever,, there are many others who share responsibility for the mistakes we found in these decisions and for their background conditions.

10. The main failures in the decisions made and the decision-making processes can be summed up as follows:

a. The decision to respond with an immediate, intensive military strike was not based on a detailed, comprehensive and authorized military plan, based on carefull study of the complex characteristics of the Lebanon arena . A meticulous examination of these characteristics would have revealed the following: the ability to achieve military gains having significant political-international weight was limited; an Israeli military strike would inevitably lead to missiles fired at the Israeli civilian north; there was not other effective military response to such missile attacks than an extensive and prolonged ground operation to capture the areas from which the missiles were fired – which would have a high "cost" and which did not enjoy broad support.

These difficulties were not explicitly raised with the political leaders before the decision to strike was taken.

b. Consequently, in making the decision to go to war, the government did not consider the whole range of options, including that of continuing the policy of ‘containment’, or combining political and diplomatic moves with military strikes below the ‘escalation level’, or military preparations without immediage military action -- so as to maintain for Israel the full range of responses to the abduction. This failure reflects weakness in strategic thinking, which derives the response to the event from a more comprehensive and encompassing picture.

c. The support in the cabinet for this move was gained in part through ambiguity in the presentation of goals and modes of operation, so that ministers with different or even contradictory attitudes could support it. The ministers voted for a vague decision, without understanding and knowing its nature and implications. They authorized to commence a military campaign without considering how to exit it.

d. Some of the declared goals of the war were not clear and could not be achieved, and in part were not achieveable by the authorized modes of military action.

e. The IDF did not exhibit creativity in proposing alternative action possibilities, did not alert the political decision-makers to the discrepancy between its own scenarios and the authorized modes of action, and did not demand – as was necessary under its own plans – early mobilization of the reserves so they could be equipped and trained in case a ground operation would be required.

f. Even after these facts became known to the political leaders, they failed to adapt the military way of operation and its goals to the reality on the ground. On the contrary, declared goals were too ambitious, and it was publicly states that fighting will continue till they are achieved. But the authorized military operations did not enable their achievement.

11. The primary responsibility for these serious failings rests with the Prime Minister, the minister of defense and the (outgoing) Chief of Staff. We single out these three because it is likely that had any of them acted better – the decisions in the relevant period and the ways they were made, as well as the outcome of the war, would have been significantly better.

12. Let us start with the Prime Minister.

a. The Prime Minister bears supreme and comprehensive responsibility for the decisions of ‘his’ government and the operations of the army. His responsibility for the failures in the initial decisions concerning the war stem from both his position and from his behavior, as he initiated and led the decisions which were taken.

b. The Prime Minister made up his mind hastily, despite the fact that no detailed military plan was submitted to him and without asking for one. Also, his decision was made without close study of the complex features of the Lebanon front and of the military, political and diplomatic options available to Israel. He made his decision without systematic consultation with others, especially outside the the IDF, despite not having experience in external-political and military affairs. In addition, he did not adequately consider political and professional reservations presented to him before the fateful decisions of July 12th.

c. The Prime Minister is responsible for the fact that the goals of the campaign were not set out clearly and carefully, and that there was no serious discussion of the relationships between these goals and the authorized modes of military action. He nade a personal contribution to the fact that the declared goals were over-ambitious and not feasible.

d. The Prime Minister did not adapt his plans once it became clear that the assumptions and expectations of Israel’s actions were not realistic and were not materializing.

e. All of these add up to a serious failure in exercising judgment, responsibility and prudence.

13. The Minister of Defence is the minister responsible for overseeing the IDF, and he is a senior member in the group of leaders in charge of political-military affairs.

a. The Minister of Defence did not have knowledge or experience in military, political or governmental matters. He also did not have good knowledge of the basic principles of using military force to achieve political goals.

b. Despite these serious gaps, he made his decisions during this period without systemic consultations with experienced political and professional experts, including outside the security establishment. In addition, he did not give adequate weight to reservations expressed in the meetings he attended.

c. The Minister of Defence did not act within a strategic conception of the systems he oversaw. He did not ask for the IDF’s operational plans and did not examine them; he did not check the preparedness and fitness of IDF; and did not examine the fit between the goals set and the modes of action presented and authorized for achieving them. His influence on the decisions made was mainly pointillist and operational. He did not put on the table – and did not demand presentation – of serious strategic options for discussion with the Prime Minister and the IDF.

d. The Minister of Defence did not develop an independent assessment of the implications of the complexity of the front for Israel’s proper response, the goals of the campaign, and the relations between military and diplomatic moves within it. His lack of experience and knowledge prevented him from challenging in a competent way both the IDF, over which he was in charge, and the Prime Minister.

e. In all these ways, the Minister of Defence failed in fulfilling his functions. Therefore, his serving as Minister of Defence during the war impaired Israel’s ability to respond well to its challenges.

14. The Chief of Staff (COS) is the supreme commander of the IDF, and the main source of information concerning the army, its plans, abilities and recommendations presented to the political echelon. Furthermore, the COS’s personal involvement with decision making within the army and in coordination with the political echelon were dominant.

a. The army and the COS were not prepared for the event of the abduction despite recurring alerts. When the abduction happened, he responded impulsively. He did not alert the political leaders to the complexity of the situation, and did not present information, assessments and plans that were available in the IDF at various levels of planning and approval and which would have enabled a better response to the challenges.

b. Among other things, the COS did not alert the political echelon to the serious shortcomings in the preparedness and the fitness of the armed forces for an extensive ground operation, if that became necessary. In addition, he did not clarify that the military assessments and analyses of the arena were that a military strike against Hezbollah will with a high probability make such a move necessary.

c. The COS’s responsibility is aggravated by the fact that he knew well that both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense lacked adequate knowledge and experience in these matters, and by the fact that he had led them to believe that the IDF was ready and prepared and had operational plans fitting the situation.

d. The COS did not provide adequate responses to serious reservation about his recommendations raised by ministers and others during the first days of the campaign, and he did not present to the political leaders the internal debates within the IDF concerning the fit between the stated goals and the authorized modes of actions.

e. In all these the Chief of Staff failed in his duties as commander in chief of the army and as a critical part of the political-military leadership, and exhibited flaws in professionalism, responsibility and judgment.

