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Israel’s Military Faces Delicate Balance in West Bank Israel’s Military Faces Delicate Balance in West Bank
(about 9 hours later)
JERUSALEM — For Israel’s military, maintaining control of the occupied West Bank has been fraught with contradictions in recent months, creating a tension that senior military officials say does not bode well for stability. JERUSALEM — For Israel’s military, maintaining control of the occupied West Bank has been fraught with contradictions in recent months, creating a tension that senior military officials say does not bode well for stability.
The Israeli government imposed economic sanctions on the Palestinian Authority to protest the Palestinian leadership’s decision to join the International Criminal Court, withholding tax revenues it collects on behalf of the authority for several months. Yet the military — with the government’s approval — has been trying to maintain Palestinian economic stability and revive the local economy.The Israeli government imposed economic sanctions on the Palestinian Authority to protest the Palestinian leadership’s decision to join the International Criminal Court, withholding tax revenues it collects on behalf of the authority for several months. Yet the military — with the government’s approval — has been trying to maintain Palestinian economic stability and revive the local economy.
The years of relative quiet on the security front have given leaders on both sides more freedom to make decisions without the pressure of violence. But American-brokered peace talks collapsed last year, and instead of agreements, the two sides are engaged in a tense political and diplomatic confrontation.The years of relative quiet on the security front have given leaders on both sides more freedom to make decisions without the pressure of violence. But American-brokered peace talks collapsed last year, and instead of agreements, the two sides are engaged in a tense political and diplomatic confrontation.
And while the Palestinian Authority leadership is threatening to scale back its security coordination with Israel — a system of intelligence-sharing and other cooperation that is unpopular with many Palestinians — it has helped maintain the calm, and both sides appear to have an abiding interest in preventing a new intifada, or outbreak of violence. And while the Palestinian Authority leadership is threatening to scale back its security coordination with Israel — a system of cooperation that is unpopular with many Palestinians — it has helped maintain the calm, and both sides appear to have an abiding interest in preventing a new outbreak of violence.
“The instructions we get from the government are to maintain security, civilian and economic stability as much as we can,” said Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, Israel’s top commander in the West Bank for the past three years, in a rare interview at the end of his tour as chief of the military’s Central Command. “The instructions we get from the government are to maintain security, civilian and economic stability as much as we can,” said Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, Israel’s top commander in the West Bank, in a rare interview at the end of his tour as chief of the military’s Central Command.
The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and his Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank, have a similarly clear interest in maintaining stability, according to General Alon. He was speaking at military headquarters in Tel Aviv shortly before he was to take up his new post as chief of the military’s operations branch, a senior position in the high command.The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and his Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank, have a similarly clear interest in maintaining stability, according to General Alon. He was speaking at military headquarters in Tel Aviv shortly before he was to take up his new post as chief of the military’s operations branch, a senior position in the high command.
“We see it from the instructions their security forces receive and from their activity to prevent terrorism and to prevent encroachment by Islamic Jihad or Hamas,” General Alon said, referring to Islamic militant groups that are the Palestinian Authority’s rivals.“We see it from the instructions their security forces receive and from their activity to prevent terrorism and to prevent encroachment by Islamic Jihad or Hamas,” General Alon said, referring to Islamic militant groups that are the Palestinian Authority’s rivals.
Israel announced late last month that it would release three months’ worth of tax revenue that had accrued to the Palestinian Authority, amounting to about $400 million. Israel had come under international pressure to release the funds, and Israel’s security establishment recommended it, fearing that the impoundment of the revenue was undermining stability in the area.Israel announced late last month that it would release three months’ worth of tax revenue that had accrued to the Palestinian Authority, amounting to about $400 million. Israel had come under international pressure to release the funds, and Israel’s security establishment recommended it, fearing that the impoundment of the revenue was undermining stability in the area.
But Mr. Abbas said on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority was refusing to accept the money because Israel had unilaterally deducted some of the funds to pay Palestinian utility debts. The Palestinian Authority, chronically short of cash, has been able to pay its tens of thousands of employees only partial salaries in recent months, and it remained unclear whether the regular monthly tax transfers would be resumed. But Mr. Abbas said on Sunday that the Palestinian Authority was refusing the money because Israel had deducted funds to pay Palestinian utility debts. The Palestinian Authority, chronically short of cash, has been able to pay its tens of thousands of employees only partial salaries in recent months, and it remained unclear whether the monthly tax transfers would be resumed.
In the meantime, General Alon said, Israel has taken some security risks to allow the freer movement of Palestinians in an effort to offset the growing economic hardship, but in a way that bypasses the Palestinian Authority.In the meantime, General Alon said, Israel has taken some security risks to allow the freer movement of Palestinians in an effort to offset the growing economic hardship, but in a way that bypasses the Palestinian Authority.
Israel has relaxed the rules in recent weeks for West Bank Palestinians who seek to enter Israel, allowing men over the age of 55 and women over 50 to cross the checkpoints just by presenting their identity cards. The minimum age for Palestinians applying for work permits in Israel has also been lowered to 22 from 24.Israel has relaxed the rules in recent weeks for West Bank Palestinians who seek to enter Israel, allowing men over the age of 55 and women over 50 to cross the checkpoints just by presenting their identity cards. The minimum age for Palestinians applying for work permits in Israel has also been lowered to 22 from 24.
