State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg sharply criticizes a series of serious shortcomings of the Green Line separation zone plan. In his report, scheduled for publication tomorrow, Goldberg reveals that foul-ups are greatly easing suicide terrorists’ infiltration into Israel.
Goldberg concludes, “The report’s findings indicate that despite the serious security incidents and the security cabinet’s decision to implement the Green Line separation zone, no complete and unified plan was formulated or implemented; the necessary resources were not allocated to carry out the components of the plan, which are a condition of its implementation; and the plan’s main points have only been partly carried out by the time this report was completed.
“Under these circumstances, the actions undertaken to date will be inadequate to achieve the plan’s targets for effective supervision of Palestinians entering Israel from Judea and Samaria, and foiling the infiltration of terrorists across the separation zone.
“The separation zone plan includes many components, for which different authorities are responsible. Security sources believe the success of the plan in achieving its targets are conditional on an integrated implementation of all its components in a single package. Therefore, implementation of the plan requires the simultaneous handling of its different components.
“The integrated operations on the subject must be expressed both in the planning and operational stages. Progress of the plan’s various components should therefore be carried out through a detailed plan that deals with all the aspects and considerations of the matter.
“Owing to the general complexity of the plan and the involvement of many authorities in its implementation – the IDF, Israel Police, Prisons Authority, and ministries – there is a need to place the coordination and supervision function on a single body that has the authority to make mandatory decisions. This authority’s operations are necessary to for the plan’s components to carry out integrated operations, based on a systematic perspective that is essential to achieve the plan’s targets.
“The IDF security operations east of the Green Line, and of the Israel Police’s operations west of it, must be based on an agreed-upon prepared operational perspective from which applicable operational plans can be derived. Based on this perspective, it will possible to carry out effective specific operations throughout the sector, and reduce as far as possible limitations caused by dividing responsibilities and authority.
“So long as security responsibility and authority in the sector are divided between the IDF and Israel Police, it must be ensured the liaison unit due to be established at the Border Police command for separation zone begin operations immediately, and that it have the standing to enable it to enact substantial improvements in this matter.
“The immediate handling of the shortcomings raised by this report in areas relating to operational activities in the zone should improve the capacity to deal with the threat from Judea and Samaria on the State of Israel. The IDF and Israel Police must act to improve their operational liaison and complete the establishment of the protective components for the communities in the separation zone, especially those defined by the defense establishment as ‘most threatened settlements’.
“The infiltration of terrorists through checkpoints in the separation zone emphasizes the importance of tight supervision and control of vehicles and people, while simultaneously meeting basic Palestinian humanitarian and economic needs. These activities are needed immediately, regardless of progress of the plan to establish permanent checkpoints in the zone.
“Security operations in the ‘Jerusalem envelope plan’ zone is of great importance, particularly given the fact that a substantial number of terrorist attacks occurred in Jerusalem. This reality requires a significant improvement of the extant operational deployment: determining an operational plan; deploying designated personnel; and establishing an infrastructure of obstacles and checkpoints. This deployment requires coordination between IDF forces in Judea and Samaria and Israel Police forces in the municipal territory of Jerusalem.
“The complexity of the separation zone plan and the intention to implement it quickly and effectively requires the concentration of effort and resources, and close supervision and monitoring of the plan’s implementation. The supervision and monitoring should be an integral part of the plan at every level of control and be implemented at every stage.”
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on July 30, 2002