15. Concomitantly we determine that the failures listed here, and in the outcomes of the war, had many other partners.

a. The complexity of the Lebanon scene is basically outside Israel’s control.

b. The ability of Hezbollah to sit ‘on the border’, its ability to dictate the moment of escalation, and the growth of its military abilities and missile arsenal increased significantly as a result of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal in May 2000 (which was not followed, as had been hoped, by The Lebanese Army deploying on the border with Israel.

c. The shortcomings in the preparedness and the training of the army, its operational doctrine, and various flaws in its organizational culture and structure, were all the responsibility of the military commanders and political leaders in charge years before the present Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff took office.

d. On the political-security strategic level, the lack of preparedness was also caused by the failure to update and fully articulate Israel’s security strategy doctrine, in the fullest sense of that term, so that it could not serve as a basis for coping comprehensively will all the challenges facing Israel. Responsibility for this lack of an updates national security strategy lies with Israel’s governments over the years. This omission made it difficult to devise an immediate proper response to the abduction, because it led to stressing an immediate and sharp military strike. If the response had been derived from a more comprehensive security strategy, it would have been easier to take into account Israel’s overall balance of strengths and vulnerabilities, including the preparedness of the civil population.

e. Another factor which largely contributed to the failures is the weakness of the high staff work available to the political leadership. This weakness existed under all previous Prime Ministers and this continuing failure is the responsibility of these PMs and their cabinets. The current political leadership did not act in a way that could compensate for this lack, and did not rely sufficiently on other bodies within and outside the security system that could have helped it.

f. Israel’s government in its plenum failed in its political function of taking full responsibility for its decisions. It did not explore and seek adequate response for various reservations that were raised, and authorized an immediate military strike that was not thought-through and suffered from over-reliance on the judgment of the primary decision-makers.

g. Members of the IDF’s general staff who were familiar with the assessments and intelligence concerning the Lebanon front, and the serious deficiencies in preparedness and training, did not insist that these should be considered within the army, and did not alert the political leaders concerning the flaws in the decisions and the way they were made.

16. As a result of our investigation, we make a number of structural and institutional recommendations, which require urgent attention:

a. The improvement of the quality of discussions and decision making within the government through strengthening and deepening staff work; strict enforcement of the prohibition of leaks; improving the knowledge base of all members of the government on core issues of Israel’s challenges, and orderly procdures for presentation of issues for discussion and resolution.

b. Full incorporation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in security decisions with political and diplomatic aspects.

c. Substantial improvement in the functioning of the National Security Council, the establishment of a national assessment team, and creating a center for crises management in the Prime Minister’s Office.

17. We regard it is of great importance to make findings, reach conclusions and present recommendations on the other critical issues which emerged in this war. We will cover them in the final report, which we strive to conclude soon. These subjects include, among others, the direction of the war was led and its management by the political echelon; the conduct of the military campaign by the army; the civil-military relationship in the war; taking care of Israel’s civilian population under missile attack; the diplomatic negotiations by the Prime Minister’s office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; censorship, the media and secrecy; the effectiveness of Israel’s media campaign; and the discussion of various social and political processes which are essential for a comprehensive analysis of the events of the war and their significance.

18. Let us add a few final comments: It took the government till March 2007 to name the events of the summer of 2006 ‘The Second Lebanon War’. After 25 years without a war, Israel experienced a war of a different kind. The war thus brought back to center stage some critical questions that parts of Israeli society preferred to avoid.

19. The IDF was not ready for this war. Among the many reasons for this we can mention a few: Some of the political and military elites in Israel have reached the conclusion that Israel is beyond the era of wars. It had enough military might and superiority to deter others from declaring war against her; these would also be sufficient to send a painful reminder to anyone who seemed to be undeterred; since Israel did not intend to initiate a war, the conclusion was that the main challenge facing the land forces would be low intensity asymmetrical conflicts.

20. Given these assumptions, the IDF did not need to be prepared for ‘real’ war. There was also no urgent need to update in a systematic and sophisticated way Israel’s overall security strategy and to consider how to mobilize and combine all its resources and sources of strength – political, economic, social, military, spiritual. cultural and scientific – to address the totality of the challenges it faces.

21. We believe that – beyond the important need to examine the failures of conducting the war and the preparation for it, beyond the need to identify the weaknesses (and strengths) in the decisions made in the war – these are the main questions raised by the Second Lebanon war. These are questions that go far beyond the mandate of this or that commission of inquiry; they are the questions that stand at the center of our existence here as a Jewish and democratic state. It would be a grave mistake to concentrate only on the flaws revealed in the war and not to address these basic issues.

We hope that our findings and conclusions in the interim report and in the final report will not only impel taking care of the serious governmental flaws and failures we examine and expose, but will also lead towards a renewed process in which Israeli society, and its political and spiritual leaders will take up and explore Israel’s long-term aspirations and the ways to advance them.


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IDF Appints Committee to Study Winograd Report
April 30th, 2007

IDF SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCEMENT

The IDF Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, has received the partial report of the Winograd governmental committee. Lt. Gen. Ashkenazi has appointed a committee to study the report and the conclusions and lessons contained within it.

The IDF is currently in the midst of a comprehensive process for the implementation of the conclusions reached as a result of the post-war inquiries. The IDF will fulfill its obligation to complete all necessary improvements in order to reach the highest level of preparedness and readiness.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Winds of Remembrance


by Judy Lash Balint, Jerusalem

Jerusalem--It's eerie how often the elements reflect events occurring here in Israel. At last week's Yom Hashoah commemoration at Yad Vashem, participants huddled together in the chill of the Jerusalem evening as the ceremony marking the systematic murder of six million European Jews unfolded.

The youthful members of the choir were shivering in the frigid air. Six survivors delegated to light the memorial torches stood stoically at attention as a cold wind blew across the hilltop.

But just one week later, as the State of Israel pauses to remember her fallen soldiers, the ritual takes place as a soft, warm, almost comforting breeze envelops hundreds of bereaved families gathered in the plaza facing the Kotel (Western Wall).

The flag at half mast barely flutters in the gentle wind flurries, and the memorial flame remains virtually immobile in front of the subdued crowd.

Those commemorated on Yom Hazikaron are not the mass victims of yesteryear's death camps, they're our youth who died and continue to die, defending the state and its citizens. We need the warmth and gentleness to reassure us, to enable us to look to the future.

It's slightly disconcerting to see the Kotel bereft of worshipers, replaced by rows and rows of men and women with sadness in their eyes. A significant number of the men choose not to wear any head covering--I can't help wondering if it's an indictment of God or an expression of secularism that has nothing to do with their loss. Apart from the ultra-orthodox who generally do not serve in the army, the full spectrum of Israeli society is represented at the service--national religious and secular; Ashkenazi and Sephardi; rich and poor; old and young. Bereavement itself is a social strata here --according to the Defense Ministry 23,305 soldiers have died in the fifty nine years of statehood leaving thousands of families to join
the ranks of the bereaved.

This year, thanks in large part to last summer's Hizbollah war, another 233 names have been added to those we mourn.

As the siren sounds marking the beginning of the ceremony, I notice a young child next to me dropping her head along with the formal honor guard who face us across the plaza. Sadly, the culture of grieving and remembering is ingrained at an early age here in Israel.

