24 May 2004
I saw this deterioration, stage after stage: the blind eye that was turned to the abuse of detainees in violation of the army's orders; the blind eye that was turned to soldiers' gunfire on unarmed Palestinian civilians; the blind eye that was turned to the settlers' unlawful behaviour towards Palestinian civilians; the oppression of the population; the roadblocks; the curfew; the closure; the blind eye the army turned towards humiliation and abuse; the searches and arrests; the use of live fire against children and unarmed people...
This is your failure, the failure of the army commanders. If I had any faith in you, I would say to you - clean out the stables, take responsibility, resign. My faith in you is gone. You have failed. You and your predecessors have corrupted my army, our army. I do not want to be a part of such an army. You gave me the ranks, to you I return them.
-- IDF Lt-Col Eitan Ronel, Open Letter To The Chief Of Staff; on returning his officer's commission, 5 January 2004.
(Photo: Loay Abu Haykel for Reuters)
