Canada Bars Israeli General as Attache : Officer, Now Serving in U.S., Blamed in Refugee Camp Massacres

TEL AVIV —  Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said today he regrets Canada’s refusal to accredit an Israeli general, now serving in Washington, who was reprimanded for not preventing massacres at Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon in 1982.

“(The diplomat) was properly selected and that’s it,” Peres said. “I regret the decision of the Canadian government.” He refused to elaborate.

“We’re not very happy with the Canadian decision. We’re looking into the matter with the Canadian authorities,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ehud Gol said.

Gen. Amos Yaron had been nominated to serve as non-resident Israeli military attache in Ottawa, a position that requires approval by the host country. Yaron has been military attache at the Israeli Embassy in Washington since last August.

Canadian officials refused accreditation for Yaron, 47, during a meeting Wednesday with representatives at the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa.

The Canadian officials did not give reasons for their decision, but Rejeanne Dodd, a spokeswoman for Canada’s Foreign Office, said, “You can draw your own conclusions.”

Canadian officials said it was the first time in more than five years Canada has refused to accredit a proposed diplomat.

Yaron had applied for a work permit in Canada to serve as non-resident military attache in addition to his Washington post, Israeli officials said.

The massacres occurred Sept. 16-18, 1982, in Beirut while invading Israeli troops surrounded the Palestinian refugee camps. More than 700 men, women and children were killed by Lebanese militiamen allied with Israel.

An Israeli commission investigating the massacres blamed eight leading Israeli figures for letting the militiamen enter the camps and for failing to heed initial reports of a massacre.

Yaron was in command of the troops encircling the camps. The commission said that “by virtue of his failings and his actions . . . Brig. Gen. Yaron committed a breach of the duties incumbent upon him by virtue of his position.”

He was banned from holding a field command for three years.

The inquiry’s report led to the resignation of Israel’s armed forces chief, Gen. Ariel Sharon, and to reprimands to several high-ranking officers.