At the end of the formal program, acting President Dalia Itzik, Chief of Staff Gabi Askenazi and Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski pass among the families offering brief words of comfort. The gesture reinforces a remark made by Itzik during her address to the gathering--that each
loss is a national loss, felt keenly by the entire country.

As we wait to leave at the close of the 30 minute ceremony, I fall into conversation with the young couple sitting next to me. The wife is the sister of Oded Bachrach, a soldier murdered in 1996 while on a hike in Wadi Kelt. Michal, 33, tells me she finds it difficult to attend the Memorial Day observance. "There were a few years when I actually got ready to go, but just couldn't make myself get here," she says with tears in her eyes. Her parents have never come to the Kotel ceremony. They find it easier to sponsor a Torah lecture in Oded's memory in their community of Beit El.

What upsets Michal most is the fate of her younger brother's murderer. Captured by officers of the Palestine Authority in Jericho, the terrorist spent just one month in jail before being released in Yasser Arafat's notorious revolving door policy. Today, Israel is considering
releasing 1,400 Arab security prisoners in return for the safe return home of captured IDF soldier, Gilad Shalit.

As we walk together out of the Old City through Dung Gate, the warm breeze evaporates into the night, leaving a chill wind in its place.
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Judy Lash Balint writes from Jerusalem and is author most recently of Jerusalem Diaries II: What's Really Happening in Israel (Xulon Press, 2007)


© Judy Lash Balint. All rights reserved. 2007


Sunday, April 22, 2007

His Name was Nachshon Wachsman


By Esther Wachsman

A mother, who mobilized the world to save her son -- an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas terrorists -- tells the story of one fateful week in the history of Israel.

My name is Esther Wachsman.
I was born in a DP camp (displaced person ie: refugee camp) in Germany in 1947 to parents who had survived the ovens of Nazi Germany, in which their entire families had perished. We -- my parents, my sister (who had been hidden by a Catholic family during the war) and I -- sailed to America in 1950.

I grew up as a child of survivors, and became a true JAP -- Jewish American Princess. But the cloud of depression, of a deep sadness and melancholy, hung over our home.

In typical "Second Generation Syndrome" experience, I was my parents' sole reason for existence. Their hope, their future, all their expectations were wrapped up in me. I knew without their ever having said anything that I had to be the smartest, the prettiest, the most popular, the most obedient and best of all children.

That was a tough burden for a little girl, a young lady, and later a wife and mother, to have to carry. I, too, demanded excellence and perfection of myself -- and later of my children.

In 1969 I immigrated to Israel -- made aliya to Jerusalem, where I attended the Hebrew University, going for my Master's Degree in history, specializing in the Holocaust.

My parents were Zionists, and their sole remaining relatives lived in Israel. I came to study with their blessing, though when I met my future husband and knew that only here in Jerusalem did I wish to raise my family, I'm not sure they were too thrilled.

But I had caught the bug. I was going to be part of the history of our old/new homeland, and I would raise proud, independent, believing Jewish children in their homeland after 2,000 years of exile. I could no longer pray for the "Return to Zion" and the "Building of Jerusalem" when I knew I was a plane ticket away from fulfilling those prayers.

And so I was married to Yehuda in 1970 and we had seven sons between 1971 and 1986. Our sons were raised on a three-fold love -- of their people, their land, and their heritage, the Torah.

Our lives were complete, my dreams fulfilled, and I felt privileged to be able to live my life and raise my children in this, our sacred city, in this, our God-given land.

I taught English at the Hebrew University High School for 28 years, my children grew up, attended yeshivot, and in time served their country, proudly wearing the uniform of the Jewish army. How proud I was -- the Jewish immigrant from Brooklyn, mother of soldiers of Israel!

Nachshon, our third son, was named after the one who was the first to jump into the Red Sea.

My two oldest sons -- named after ancestors, grandparents who had perished in the Holocaust, served in the Golani Brigade. When the time came for my third son to be drafted, he wanted to outdo his two older brothers and volunteered for an elite commando unit of Golani. His brothers mocked him, for he was shorter and slighter than the big staffing soldiers in that unit, but he persevered and became a soldier in the Orev Golani, and was the pride of his brothers, of his entire family.

Nachshon, our third son, was not named after any ancestors. We chose his name because he was born on the last day of Passover, just after the Torah portion about the Jews crossing the Red Sea, which God promised would turn into dry land, was read. Nachson, the son of Aminadav, the head of the tribe of Yehuda, was the first to jump into the water, thereby expressing complete faith and belief in God and this promise that the water would turn into dry land, and all of the Children of Israel followed him. It was also at this time of the year, in Passover of 1948, that Operation Nachshon took place -- the operation that opened the road to Jerusalem.

We felt that that name incorporated all of our ideas -- faith and belief in God and love of our people and our land.Nachshon did us proud, as did all our sons and, thank God, lived up to his name.

After having served in the army for a little over a year, with two stints in Lebanon, Nachshon came home on a week's leave, Friday, October 7, 1994 just before the Sabbath. On Saturday night, he got a call from the army informing him that the following day, Sunday, he was to attend a course up north, where he and another soldier from his unit would learn to operate a special military vehicle and in a one-day-course receive a license.
Nachshon found this offer very prestigious and got a ride with a friend to take the course up north. He left us late Saturday night and told us he would be back home the following night.

Nachshon did not come home on Sunday night.

Perhaps because of my background with over-protective parents, I felt that I must know where my children are, when to expect them home -- and they always notified me of any delay or change of plan. When by midnight Nachshon did not call or arrive home, I feared the worst.

We notified the military authorities, we traced his movements, we spoke to his army friends. We discovered from one of them that he had been dropped off after completing the course at the Bnai Atarot junction -- one of the most populated areas in the center of Israel -- where he could either catch a bus or hitchhike (as all soldiers do) to Jerusalem. This friend was the last one to have seen him.

On Monday we sent search parties to the area where he had last been seen -- at this point the army was still unconcerned and more or less making inquiries at hotels and resorts in Eilat to see if he had just taken off.

The fact that I told them that such a thing was simply out of the question in my family just seemed to amuse them as the attitude of a typical Jewish mother. To me, on Monday, my child was dead.
On Tuesday, we were contacted by Israeli Television, who told us that they had received a video tape from a Reuters photographer showing my son being held hostage by Hamas terrorists.

They said they were coming directly to our home to show us the video before broadcasting it to the entire nation, and the world. On that video tape, Nachshon was seen, bound hand and foot, with a terrorist whose face was covered with a kaffiya, holding up Nachshon's identity card. The terrorist recited his home address, identity number, and then Nachshon spoke at gunpoint. He said that he had been kidnapped by the Hamas, who were demanding the release of their spiritual leader, Achmed Yassin, from an Israeli prison, as well as the release of 200 other imprisoned Hamas terrorists. If these demands were not met, he would be executed on Friday at 8:00 PM.

