Israeli general in Gaza criticizes political leaders

The general vowed that military commanders and soldiers would take responsibility for their actions. (AFP)
Short Url
  • 鈥淵ou must be worthy of us,鈥� Goldfus said of his country鈥檚 leaders

JERUSALEM: An Israeli general leading troops in Gaza has delivered rare public criticism of the country鈥檚 political leadership, demanding it 鈥渂e worthy鈥� of the soldiers fighting against Hamas in the Palestinian territory.
Brig. Gen. Dan Goldfus, head of the 98th division deployed in Gaza鈥檚 main southern city of Khan Yunis, also appeared to enter into a row over exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service.
He was subsequently summoned by the military leadership for his comments, which breached a long-standing taboo on uniformed officers publicly wading into politics.
鈥淵ou must be worthy of us,鈥� Goldfus said of his country鈥檚 leaders, in comments broadcast on Israeli television on Wednesday.
He called for Israeli politicians 鈥渢o push aside the extreme, and adopt togetherness鈥� in the Gaza war sparked by Hamas鈥檚 October 7 attack on southern Israel.
The general vowed that military commanders and soldiers would take responsibility for their actions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far stopped short of assuming personal responsibility for Israel鈥檚 intelligence failures on October 7 and said any official investigations must take place after the war.
鈥淲e will not run from responsibility. We bow our heads in light of our reverberating failure on October 7, but at the same time are leading forward,鈥� the general said.
Since Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza on October 27, 249 soldiers have been killed in the Palestinian territory, according to the military.
Addressing Israel鈥檚 political leaders, Goldfus called on them to ensure that 鈥渆veryone takes part鈥� in enlisting in the armed forces, in an apparent reference to ultra-Orthodox Israeli men being exempt from national service 鈥� a contentious political issue.
Most Jewish men are required by law to serve in the Israeli military, but members of the ultra-Orthodox minority 鈥� known in Hebrew as Haredim 鈥� have long been given sweeping exemptions.
Since the October 7 attack by Hamas, public frustration over the exemption has resurfaced, adding pressure on Netanyahu鈥檚 governing coalition, which relies on ultra-Orthodox allies staunchly opposed to drafting Haredi men.
Neither Netanyahu nor Defense Minister Yoav Gallant publicly responded to Goldfus鈥檚 remarks.
Some lawmakers voiced their approval while others expressed dissatisfaction with the general making political statements of any kind.
Yoav Segalovitz, a centrist opposition lawmaker, told Kan public radio on Thursday that 鈥渁 uniformed officer needs to talk only about what鈥檚 related to his decisions or take off the uniform.鈥�
Writing in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, columnist Nahum Barnea said that 鈥渨ith all respect to the heartfelt sentiments of the esteemed officer, fighting in Gaza doesn鈥檛 give him the right or the authority to express a position on political matters.鈥�
Hamas鈥檚 October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Israel鈥檚 subsequent retaliatory offensive in Gaza, aimed at destroying Hamas, has killed at least 31,341 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.