IDF gets A+ for behavior during disengagement, politicians get F.
By SHEERA CLAIRE FRENKELidf logo 88(photo credit: )
While Israeli security forces, especially the IDF, were given an A+ for behavior during the disengagement, politicians pulled in a failing F grade in a poll conducted among 500 Israelis by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI).
Nearly 75 percent of Israelis said the IDF had acted in a positive and democratic manner, with the Israeli police scoring almost as highly as the IDF. Politicians, however, were given the failing grade by more than half of Israelis polled. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.5%.
"The completion of the disengagement process can be considered a victory for democracy in Israel," said Prof. Arye Carmon, a senior fellow at the IDI. "The IDF played a very important role, and anyone who is a 'champion of democracy' must praise the Judea and Samaria Settler Council's behavior in the amount of restraint they exhibited."
"Democracy was put to a test," added IDI fellow and former government minister Dan Meridor, "Were borders to be decided democratically by a majority vote, or by religious beliefs? Overall, the disengagement was certainly a great victory for democracy.
"Now is the time for the Palestinians to prove that they can take advantage of their sovereignty. They have been given an unprecedented historic opportunity."
