Q&A Ehud Barak Online Today Haaretz Online with Sam Cohen:
Would you agree that the election system in Israel makes it difficult to make policy and carry it out?
Shmuel CohenTel Aviv, Israel
 
Ehud Barak:
I fully agree. And we see it in the fact that for almost 15 years now every government served between six months to three years, and the moment that a leader begins to take a course which is highly important for the whole nation in the long run, he begins to count down his days in office as a result of the capacity of temporary coalition interest groups to topple him. I would prefer a presidential system, like the American or French, where the long-term objectives of the whole public are aligned with those of the elected leader by making him stay there for four years, even if the steps that are taken in order to correct main issues are causing certain pain along the way as always in life. In any such plan, an element of regional representation should be put in the picture.




What reasons do you see for the U.S. failure to stabilize Iraq after a quick military victory? Is it possible that any meaningful initiative for the Middle East peace process will be delayed for years simply beacuse the U.S. is overwhelmed with its tasks in Iraq?
Ieva, Luxembourg

Ehud Barak:
There was a certain misreading of the realities of the rebuilding of Iraq, partially stemming from the very brilliant military triumph that preceded it. Many mistakes, admittedly, were made - from dismantling the army to the dismantling of the Baath party, to the inability to hire back the civil servants from all sectors who worked under Saddam Hussein, in order to work for the new authority. It might take quite a long time before the Americans can leave, and some damage will remain when they do.Moreover, it's clear that any immediate efforts to forge a breakthrough in the Israeli-Palestinian arena have been complicated by the Allies' failure to rebuild Iraq. But I should restate my position, or my belief, that in the longer-term, it might end up being an important turning point in the relationship between Arab regimes and their societies and viz a viz the rest of the world. I strongly believe that the decisions made by Bush, Tony Blair, Asnar, Berlusconi and Howard, sometimes against public opinion in their own backyards, were courageous steps that will ultimately be judged kindly by history, within the context of the international struggle against terror, rogue regimes and the proliferation of nuclear technologies.




On the assumption that Israel will withdraw from Gaza, how would you propose to deal with the possibility of more Qassam rockets being fired on residents of Ashkelon, Zikim, Sderot etc.?
Lior CarmelTel Aviv, Israel

Ehud Barak:
The IDF and security services will have to be very creative in attempts to reduce Qassam rockets firing from Gaza after a withdrawal, and entering back when the need arises should not be excluded. But the real challenge there lies for the political echelon to be able to shape a much more coherent and consistent disengagement plan that will include the areas beyond the fence in Judea and Samaria, and will create the international legitimacy for the lines that we adopt, so that the illegtimiacy of attacking over these lines will be added to the efforts of the IDF and the intelligence community in securing Israel.