16th JINSA Officers Trip to Israel

This year’s trip took place during a period of tension between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which culminated in a suicide bombing in a Tel Aviv cafe. Nevertheless, the group had an opportunity to visit Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Central Command and Haifa, and to meet with much of the leadership of Israel.

This year’s trip took place during a period of tension between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which culminated in a suicide bombing in a Tel Aviv cafe. Nevertheless, the group had an opportunity to visit Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Central Command and Haifa, and to meet with much of the leadership of Israel.

The nine officers, representing all four services and a variety of specialties and interests, met with Prime Minister Netanyahu; Ehud Olmert, the Mayor of Jerusalem; the Commander of the Air Force; the Commander of the Central Command – responsible for implementing the Oslo Accord with the Palestinian Authority; Avigdor Kahalani, Minister for Internal Security; and Ariel Sharon, Minister of National Infrastructure, among others. While events prevented some of the scheduled meetings, in each place they visited, JINSA’s guests learned about the threats Israel faces, the resources it brings to meeting those threats, and their hosts’ thoughts about the future of Israeli security.

At Israel Aircraft Industries, the Arrow Project Manager described the threat of ballistic missile proliferation in the Middle East, and Arrow’s projected utility as a deterrent and a defense. The question of deterrence vs. strike capability was raised again by Maj. Gen. Eitan Ben Eliahu, the Air Force Commander. On the Golan Heights, Syria’s proximity and growing missile capability were discussed, and threats from the sea were stressed by Haifa Naval Base Commander Ya’akov Ges. The cumulative effect of several years of a declining Israeli defense budget was described–both by Israeli planners and by the United States Ambassador to Israel–and Finance Minister Dan Meridor explained his thoughts on “growing the Israeli economy” to meet both security requirements and the social and educational demands of the Israeli public. Changes in Israeli demographics and the IDF were added to the mix of security issues by BESA Center’s Professor Stuart Cohen.

The Oslo Accord, final status talks, terrorism, Jerusalem, and the Palestinian Authority’s desire and ability to live up to its responsibilities in the area of security underlay every meeting.

During their “down time,” the group visited Yad Vashem, the Old City of Jerusalem, the Golan Heights town of Katzrin and the Golan Heights Winery, the Latrun Armor Memorial, and had “Home Hospitality” with officers of Israel’s retired officers association, Tsevet. They also had a dinner with ten Congressional staff members brought to Israel by JINSA on a separate program, and with Israelis of a wide political and social spectrum invited by JINSA for the evening.