Dei'ah veDibur - Information & Insight
  

A Window into the Chareidi World

1 Elul 5764 - August 18, 2004 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
NEWS

OPINION
& COMMENT

OBSERVATIONS

HOME
& FAMILY

IN-DEPTH
FEATURES

VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR

TOPICS IN THE NEWS

HOMEPAGE

 

Produced and housed by
Shema Yisrael Torah Network
Shema Yisrael Torah Network

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home and Family


Observations: Who are We Dealing With?
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

Colonel Eyal Eisenberg, who has commanded the Givati Brigade for ten months, was in the rear command headquarters, outside of the Gaza Strip, when the Armored Personnel Carrier exploded in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood in the middle of May this year. He hurried to the scene and directly commanded the complex and dangerous search for the soldiers' remains, so that they could be brought to burial in Israel.

Eisenberg spoke to Ma'ariv reporter Amir Buhbut.

During the search, you met Palestinian civilians who knew what you were looking for. Were they all hostile or did you encounter any glimmers of understanding?

"I do not expect understanding from them. Let's put things on the table. I have no expectations from the Palestinians. Their scale of values and mine are different."

Did a Palestinian ever approach you and show you where there were remains of a soldier?

"No, definitely not. It was a combat situation, under fire. Soldiers were injured but in the end, we brought our soldiers home. I haven't told this to anyone but in the midst of this operation, we assisted a baby being born and evacuated an elderly woman who was injured, and summoned a local ambulance for her. Terrorists ran and fired from behind the ambulance. Therefore, I do not want to make any comparison between our scale of values and theirs.

"If my soldiers can assist a Palestinian woman giving birth when six of their comrades have been blown to bits in the street and, at the same time, they fire at us from behind an ambulance, you must understand that we are at opposite ends of the scales of values. They are at the very bottom."

Do all the weapons and explosives come through the tunnels?

"I can't tell you with certainty what comes from where but I think that a good portion does come through the tunnels."

Eyal, what should I wish you?

"Don't wish me anything. Wish that the Givati Brigade continue as it is, doing a good job. Wish the Israeli people a little satisfaction. I wish that the Israeli people had the unity and patience that my brigade has."

 

All material on this site is copyrighted and its use is restricted.
Click here for conditions of use.