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Disaster looms for Israel

Disaster looms for Israel, say ex-security chiefs
JUSTIN HUGGLER
Independent, 15 November 2003

Four former chiefs of Israel's Shin Bet security service launched an extraordinary attack on Ariel Sharon yesterday, saying his policies were catastrophic and endangered Israel's future as a Jewish state.

The four men gave a joint interview to the mass circulation daily Yedioth Ahronoth, in which they called for Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories and evacuate Jewish settlements there.

Ami Ayalon, the Shin Bet director from 1996 to 2000, said: "We are taking very sure and measured steps to a point where the state of Israel will not be a democracy or a home for the Jewish people."

Yaakov Peri, the director of Shin Bet from 1988 to 1995, supported him, saying: "From whatever aspect you look at it we are going in the direction of decline, nearly a catastrophe. If something doesn't happen here, we will continue to live by the sword, we will continue to wallow in the mud and we will continue to destroy ourselves."

The attack by the four Shin Bet men follows a similar outburst from the current chief of staff of the Israeli army, General Moshe Ya'alon, who said the current policy of strict closures on Palestinian cities was increasing Palestinian resentment of Israel.

The criticism from the Shin Bet directors