A group of reserve officers opposed to Premier Menachem Begin’s territorial policies said today that they have gathered some 10,000 signatures on a petition supporting their demands that the government adopt a policy that puts peace ahead of the “greater Israel notion.”
The officers of the army, navy and air force, many of whom won decorations in battle, said at a press conference here that they hoped to create a popular movement which will force the government to change its course which, they believe, is leading away from peace.
According to spokesmen for the group, pledges of support have been received from members of the Democratic Movement for Change (DMC), the second largest party in Begin’s governing coalition and even from within Likud’s Liberal Party wing. They said their petition includes the signatures of 950 reserve officers and that similar petitions are being circulated by artists and academicians.
The reservists expressed their views to Begin in a letter earlier this month urging him to be more forthcoming in efforts to achieve peace. They received a curt reply from the Premier advising them to leave the peacemaking process to the “government which was legally elected.” The March II terrorist assault and Israel’s subsequent operation in south Lebanon put a temporary halt to the group’s activities but it is now being revived, they said. They said Begin had promised to meet with them but so far he has not received any representatives of the group.
WANT TO PREVENT FUTURE MISTAKES
“If Begin cannot change his list of priorities let him resign,” said Omri Padan, a reserve officer and economics student. Another officer, Amir Bar Or, said, “We believe it is possible for a group of citizens to influence the government’s policy.”
He noted that protest movements formed by soldiers after the Yom Kippur War played a part in forcing the resignations of Premier Golda Meir and then Defense Minister Moshe Dayan. “There is, however, one difference,” Padan observed. “The protest movement then protested against mistakes of the past. We act in order to prevent mistakes in the future.” Yuval Neria, a war here, declared: “It is the moment of truth for every citizen in Israel. The government’s present policy is leading us toward a dark future.” They plan to hold a mass rally Saturday night under the slogan “Peace is better than greater Israel.”
The officers believe their movement will have greater impact than others of a similar nature because, as combat veterans, their concern for security and loyalty to the State cannot be questioned. They said that despite their opposition to the present government’s policies they would not hesitate to go into battle again if called.
Meanwhile, some 150 students of Bar Ilan and Tel Aviv Universities demonstrated yesterday near the American Embassy in Tel Aviv to protest against U.S. pressure on Israel and to express support of Begin’s policies. A delegation representing the demonstrators was permitted to enter the Embassy where it delivered a letter of protest to U.S. Ambassador Samuel Lewis.
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