At that time I did not have the "luxury" of breaking down.

We were all mobilized for the next four days, 24 hours a day, to do everything in our power to save our son's life. We spoke to Prime Minister Rabin, who informed us that he would not negotiate with terrorists, nor would he yield to blackmail. We announced Nachshon's American citizenship, and President Clinton intervened. Both Warren Christopher, who was in the area, and the U.S. consul in Jerusalem, Ed Abbington, went to Gaza -- where it was believed Nachshon was being held -- and brought us messages from Arafat.

Arafat, indeed, called our home and told us that he would leave no stone unturned to locate our son and return him to us safe and sound.

We appealed to world leaders everywhere and to Moslem religious leaders, all of whom stated unequivocally on the media that they must not harm our son. And we appealed to our brethren -- to the Jewish people throughout the world -- and asked them to pray for our son. The Chief Rabbi of Israel delegated three chapters of Psalms to be said every day, and people everywhere, including schoolchildren who had never prayed before, did so for the sake of one precious Jewish soul.

I asked women throughout the world to light an extra Sabbath candle for my son.

From about 30,000 letters that poured into our home, I learned of thousands of women who had never lit Sabbath candles, who did so for the sake of our son -- who had become a symbol of everyone's son, brother, friend.

On Thursday night, 24 hours before the ultimatum, a prayer vigil was held at the Western Wall and, at the same hour, prayer vigils were held throughout the world in synagogues, schools, community centers, street squares and, yes, churches throughout the world. People of good faith everywhere hoped and pleaded and prayed for Nachshon.

At the Western Wall 100,000 people arrived, with almost no notice -- Chassidim in black frock coats and long side curls swayed and prayed and cried, side by side with young boys in torn jeans and ponytails and earrings. There was total unity and solidarity of purpose among us -- religious and secular, left wing and right wing, Sephardi and Ashkenazi, old and young, rich and poor -- an occurrence unprecedented in our sadly fragmented society.

On Friday night we ushered in the Sabbath, and I spoke to my son on the media and begged him to be strong, for all our people were with him. We sat rooted to our Sabbath table; my eyes were glued to the door, expectingNachshon to walk in at any moment.

We were not aware of the fact that Israeli Intelligence had captured the driver of the car that picked Nachshon up, that he had told our intelligence that the terrorists had all worn kippot, skull caps, that there were a Bible and Siddur on the dashboard, and Chassidic music playing on the tape deck, and an unsuspecting soldier got into the car.

We were not aware that they had discovered from their informant that Nachshon was being held in a village called Bir Nabbalah, under Israeli rule, located about 10 minutes from our home in Ramot. We were not aware that Prime Minister Rabin had made a decision to launch a military action to attempt to rescue our son.At the hour of the ultimatum, General Yoram Yair, walked through our door and brought us the terrible news.

At the hour of the ultimatum, 8:00 PM Friday night, General Yoram Yair, not Nachshon, walked through our door and brought us the terrible news.

The military rescue attempt had failed -- Nachshon had been killed and so had the commander of the rescue team, Captain Nir Poraz.

At the same time people had all returned to their synagogues, after their Sabbath meal, to recite Psalms for Nachshon's rescue, including our sons. We called them home and together we all sat frozen, unbelieving, shocked and devastated for the rest of the Sabbath.

On Saturday night at midnight we buried our son. That same microcosm of our people who had come to pray for Nachshon rescue at the Western Wall came to Mount Herzl at midnight Saturday night to attend Nachshon's funeral; many never set foot at a military cemetery before.

My husband asked Nachshon's Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Mordechai Elon, who gave the eulogy, to please tell all our people that God did listen to our prayers and that He collected all our tears. My husband's greatest concern when burying his son was that there would be a crisis in faith.

And so he asked Rabbi Elon to tell everyone that just as father would always like to say "yes" to all of his children's requests, but sometimes he had to say "no" though the child might not understand why, so our Father in Heaven heard our prayers, and though we don't understand why, His answer was "no."

Our Father in Heaven heard our prayers, and though we don't understand why, His answer was "no". The entire nation mourned with us. Thousands came to comfort us, though no one can comfort a bereaved parent.

Israeli radio began each morning's broadcasts with the words "Good morning Israel, we are all with the Wachsman family." Food and drink were delivered non-stop to our home; bus and taxi drivers who brought people from all over the country who wished to express their condolences, left their vehicles and joined their passengers in our home.

That unity, solidarity, caring, compassion, and love with which we were showered gave us strength and filled our hearts with love for our people. After the (traditional Jewish mourning period of seven days called) Shiva, we all returned to our routines. Our son who had just gotten out of the army attended the Hebrew University, another went back to the army, two others returned to yeshiva, and the two youngest, twins who had just turned eight on the day of the funeral, went back to school. For that is what the Jewish people have always done -- rebuilt after destruction, began new lives from the ashes and blood of the old.


I had a new respect for my parents, who had lost everyone and relocated to a strange land, a foreign tongue, and built a new family, a new life.


I was in my own country, my own homeland; my son died wearing his country's uniform, and, God willing, my other sons will serve their country proudly as well. For, among my people I dwell, and that for me is still a privilege and a blessing. My three-fold love of my people, my land, and my Torah has never wavered.


CABINET COMMUNIQUE

Source: The Cabinet Secretariat

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 22.4.07:

1. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that he had received Finance Minister Avraham Hirchson's statement that the latter was taking a temporaryleave of absence as a result of the police investigations in his regard and as per Article 24b of Basic Law: The Government( http://tinyurl.com/2v5nk ).

Prime Minister Olmert noted that in keeping with Article 24b of Basic Law: The Government, he would temporarily serve as Acting Finance Minister. The Prime Minister wished Finance Minister Hirchson well.

2. Prime Minister Olmert referred to the issue of the compensation paid by the State to the bereaved families: "For many years, the bereaved families have been troubled by the issue of the compensation they receive from the State of Israel. A public committee chaired by Prof. Yaacov Ne'eman discussed the issue. Both the current and previous Defense Ministers have recommended adopting its conclusions regarding the nature of the compensation paid to the families. I have decided that, in light of these recommendations, the compensation paid to bereaved families will be unrelated to means testing. Henceforth, bereaved families - whether as a result of Israel's wars or terrorism - will receive equal compensation that reflects the State's recognition that the unbearable price they have paid cannot be a function of their economic situation."

3. Pursuant to the 1971 Police Ordinance (New Version) and according to the recommendation of Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, the Cabinet appointed Police Maj.-Gen. David (Dudi) Cohen as Israel Police Inspector-General ( http://tinyurl.com/2l5hla ), with the rank of Commissioner, in place of outgoing Inspector-General Moshe Karadi, effective1.5.07.

