On the moment of the IDF’s massive military activity in the northern Gaza Strip: In one of the discussions that took place over the weekend, the failed Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi hurled harsh words at Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
According to a report by Moriah Asraf Walberg in News 13, Halevi said: “We are now operating once again in Jabaliya. As long as there is no political move that will grow a non-Hamas governing body in the Gaza Strip – we will have to act again and again there and in other places to dismantle the Hamas infrastructure. It will be a major effort.”
According to the report, senior IDF officials urged the political echelon to make decisions and formulate a strategy.
Also, senior members of the cabinet warned Netanyahu in recent weeks and said that Israel’s behavior and the fact that the government does not make decisions regarding the “day after” in Gaza – “simply endangers human lives.”
Ariel Kahana, commentator of Israel Hayom, responded: “The Israeli government ordered the IDF to eliminate the rule of Hamas. This also happens to be the position of an absolute majority of the public. If the IDF under the command of Hertz Halevi is unable to carry out the mission, then another commander must be appointed to the army.
“The idea that the government will change its policy because the army does not see this policy – is absurd.
“Anyone with their eyes in their heads understands that as long as Hamas exists, no other party will agree to enter the Strip or even talk about it, for fear that its people will take a bullet in the head. It’s that simple”.
Hillel Biton Rosen, Channel 14’s military and defense reporter, wrote: “Seven months after the outbreak of the war, and once again they are returning to maneuver in a number of centers with a number of divisions, including in neighborhoods that the IDF used to be proud to have cleansed, now it becomes clear – ‘there are terrorist infrastructures that we didn’t know about.’ .
“Instead of briefing against a political echelon that it’s because they don’t agree that Fatah will rule the Strip, it’s better to look in the mirror and say – we failed here too.”