Voices of Dissent on Rescue Raid Provoke Political Battle in Israel

Within days of the tragic conclusion to a commando raid aimed at freeing an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas militants, political debate was raging over Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s decision to order the action.

Members of the opposition had harsh words for Rabin’s decision to order last Friday’s rescue attempt of Nachshon Waxman, which resulted in the deaths of Waxman, a member of the Israeli commando unit, Nir Poraz, and the three Hamas captors.

Some of the critics charged that additional negotiations with Hamas should have been attempted.

Initial negotiations conducted last week via intermediaries led to word that the kidnappers were willing to postpone their Friday night deadline to swap Waxman for jailed Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and other prisoners.

But Rabin, saying he did not have proof that any proposals from Hamas political leaders in the Gaza Strip were serious, ordered the fateful raid on the West Bank safe house where Waxman was being held.

Likud opposition party member David Levy told Israel Television that Prime Minister Rabin “should not have decided on a military operation on his own. It is undemocratic not only not to consult his own government, but in such times of national crisis, the opposition should have been kept fully in the picture as well.”

Criticism also came from members of Rabin’s governing coalition.

Meretz Knesset member Dedi Zucker said, “Levy had the courage to be the first one to get up and say that the option of negotiating (with Hamas) should have been looked into more.”

Meanwhile, the deputy chief of staff of the Israel Defense Force, Maj. Gen. Amnon Shahak, briefed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on the failed operation.

Shahak said that despite the fact that military planners knew their were risks involved in the raid, they nonethcless believed there was a chance to save Waxman.