The Israel Police Insp.-Gen. serves a four-year term. In emergencies, the Government is authorized to extend his term by a period of up to one year.

Commissioner Cohen's appointment was approved by the Advisory Committee on Senior Civil Service Appointments ( http://tinyurl.com/245uv4 ) chaired by retired judge Yaakov Terkel.

Commissioner Cohen has served in the Israel Police since 1977 and has held various senior posts including, most recently Commander of the Central District.

Prime Minister Olmert paid tribute to outgoing Israel Police Insp.-Gen. Karadi.
See http://tinyurl.com/3bkpqn for further details.

4. The Cabinet approved its 2008-2010 national socio-economic plan( http://tinyurl.com/34tqvf ).
The Cabinet established an interministerial committee to deal with the detailed planning, formulation, implementation and monitoring of the plan. Finance Ministry Director-General Yarom Ariav will chair the committee, which will also include senior representatives of Social Welfare and Social Services, and Trade, Industry and Labor ministries, the Bank of Israel andthe National Economics Council. See http://tinyurl.com/3bkpqn for further details.

5. Education Minister Yuli Tamir briefed the Cabinet on the need to strengthen the positions of teachers and principals. An interministerial committee was appointed to submit for Cabinet approval proposals on the issue. See http://tinyurl.com/3bkpqn for further details.

6. The Cabinet decided to allow the Multinational Force and Observers( http://www.mfo.org/2/homepage.asp ) to purchase official offices. This decision will not affect other permits that may be required by law.

7. Pursuant to the 1959 Civil Service Law (Appointments) and in accordance with the recommendation of the Civil Service Committee, the Cabinet decided to exempt from public tender the position of Chairman of the Earthquake Preparations Steering Committee. See http://tinyurl.com/3bkpqn for further details.

8. Pursuant to the 1996 Electricity Law and in accordance with the recommendations of National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Finance Minister Avraham Hirchson, the Cabinet appointed Amnon Shapira as Chairman of the Public Services Administration - Electricity, effective immediately.

9. The Cabinet discussed the issue of encouraging employment in national priority regions vis-a-vis the ultra-orthodox and non-Jewish sectors. See http://tinyurl.com/3bkpqn for further details.

10. The Cabinet also discussed the issue of encouraging employment in ultra-orthodox and Bedouin communities in the Negev. See http://tinyurl.com/3bkpqn for further details.

11. The Cabinet decided to extend the period in which approved enterprises are eligible to receive various grants and benefits in order to encourage employment in 'A' national priority regions and in socio-economically depressed communities.

Official Messages to Bereaved Families
















"This year, once again, on the eve of the Day of Remembrance, we stand around the candle of pain and longing, and unite with the memory of the best of our sons and daughters who are no longer [with us]," the Chief of Staff wrote in a special "Order of the Day" which was sent out in honor of Memorial Day.

"The sons and daughters, the sons of all the exiles,all the ethnicities and religions, who in their lives and in their deaths combined courage and boundless dedication, represent for us exemplars of giving and granting for the sake of the life and well-being of the people in Israel."

In the early 1950s, then Prime Minister and Defense Minister David Ben Gurion, z"l, founded a special public council, which was comprised primarily of bereaved parents, whose aim was to perpetuate the memory of fallen soldiers from Israel's wars. The council recommended that one day be observed especially to honor their memory, and that the day be linked to Independence Day. The date would fall one day prior to Independence Day, which is observed on the 5th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar.

This recommendation was approved by the government, and the 4th of Iyar was officially declared as Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Soldiers.

The motivation for marking the day side by side with Independence Day can be traced to the literary adage: "In their death they showed us how to live." This expression places an emphasis on the deep appreciation for all those who gave their lives for the defense of the homeland.

Israel's fallen soldiers are those who granted us life by their deaths, providing the opportunity to continue to exist in the state. Thus, each year we are called upon to stop and remember the pain of the dead, one day before we move to celebrate Independence Day.

As of the eve of Memorial Day, the toll of the number of Israel's war dead stands at 22,305. In the last year, Israel lost 233 soldiers, among them 119 who were felled in the Second Lebanon War.

Throughout the years, various methods of honoring the memory of fallen soldiers have been practiced to mark the day across the country. Memorial Day will begin tonight (Sunday), with the main remembrance ceremony to be held at the Western Wall plaza. The ceremony is to be attended by the president, the chief of staff, the chief rabbis and representatives of bereaved families.

At 11:00 A.M. on Monday, a two-minute siren will wail across the country. Following the siren, ceremonies honoring Israel's fallen soldiers will commence in 44 military cemeteries nationwide.

In the military cemetery on Jerusalem's Mount Herzl, the president, the prime minister, the chief of staff, the chief justices, chief rabbis, chief of police and other public figures preside over a remembrance ceremony.

Throughout the day, flags throughout the country and at Jewish and Israeli sites the world over are lowered to half-mast in honor of the fallen heroes. Commemorations are held at virtualy every public and educational institution, IDF camp and base, and adjacent to memorial sites and monuments.

May the memory of those fallen be blessed.

Source: Prime Minister's Office

22 April 2007

Prime Minister's Message to Bereaved Families

Dear Families,

A moment before we mark 59 years of independence, we stand silent as we remember the precious, heavy and painful price which accompanies our struggle for existence as a Jewish, democratic, sovereign and independent country in the Land of Israel.

Over the past year, we were again reminded that this aspiration involves struggle and heartache, and that is because, even today, there are, among our enemies, those who cannot resign themselves to our existence, and seek to destroy the sovereignty of Israel by harming its citizens and soldiers. Again we had to stand up for and defend the lives of the citizens of Israel; we were forced to fight for and defend the State and the right of the residents of the North and South to live their lives in tranquility and security.

Since the last Remembrance Day, we have lost 233 regular and reserve soldiers and members of the security forces, largely during the Second Lebanon War, which was intended to ward off the threat on our northern border. Even today, we continue working toward and hoping for the return the three kidnapped soldiers. We also hope and pray for the full recovery of the wounded.

For the 59 years of our existence, during war after war and during routine days, we paid with the blood of the best of our children for all our futures, and for the hope to live in our country in peace. You, the bereaved families, have paid the terrible price of this hope. On this day, we stand beside you - who carry in your hearts the memory of the fallen every day - with the promise and vow that we will remember the fallen and that their memory will remain etched in the heart of the nation forever.

May the memory of the fallen be blessed and be forever bound to our lives.

PM's Speech at Memorial Service at Ammunition Hill

Free Translation Courtesy of IMRA - April 22, 2007

Dear Friends, Distinguished Guests,

Night is falling on the hills of Jerusalem, and the country is wrapped in silence. It is the silence of pain - and it is deep, hurting and torturous.

