Former Israeli Shin Bet Chief Ami Ayalon told the London-based newspaper the Sunday Times, in a recent interview, that he has killed many Arabs “probably more than Hamas fighters killed Jews in order to secure Israeli lives”.He added that 70 percent of Palestinians who voted for Hamas in the Palestinian Legislative elections were not “Hamas believers” but residents who voted against corruption in the Palestinian Authority.
Israeli online daily Ynetnews, said that Ayalon, who is running on the Labor party ticket in the upcoming general elections in Israel, stated that he aims to reach a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians even under a Hamas-led government.
"I will be willing to negotiate with Hamas”, he told the Sunday Times, “If they accept a two state solution, i will be willing to talk to them”.
He added that he believes that the State of Israel should establish what he described as an “axis of pragmatism” with neighboring and regional countries, such as Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, and Turkey.
This “axis”, Ayalon said, should be supported by the European Union and the international community.
He believes that this axis is the way to “break Hamas and encourage the pragmatist forces among the Palestinians”.
Referring to the Palestinian President, Ayalon said that Mahmoud Abbas is a weak leader who issues words but bot actions.
"Abbas is unable to disarm Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad”, he said.
Talking about the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Ayalon said that Israel cannot be safe as long as the Palestinians do not have hope for independence and a better future.
Meanwhile, Meretz lawmaker Zahava Gal-On, slammed on Sunday the statements of Ayalon regarding the number of Arabs he had killed during his military career in the name of protecting Israel’s citizens.
