Articles: Former Israeli Official Seeks Peace

Ya'alon Calls Strategy of Force A 'Last Resort'

General Moshe Ya'alon, former chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Force, stressed the importance of continued patience and policy consistency in the Middle East during a speech Monday evening in McShain Lounge.

"We must stay the course," Ya'alon told the small audience.

The general cited democratic progress in Lebanon and Egypt as examples of diplomatic success in the region.

"We must navigate with a compass," he said, "not according to the wind."

Drafted into military service when he was 18 years old, Ya'alon served for 37 years in the Israeli armed forces, including service in the Nahal Brigade and the Paratroopers Brigade. He took over as chief of staff in 2002 and vacated the position last June.

In his speech, Ya'alon reflected on his career of service and offered lessons he said he had learned about ethical dilemmas facing soldiers in the Middle East today.

"I have learned that any use of force causes damage, and a price is paid," he said, adding that force should be used only as a last resort.

He referred to terrorist acts undertaken by Islamic radicals in the region as "deliberate efforts to spread death, destruction and fear throughout Israeli society."

Ya'alon said that combating terrorism in the region has been one of his most difficult assignments, largely because terrorists intentionally blur the lines between combatants and civilians. He said that this makes structuring a plan aimed at countering terrorism particularly difficult, as military officers must consider how Israeli soldiers, domestic society and the free world would perceive a forceful response.

Ya'alon nevertheless remained optimistic about Israeli anti-terrorism strategy, attesting that although force should never be the first line of defense, nations cannot be too passive when dealing with terrorists, or else they may "surrender to terror."

Following his speech, Ya'alon took questions from audience members, including one student who asked for his opinion on Hamas' recent victory in the Palestinian elections. The general responded that the election was a blow to countries like Israel and the United States, which hope to see democracy prevail in surrounding societies.

However, he added that the situation could be alleviated with greater education. Saying the Hamas corrupts Palestinians into follow a radical agenda, he said that other nations must work to "convince the people of what are the right values to follow to get democratization."

The speech was sponsored by the Georgetown Israel Alliance and the Center for Peace and Security Studies.