At this time on the eve of the Day of Remembrance, the State of Israel is gathering together in grief and joining in memory of its sons and daughters - Jews, Druze, Circassians, Bedouins and members of other sectors - who fell during Israel's campaigns.

Great sadness is descending on the country. And it has names, faces, and it had hope for life. Each and every one of the fallen is an entire world which has been lost forever - a void which we can never fill again.

I know, this pain is, first and foremost, private, intimate, between a person and himself and between a person and his family. Even when the entire nation shares in it - the pain always remains private.

I know there are no words of comfort. And there is no way to understand what you - parents, widows, orphans, siblings and friends - feel every day of the year. Only on rare occasions do the words succeed in describing the pain of separation. Perhaps the words of the poet Yehuda Amichai, written in memory of his commander and friend, Lieutenant Chaim Laksberg (Dicky), who fell in July 1948, are such.

"Rain falls on the faces of my comrades-in-arms:on the faces of my comrades-in-arms who live, whocover their heads with a blanket -and on the faces of my comrades-in-arms who are dead, whoare not covered anymore."

The paths of the fighting are carved along the length and breadth and around the borders of this country. We never wanted them. We are a people who sanctify life, who do not seek quarrels.

However, time after time, we have been forced to defend ourselves, to protect our sovereignty, to fight for our freedom. We are prepared to fight, but have no love for war. Even when we achieve our aim, we do not get carried away by happiness over victory, because the price we pay is too heavy.

In the year that has passed since the previous Remembrance Day, we embarked on a campaign on the Lebanese border. The Second Lebanon War is another link in the long and painful chain of Israeli campaigns against an enemy which has yet to come to terms with our existence. This war also carried a heavy and painful price.

May this be the last war.

May those wounded in battle and the disabled find a balm for their pain.

May we soon see the hostages returned home.

Distinguished guests,

We have always known, even in the heat of battle, to extend a hand of peace to our neighbors. And each time we were answered with a hand of peace, we put our weapons aside, in order to talk and reach agreements. However, unfortunately, time after time we were answered with calls for fighting and animosity. We are an ancient people. We were born on the land of this country thousands of years ago, and we have the strength to stay here forever. The short lives of the fallen are the ultimate testimony of this. However, we will never despair of achieving the longed-for peace.

We are aware of what is occurring across our borders, and hear also the strengthening of moderate voices. Our duty to the fallen, to the families and to all the citizens of Israel, is to make every possible effort to pave the long road which leads to the prevention of war and to peace.

Dear Families,

Night falls on Ammunition Hill, and all across the country the wind stirs the flags which fly at half mast. The sounds of flapping cloth are close and painful. Even when the flag is raised again to full mast and we celebrate Independence Day, we will not forget the images, the valor and the sacrifice of the fallen.

The State of Israel bows its head in sorrow.

May their memories be blessed.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Building Security through Cooperation

By Eliyahu Sigel - IDF Spokesperson

Every day, hundreds of ships cruise the Mediterranean with seemingly no concern for the potential dangers below. The captains of these ships owe their thanks to a group of NATO ships which patrol the seas, ensuring that no naval mines lurk in the depths. This week the force reached the port of Eilat in order to take part in a joint operation with the Israeli Navy.

"We are here to improve the friendship and relations between NATO and the other countries [which we visit]," said the commander of the force, Captain Ertugrul Goktonali in the press conference which took place on Sunday.

The force known today as Standing NRF Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCG2 ), was founded in 1992, however, its current name and area of operations is the result of many changes since then. The flagship, from Turkey, and its sister vessels from Germany, Spain, Italy, and Greece join it at the Southernmost port of the country. They all have naval mine detecting capabilities, with the most technologically advanced equipment at their disposal.

The naval mine is one of the earliest development of modern naval warfare. It has been a threat to seagoing vessels for hundreds of years.

The Japanese realized the potential of the floating explosives in the 16th century. They made mines by putting a time bomb in a water-sealed wooden crate; these were then floated to sea to damage pirate ships. The basic design concept behind any naval mine is an independent explosive device whose sole purpose is to harm ships or submarines.

Throughout history, many different variations of naval mines have been developed: mines which explode on direct contact with ships, a magnetic mine made to go off as a result of the magnetic effect an approaching ship has in the water, a mine which is sensitive to sound waves made by their approach, and a pressure mine designs to go off when a change in water pressure results from a ship passing above.

In order to keep the seaways safe from these potential threats, SNMCMG2 makes routine scans of the seabed and ocean region in areas where boats frequently travel, such as the straits of Gibraltar and Malta. The scans include thorough mapping of the seabed and region, so that the region will be assessed in advance for a time of need.

"Two years ago we hosted a large group of NATO soldiers and it was a great experience," said the Mayor of Eilat, Meir Yizchak Halevi. He continued by citing the communal activities planned for the hundreds of visiting soldiers, such as sightseeing tours of the city, and a visit to a local high school. "We will do everything in our capacity to make their stay as pleasant as possible. We hope to see them return."

TODAY'S IDF SECURITY HEADLINES

Security Forces Kill Islamic Jihad Operative Near Jenin
Tuesday 17/04/2007 18:38

During a joint operation by the Israel Defense Forces, the General Security Service, and the Border Police near Jenin, an Islamic Jihad operative was killed today (Tuesday). Ashraf Shahada A'aref Hanaisha, a wanted terrorist and resident of Kabatiya, served as an agent for the Islamic Jihad organization in northern Samaria.

A special Border Police force killed Hanaisha in the town of Mutlat Shahida, south of Jenin. During the attempted arrest, Hanaisha aimed a handgun toward the officers who then opened fire and killed him.

The northern Samaria cell in which Hanaisha was active had been involved in feverishly planning suicide attacks against the State of Israel, operating in full concert with the group's headquarters in Syria. Hanaisha's task was to act as a middleman, transferring money from his superiors in Syria to Islamic Jihad agents in the field.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION - SECURITY SOURCES

During a joint ISA, IDF and Border Police operation today south of Jenin, forces shot and killed Islamic Jihad terror operative Ashraf Hanaisheh after he drew out his handgun when they attempted to arrest him.

Ashraf Sh'hadeh A'aref Hanaisheh, a 25 year-old resident of Qabatiya, was an assistant to the organization's infrastructure in northern Samaria. This infrastructure has recently attempted to dispatch suicide bombers into Israel and continues in its concentrated efforts to do so.

Islamic Jihad's terror infrastructure in northern Samaria is operating in full and daily cooperation with the organization's headquarters in Syria. These headquarters are involved in organizing and managing the infrastructure and fund its activity via a number of channels.

Hanaisheh was actively involved in transferring such funds.

