Sharon’s Battle with Media Reservists Erupts Again

Defense Minister Ariel Sharon’s running battle with the media and with groups of army reservists erupted anew today. The issues involved, though unrelated, have brought demands that he apologize to soldiers who say they were maligned by Sharon or his spokesmen.

The Defense Minister, accompanied by Chief of Staff Gen. Rafael Eiton, met with editors of leading newspapers yesterday to “set the record straight” about a crack reserve paratroop brigade which Sharon claimed was not called to action in Lebanon last summer because of low morale. The brigade was, in fact, called up twice for combat duties, as Eitan himself confirmed. Sharon acknowledged yesterday that it had performed with “courage and efficiency.”

But he insisted that misgivings as to its fighting capabilities were justified at the time because of “unbridled” media criticism of the war in Lebanon that may have affected morale. Press reaction to Sharon’s attempted reconciliation was summed up in a Maariv headline today which said “Hard Feelings Continue.”

The other issue stemmed from the announcement by Army Advocate General Dov Shefi last week that eight soldiers, including officers, will go on trial before a regional military court on charges of mistreating the Arab population on the West Bank and that two other officers would be relieved of their duties in the Hebron area.

The charges that the soldiers used violence against local Arabs were made by reserve officers who are members of the Peace Now movement at a press conference in Jerusalem last May.

A Defense Ministry spokesman accused Peace Now of political motives. But the charges were investigated nevertheless in what the army insists was routine procedure. The Peace Now reservists claim the court martial vindicates them and are demanding an apology from Sharon. The paratroopers are demanding the same.