Rabin Says Intifada Ranks Only Third in Threat to Israel

Despite all the attention and headlines the intifada has generated, Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin still rates the Palestinian uprising third among the threats to Israel’s security.

The first and most serious threat is posed by the Arab armies, and the second is terrorism, the defense minister told volunteer workers for the Soldiers Welfare Association.

But according to Rabin, all three have the same goal — the elimination of Israel.

He said three Arab states — Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia — possess surface-to-surface missiles that can reach Tel Aviv from their own territory, with warheads containing between a half-ton and a ton of explosives.

He said the Arab states are investing $30 billion to $60 billion a year to maintain and equip their armies, and, in addition, have weapons such as poison gas, which they did not have at the time of the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

“We’d better have the answers to everything they’ve got, even if the defense budget keeps getting cut without regard to the tasks incumbent on the IDF,” Rabin said grimly.

He said the uprising is unlike confrontations between students and police in Paris or Seoul.

“The Palestinians are not fighting for human rights or more freedom as individuals. Their aims are the same as those of the Arab armies and the terrorist organizations,” he said.

“Whether you want Greater Israel or territorial compromise, we just can’t fold up and go away because the situation is unpleasant,” Rabin added.

He called for less criticism of the Israel Defense Force and more activity for soldiers’ welfare to help the troops deal with the tensions and demands of their active or reserve duties.

The Soldiers Welfare Association runs IDF canteens and recreation centers.