Only recently, Israel confiscated tens of thousands of New Israeli Shekels on their way to Hanaisheh, who would then have transferred them to the infrastructure and its field operatives in order to fund further attacks.

TGI NOTE: Further background reveals that much of the money being transferred by this infrastructure is part of the counterfeiting operation launched under Yasser Arafat. In the image at your right (taken five years ago this week in the former chairman's office), you can see a sampling of the many boxes with hundreds of thousands of uncut NIS freshly minted by the PA.

Drive-By Terror Attack in Benjamin Region Raises Security Concerns
(13:52 17/04/2007)

Terrorists carried out a drive-by shooting attack Tuesday morning, between the communities of Na'ale and Nili some 18 miles east of Tel Aviv. Witnesses report that the driver was hit in the hand but continued to control the vehicle and drove for some five minutes before reaching the gate of Na'ale.

Israel's Red Magen David Adom was rushed to the scene where they treated the driver's moderate shoulder and hand wounds. Three female passengers were also treated for light shrapnel wounds before being transported to Tel HaShomer's Shiba Medical Center.

The Al Aqsa Brigades, the military wing of PA President Abu Mazen's Fatah movement, telephoned the Ma'an News Agency and declared responsibility for the shooting. IDF and ISA are currently searching for the shooters and their sponsors.

Another Stab Terrorist Nabbed
(08:41 17/04/2007)

An Arab intent on stabbing soldiers was stopped at the Beit Iba checkpoint west of Shechem and was found to be carrying a six-inch knife. The knife was confiscated and its carrier was brought in for interrogation.

TGI NOTE: Security sources close to TGI are concerned at the sharp rise in shooting and stabbing incidents and attempts in recent weeks throughout Judea & Samaria. One theory being raised is that with the attempts to attack major Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Natanya, etc. failing because of the tight closures during this extended holiday season, the terrorists are operating closer to home within running distance of PA controlled territory.

All this amidst rumors of more distribution of guns to Abu Mazen's forces - see: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3388835,00.html

More Kassam's on Sderot
(08:32 17/04/2007)

Another Kassam rocket was fired overnight from the Northern Gaza Strip toward the Israeli city of Sderot. The rocket landed in an open area near the city. No damage or injuries were reported. This is the seventh rocket to be launched at Israel this week and the 213th since the "cease fire" went into effect.

Overnight Arrests
(05:43 17/04/2007)

The IDF arrested 25 wanted Arab terrorists in Judea and Samaria overnight. 6 suspects were arrested in Shchem (3 Fatah, 3 Hamas), 9 in Kalkiliya (all Hamas), 4 in Hizmeh and 1 in Anata (both just outside Jerusalem), 1 in Bethlehem and 4 in El Arub, just South of Bethlehem.

IDF Training Exercises
(05:47 17/04/2007)

The IDF has announced that noise from training exercises may be heard in the south from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM Tuesday. Echoes from the large, controlled aerial explosions may be heard for several miles in the Be’er Sheva region.




Monday, April 16, 2007

Never Again

Holocaust Memorial Day 2007
by Adam Ross, IDF Spokesperson
Photo Credits: Yad Vashem

This Holocaust Memorial Day, the third annual ceremony "Flower for a Survivor" was held, with the allocation of awards of appreciation to Holocaust survivors, honoring their courage and bravery.

The project, overseen by the IDF Education and Youth Corps, takes place annually on Holocaust Memorial Day in order to show appreciation for those who survived the Holocaust and contributed to the birth of the State of Israel.

7000 soldiers, of all ranks and headed by the Chief of IDF Staff, Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, visited over 4000 Holocaust survivors in their homes.

The soldiers heard the survivors' courageous stories of survival and of their immigration and settlement in Israel. In addition, the Chief of IDF Staff was accompanied by senior officers in his visit to the survivors' homes. They included, IAF Commander, Major General Eliezer Shkedy, Israel Navy Commander, Major General Dudu Ben-Bashat, Head of the Logistics Branch, Major General Avi Mizrahi, Head of the Teleprocessing Branch, Major General Ami Shafran, Head of the Manpower Branch, Major General Elezer Shtern, Departing Head Education Officer, Brigadier General Ilan Harrari, Incoming Head Education Officer, Brigadier General Eli Sharmeister, and Head Medical Officer, Brigadier General Hezy Levi.

"The soldiers presented the survivors with awards of appreciation on their numerous achievements and contributions they gave to the country. The most important thing for the survivors to see is that the problems they faced when immigrating to this country and the manner that they were accepted has been corrected", explained Captain Tamar Kobelar, project manager of "Flower for a Survivor", in the Jewish Israeli Identity Department of the Chief Youth and Education Officer Headquarters.

"This learning experience is extremely important for the soldiers because it allows them to hear stories that they would normally not be able to hear. Visiting the Holocaust survivors, one by one, is unlike hearing a lecture in a hall with dozens of soldiers, this personal experience touches and affects the soldiers as well as the survivors in a very deep way."

"Understandably the survivors are not required to tell their stories. But we try to visit every holocaust survivor," continued Captain Kobilar. "Generaly we don?t visit those survivors that we visited in the previous years, although there are a number of survivors we ask that we come again because it is important for them to relate their stories to as many soldiers as possible, and naturally we go to them. The goal is to visit as many survivors as we can and I believe that we will continue in this campaign until we have visited each and every survivor."

The Chief of IDF Staff: "Never Again!"

The Chief of IDF Staff, Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, spoke a few words in the General Staff ceremony in the Hall of Names in Yad Vashem.

"Each person has a name, that god and his parents gave him. The power of the words of the poet Zelda who penned the phrase 'Hand and Name' is able through its simplicity to show the pain of this great tragedy that words simply cannot describe," said the Chief of IDF Staff during his speech.

"Here in Yad Vashem in the Hall of Names, we see the sacred work done to immortalize those killed in the Holocaust, as people, people with an identity and a name."

"We are gathered here", continued Lieutenant General Ashkenazi, "The members of the general staff and I, in order to declare that this will never again occur. There will be no more numbers on an arm in place of a name; there will be no more smoke and ashes in place of a body and soul.

We in the IDF are obligated to learn about and to protect the heritage of those tragically killed.

I am proud of the work of over 10,000 officers, commanders, NCOs, soldiers in compulsory service and the reserves, parents who lost children in service and survivors, who took part in the "Witnesses in Uniform" delegation and who hold the power and tools to educate generations of warriors. They understand fully the nature of military service and the great responsibility they hold in their hands.

Almost every soldier of the IDF visited and was involved in the programs in museums such as Yad Vashem in order to remember and learn from the Holocaust."

"The primary focus on this Holocaust Memorial Day is the courage of those survivors, 'In order for the next generation to know', continued the Chief of IDF Staff.

