Former defense minister accuses Israel of committing 'war crimes'
Moshe Yaalon has leveled accusations against Benjamin Netanyahu, alleging attempts to “occupy, annex, and ethnically cleanse” Gaza. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon has leveled serious accusations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming he is orchestrating the "ethnic cleansing" of Gaza and asserting that Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel are committing "war crimes" in the territory.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza has persisted for over a year, resulting in nearly 45,000 fatalities and displacing a significant portion of the region's population. Recently, Israel has concentrated its military offensives in northern Gaza, having issued an evacuation order for large areas of the region just last weekend.
Yaalon asserted that this evacuation order serves as a cover for the ongoing "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians, stating, “I am compelled to warn about what is happening there and is being concealed from us. At the end of the day, war crimes are being committed,” based on information he received from IDF commanders in Gaza.
In a separate interview with Democrat TV, he remarked, “The path they’re dragging us down is to occupy, annex, and ethnically cleanse. What is going on there? There is no Beit Lahia, no Beit Hanoun, they are operating now in Jabalia and basically cleaning the area of Arabs,” referring to neighborhoods within the evacuation zone.
Yaalon, who served as the IDF’s chief of staff during the Second Intifada, was Netanyahu's defense minister from 2013 to 2016, overseeing the six-week war in Gaza in 2014. After leaving office, he has increasingly criticized Netanyahu.
Despite initially opposing Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Yaalon has criticized the “hardliners” in Netanyahu’s cabinet, accusing them of seeking to resettle the enclave. While Netanyahu has been vague about his plans for Gaza’s future, some cabinet members have made their intentions clear regarding the resettlement and depopulation of the territory.
During a recent visit to the Gaza border, Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf was photographed with a map outlining potential Israeli developments in Gaza, stating, “Jewish settlement here is the answer to the terrible massacre and the answer to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.”
This year, calls for a significant reduction in Gaza’s population through forced emigration have come from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Furthermore, a leaked document from Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence proposed the permanent occupation of Gaza and resettling its estimated 2.3 million residents in countries such as Egypt, Gulf states, and European nations.
Last month, the International Criminal Court issued warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
In response to Yaalon's claims, the IDF issued a statement on Monday, rejecting the accusations of ethnic cleansing and asserting that evacuation orders are temporary and made "in accordance with operational need." Netanyahu's Likud party, where Yaalon was previously a member, accused him of spreading “slanderous lies,” while Gallant called for Yaalon to "retract his words and apologize to the IDF soldiers."
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza has persisted for over a year, resulting in nearly 45,000 fatalities and displacing a significant portion of the region's population. Recently, Israel has concentrated its military offensives in northern Gaza, having issued an evacuation order for large areas of the region just last weekend.
Yaalon asserted that this evacuation order serves as a cover for the ongoing "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians, stating, “I am compelled to warn about what is happening there and is being concealed from us. At the end of the day, war crimes are being committed,” based on information he received from IDF commanders in Gaza.
In a separate interview with Democrat TV, he remarked, “The path they’re dragging us down is to occupy, annex, and ethnically cleanse. What is going on there? There is no Beit Lahia, no Beit Hanoun, they are operating now in Jabalia and basically cleaning the area of Arabs,” referring to neighborhoods within the evacuation zone.
Yaalon, who served as the IDF’s chief of staff during the Second Intifada, was Netanyahu's defense minister from 2013 to 2016, overseeing the six-week war in Gaza in 2014. After leaving office, he has increasingly criticized Netanyahu.
Despite initially opposing Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Yaalon has criticized the “hardliners” in Netanyahu’s cabinet, accusing them of seeking to resettle the enclave. While Netanyahu has been vague about his plans for Gaza’s future, some cabinet members have made their intentions clear regarding the resettlement and depopulation of the territory.
During a recent visit to the Gaza border, Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf was photographed with a map outlining potential Israeli developments in Gaza, stating, “Jewish settlement here is the answer to the terrible massacre and the answer to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.”
This year, calls for a significant reduction in Gaza’s population through forced emigration have come from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Furthermore, a leaked document from Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence proposed the permanent occupation of Gaza and resettling its estimated 2.3 million residents in countries such as Egypt, Gulf states, and European nations.
Last month, the International Criminal Court issued warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
In response to Yaalon's claims, the IDF issued a statement on Monday, rejecting the accusations of ethnic cleansing and asserting that evacuation orders are temporary and made "in accordance with operational need." Netanyahu's Likud party, where Yaalon was previously a member, accused him of spreading “slanderous lies,” while Gallant called for Yaalon to "retract his words and apologize to the IDF soldiers."
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