Analysts on both sides agree that Palestinian stability is a joint interest, and that Israel finds itself in a paradox.Analysts on both sides agree that Palestinian stability is a joint interest, and that Israel finds itself in a paradox.
“On the one hand, there is the developing political confrontation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” said Michael Herzog, a former brigadier general in the Israeli military who has participated in most of the peace negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians. “On the other hand, Israel has no interest in the collapse of the Palestinian Authority.” “On the one hand, there is the developing political confrontation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” said Michael Herzog, a former Israeli brigadier general who has participated in most of the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. “On the other hand, Israel has no interest in the collapse of the Palestinian Authority.”
“For that reason,” he said, “the tax funds were released, even though the Palestinians did not retract from their approach to the International Criminal Court.”“For that reason,” he said, “the tax funds were released, even though the Palestinians did not retract from their approach to the International Criminal Court.”
The Palestinians became members of the court on Wednesday, as part of their strategy of seeking statehood through international forums, rather than in negotiations, and paving the way for possible war-crimes claims against Israelis and Palestinians alike. The Palestinians became members of the court on Wednesday, in their strategy of seeking statehood through international forums, rather than in negotiations, and paving the way for possible war-crimes claims against Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Zakaria al-Qaq, a Palestinian expert in national security at Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem, said that ordinary Palestinians, many of them heavily in debt, were now more concerned with making ends meet than with politics and diplomacy.Zakaria al-Qaq, a Palestinian expert in national security at Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem, said that ordinary Palestinians, many of them heavily in debt, were now more concerned with making ends meet than with politics and diplomacy.
“It is no longer an issue of national aspirations; it is becoming a matter of survival,” he said.“It is no longer an issue of national aspirations; it is becoming a matter of survival,” he said.
But Professor Qaq said he did not see a new intifada on the horizon after the last two uprisings, in the late 1980s and the early 2000s, failed to end the Israeli occupation and, in the Palestinians’ eyes, left them worse off.But Professor Qaq said he did not see a new intifada on the horizon after the last two uprisings, in the late 1980s and the early 2000s, failed to end the Israeli occupation and, in the Palestinians’ eyes, left them worse off.
“If and when they go for a third intifada, they will want to know where it is going, what is the destination,” he said.“If and when they go for a third intifada, they will want to know where it is going, what is the destination,” he said.
General Alon said the Palestinians were also deterred by the chaos they saw elsewhere in the Middle East, including in Syria and Yemen.General Alon said the Palestinians were also deterred by the chaos they saw elsewhere in the Middle East, including in Syria and Yemen.
Still, he said, the tensions and contradictions left room for growing unrest. The Israeli military has been preparing for various possibilities, including an increase in armed attacks, mass riots and what General Alon called a “white intifada,” meaning a continuation of the Palestinian political and legal campaign abroad coupled with steps meant to undermine Israel’s control in the West Bank. Still, he said, the tensions left room for growing unrest. The Israeli military has been preparing for various possibilities, including an increase in armed attacks, mass riots and what General Alon called a “white intifada,” meaning a continuation of the Palestinian political and legal campaign abroad coupled with steps meant to undermine Israel’s control in the West Bank.
In some of the refugee camps of the West Bank, there are the beginnings of a return to the anarchy of the second intifada, he said, with armed men reappearing in the alleyways. In some West Bank refugee camps, there are the beginnings of a return to the anarchy of the second intifada, he said, with armed men reappearing in the alleyways.
Israeli soldiers have killed two Palestinians this year during sporadic clashes in the West Bank. Another Palestinian was fatally shot after he threw a firebomb onto a main road, according to the military, and a fourth was killed while apparently fleeing Israeli police officers who were searching for car thieves.Israeli soldiers have killed two Palestinians this year during sporadic clashes in the West Bank. Another Palestinian was fatally shot after he threw a firebomb onto a main road, according to the military, and a fourth was killed while apparently fleeing Israeli police officers who were searching for car thieves.
The most tumultuous period in the West Bank in the past few years was set off by the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers by a squad affiliated with Hamas in the Hebron area in June. The event grew into a much broader Israeli-Palestinian confrontation involving an Israeli crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank. Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip, intensified rocket fire against southern Israel, leading to a 50-day war between Israel and militant groups in Gaza. The most tumultuous period in the West Bank in the past few years was set off by the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers by a squad affiliated with Hamas in the Hebron area in June. The event grew into a broader Israeli-Palestinian confrontation involving an Israeli crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank. Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip, intensified rocket fire against southern Israel, leading to a 50-day war between Israel and militant groups in Gaza.
General Alon said that maintaining security coordination was important for Israel, but that for the Palestinian Authority, in its struggle to suppress Hamas in the West Bank, “it is largely essential.” General Alon said that maintaining security coordination was important for Israel, but that for the Palestinian Authority, in its struggle to suppress Hamas, “it is largely essential.”
Moreover, he said, Mr. Abbas was well aware that new Palestinian attacks against Israelis would not help his international diplomatic and legal campaign.Moreover, he said, Mr. Abbas was well aware that new Palestinian attacks against Israelis would not help his international diplomatic and legal campaign.
“What is surprising — or not,” General Alon said, “is that at the same time there is a strategic confrontation, there are also mutual interests for stability on the ground.”“What is surprising — or not,” General Alon said, “is that at the same time there is a strategic confrontation, there are also mutual interests for stability on the ground.”