"A number of days ago I had the honor to personally meet a holocaust survivor, Mrs. Leleka Miller, 83 years old, who lives in Tel Aviv. Her story helped me to grasp the horror she experienced during the Holocaust and her suffering in the Lodz Ghetto and in Auschwitz-Birchenau.

Through her personal story she told the story of all of us, the continuing struggle of a nation that is determined to survive.

Unfortunately, even now in our 59th year of Independence we are still required to continue fighting for our right to live in this country. We must remain strong against any challenges we may face and all of us must declare aloud "Never Again!"


About Project "A Flower for the Survivor"

Miriam held up a tired photograph full of smiling young faces. The three Israel Air Force men sitting around her leant in close to listen, "There were 54 girls in my school in Hungary, only 15 survived."

This week, soldiers across the Israel Defense Forces took part in a special project to visit Holocaust survivors across the country.

"Flower to the Survivor" was born three years ago in 2005 as an initiative of the IDF Education Corp and the Museum for the Ghetto Fighters. The project pledged to arrange for soldiers to visit and deliver a flower to 1,000 Holocaust survivors across the country, thus uniting Israeli society through compassion and history.

Now living in a suburban Tel Aviv retirement flat, at 79 years old, Miriam Shwarz is the only remaining member of her original family. As if talking to her own grandchildren she turned back the pages of history to May 1944 when the Nazis came for her entire family along with the other Jews of Hungary. "On the same day, my parents, grandparents, and everyone I knew were taken to Auschwitz."

The soldiers were moved by the visit and clearly connected to Miriam's warmth asking questions about her family, friends and her eventual arrival in Israel after being interned by the British in Cyprus for 18 months. They heard a tale of sadness punctuated with moments of hope.

Jaber, a Druze officer commented after the visit, "it's important to learn about the nation you live with. This is a courageous and strong people." He said he thought many Druze knew about the Shoah, but many did not. He stated, "I have a duty to relay what I've heard today."

Following the success of the project in its first year, the number of survivors visited more than doubled, reaching 2400 in 2006.

This year more than 4,500 survivors opened their doors, their hearts and painful memories to some 7,000 soldiers taking part in the project. In one high profile meeting in another Tel Aviv apartment block, Alexander and Aviva Bartel were paid a visit by Israel Air Force Commander, Major General Eliezer Shkedy and three of his most senior officers.

Alexander was born in 1927 in a town near Lodz in Poland. Alexander told the officers about the Lodz Ghetto, the bitter journey that took him to Birkenau in August 1944 and combination of sheer determination and chance that led him to survive when the Americans liberated Matthausen on May 5th 1944.

Days after his liberation, exhausted and confused, Alexander spotted a group of troops he was later informed were the Jewish Brigades; volunteers who joined British Army in Palestine. "I had only ever known the yellow star as being a symbol of embarrassment, a sign to be ashamed of." He paused, swallowing the lump swelling in his throat. "Now Jewish soldiers had chosen this very symbol to fight with against the Nazis." At 18 years old, he approached the Jewish brigades and asked to join them; three years later he fought in Israel's War of Independence.

Alexander's own Air Force wings sat on the dining room table in front of him, crowning a pile of documents. Upon arriving in Israel, he enlisted and joined the Air Force. He said the Air Force Commander's visit was an experience he appreciated "beyond words."

Before the visit in Tel Aviv came to a close, Major General Shkedy presented Alexander and Aviva with a large framed picture of an IDF jet flying over Aushwitz Birkenau. A handwritten inscription addressed to the couple in the top right corner read, "We're with you with all our hearts and our love. 'Israel over Auschwitz Birkenau' in the name of the State of Israel and the Jewish People. Never forget, and trust only ourselves," Eliezer Shkedy, Israel Air Force Commander.

Besides the effect of such visits on survivors, the soldiers who visited also had much to gain. "A nation must know their history" said Project Coordinator Captain Tamar Kobiler. "This is a project that gives both to the soldier and to the survivor?we've been inundated with positive feedback."

The IDF project works in conjunction with the Foundation for the Welfare of Holocaust Survivors in Israel. Each year different survivors are visited, with many requesting to be added to the list every year.

'Flower to the Survivor' is a touching and important stamp on Jewish life and history; a synthesis of brotherhood, education and compassion and a true expression of a nation investing in itself.

In Other Security News Over The Past 24 Hours:

(14:59 16/04/2007)
Damage was caused to an Israeli bus from rocks and paint bottles hurled at it by Palestinians as it was traveling near the Israeli community of Karme Zur.

(14:53 16/04/2007)
An Israeli vehicle was damaged from rocks hurled at it while traveling near the Israeli community of eastern Gush Etzion town Tekoa. No injuries were reported. This daily activity follows the incident Thursday when three Israeli cars were shot at by Arab snipers. None of the drivers were injured, but two of the cars were hit by bullets.

(14:51 16/04/2007)
A 15 cm long knife was uncovered in the possession of a Palestinian who arrived at the Beit Iba checkpoint, west of Nablus, a short time ago. The knife was uncovered by soldiers manning the checkpoint during a routine security check. The knife was confiscated and the man was transferred to the Israeli police.

(14:48 16/04/2007)
During the night Palestinians hurled an improvised grenade at an IDF force operating in Nablus. No injuries or damage were reported. IDF forces arrested four wanted Palestinians in Tulkarm. The wanted men were taken for questioning.


(17:52 15/04/2007)
IDF soldiers arrested 12 wanted terrorists on Saturday night. Eight were arrested in Hevron, and four were arrested in Ramallah.

(17:51 15/04/2007)
IDF soldiers were attacked twice with gunfire as they worked to arrest a Fatah terrorist in Ramallah. No soldiers were injured. Soldiers searching the area near the scene of the arrest found a small weapons cache.

(17:48 15/04/2007)
IDF soldiers operating near Jenin were attacked by Molotov Cocktail. No soldiers were injured, and no damage was caused in the attack.

(08:54 15/04/2007)
A Christian bookstore and two internet cafes were blown up in Gaza City at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning in Gaza by unidentified terrorists. According to a report by the Associated Press no one was injured and no terrorist organization has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. Palestinian Authority security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told repoerters that "an investigation has been launched." Internet cafes and music stores have been frequent targets of terrorist attacks in Gaza over the past year by the “Swords of Truth,” a small Islamist terror group.

(10:42 15/04/2007)
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh contradicted a remark made over the weekend by his deputy, Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmed, who said that Hamas was not demanding the release of Marwan Barghouti in exchange for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Haniyeh made clear that Barghouti, the former Fatah leader in the Judea and Samariah convicted on multiple murder counts in an Israeli civil court, is on the list of prisoners Hamas wants to see released as part of a prisoner swap deal with Israel.