Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday held a press briefing from the Kirya in Tel Aviv, during which he expressed harsh and unprecedented criticism against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Gallant’s main message was that Israel should not plan to have civilian and military control over the Gaza Strip after the war and demanded that Netanyahu announce that Israel will not control the Gaza Strip and hold a discussion on an alternative to Hamas.
Gallant said that without an alternative governing power, “there are only two poor options: Hamas’ rule in Gaza or Israeli military rule in Gaza.”
“I won’t agree to the establishment of Israeli military rule in Gaza. Israel must not establish civilian rule in Gaza.”
Gallant then claimed that the ones that should rule Gaza are “Palestinian elements” with the backing of Arab countries.
The responses slamming Gallant were fast and furious. MK Gideon Sa’ar said: “Israel has never excelled in determining for its neighbors who will rule over them. To be honest – it is quite clear that even if there was such a Palestinian element (spoiler: there is none, for now) – there is no chance it would accept governance as part of an Israeli move. In addition, the Palestinian Authority conditions its entry into Gaza as part of a broader process of establishing a Palestinian state in Shomron and Gaza – something that is a strategic danger to Israel.”
“There is no alternative to the elimination of Hamas as a governmental and military entity in Gaza. We are still a long way from there. Regarding this issue, we didn’t hear from the Defense Minister how we’re progressing toward achieving these goals. We also didn’t hear from him when the residents of the north will be returned to their homes. The role of the security establishment is to lead to the restoration of security in the south and north and not to seek excuses for not achieving the goals of the war.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said: “From Gallant’s point of view, there is no difference between whether Gaza will be controlled by IDF soldiers or by Hamas murderers. This is the essence of the concept of a defense minister who failed on October 7th and continues to fail even now. Such a defense minister must be replaced in order to achieve the goals of the war.”
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said: “A little modesty from the Defense Minister towards those who warned all these years about his and his friends’ mistaken world view. I can agree with him on one thing: as long as he is the Minister of Defense, military rule is definitely a bad option – that can be fixed.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
I imagine if Ariel Sharon had not uprooted the Israeli settlements of Gaza, we probably wouldn’t be fighting this war right now 🤔. And we probably wouldn’t have had 1200+ yidden slaughtered in the most barbaric ways on October 7 with 250 hostages taken and hundreds more killed in subsequent fighting.
Unprecedented?
Memories are short.
anyone not recall Ariel Sharon?
@UncleMo: but how many IDF soldiers and settlers would have given their lives in Gaza in those years?
Excoriates …fancy words now here.
You can’t rule a group of lawless savages unless you either implement Marshal Law or a basic Constitution of Rights …which Israel itself doesn’t even have. The Knesset & Bagatz (supreme court cabal) cooks it all up as they go along.
DavidtheKanoi,
I’m quite certain it would have been FAR less than the karbanos we’ve had since October 6. And look at the general cost? The country is not functioning properly. The south is evacuated. The north is evacuated.
Fire the black shirt moron now
It’s just comical how one Zionist Turn on the other.
Their all in a losing battle and wanna save face.
Send the boys home!
Stop this murderer Bibi of killing more and from “friendly fire” too. Wake up people !
Is it a “left” wing position that Israel should or should not occupy Gaza once the country has been conquered and Hamas destroyed? Israel needs to asset some sort of military involvement to precent Gaza from rearming, but beyond that it would be better to let some friendly (or at least, not too hostile) powers to do the occupying and rebuilding, with Israel retaining the right to inspect anyplace in Gaza. Does Israel really want the “bill” for rebuilding Gaza?
I think he forgets all this happened under his negligent watch. He’s responsible for 1400 Israelis getting killed plus hundreds more brave soldiers in war because he caved to Western countries’ demands that Israel doesnt rely on the IAF. He needs to be in prison, not in a leadership position.