By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff
Jun 28, 2005
Israel's Knesset State Control Committee Tuesday launched an investigation into Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's motivation for reneging on his election campaign promises by formulating a plan to surrender northern Samaria and the Gaza Strip.
The probe follows last week's publication of the new book Boomerang, in which prominent left-wing journalists accuse Sharon of hatching his ?disengagement? plan in order to divert attention from and avoid indictment over mounting corruption charges.
In the run up to the 2004 national election, Sharon repeatedly attacked the platform of unilateral withdrawal championed by his opponent, then Labor Party leader Amram Mitzna.
At the time, Sharon vowed he would never uproot Jewish settlers from any part of the Land of Israel, and declared even the most isolated Gaza settlement was as important to Israel's future as Tel Aviv.
But shortly following his landslide electoral victory, Sharon was beset by a financial scandal revolving around possible assistance he, as a former government minister, had provided a wealthy friend in obtaining a small Greek island.
Sharon refused a request to appear before the committee Tuesday to explain his decision to betray voter confidence and implement his former rival's policies.
The prime minister has told Israelis that his political about-face will result in increased security for the entire nation, but that assertion has been challenged by a numerous senior security officials.
Former-IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon told the committee that Sharon decided on the retreat and concluded it was in Israel's best interests before ever consulting with him or other defense officials.
Ya'alon said Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz only formally discussed the withdrawal plan with him two weeks after it first appeared in the media.
He was invited to mull the pullout's security implications with Sharon only after the matter had been finalized with Washington.
?I was brought into discussions after the decision was made and not before it,? Ya'alon said. ?The analysis of the chances and risks took place only after the decision was made.?
?I didn't think it was right to make decisions that way,? the former top general added.
The authors of Boomerang, Raviv Drucker and Ofer Shelah, were also scheduled to appear before the committee.