JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s outgoing army chief on Friday warned against plans by Benjamin Netanyahu’s new coalition to grant more control to pro-settler lawmakers and make other changes to the Israeli security establishment, joining a loud chorus of criticism against the most right-wing government in the country’s history.
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In several interviews with Israeli news outlets just days before he steps down, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi took unusually sharp aim at Netanyahu’s coalition agreements with hard-line Jewish settler activists who seek to entrench Israeli rule in the occupied West Bank, restructure the Defense Ministry and control a special paramilitary police unit.
“This is likely to cause damage and adversely affect our preparedness for war,” Kochavi told the Israeli news site Ynet.
While the coalition deals have sparked furor from many segments of Israeli society, Kochavi’s worries have deep significance. Among Jewish Israelis, the military is considered an emblem of stability and one of the country’s most trusted institutions.
Kochavi expressed particular concern about the coalition’s plans to create three separate sources of authority in the West Bank. Netanyahu gave his right-wing finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, control over an Israeli military body that regulates planning for Israeli settlements and Palestinian construction in parts of the West Bank where Israel maintains civilian control.
Smotrich is an advocate of the outright annexation of parts of the West Bank that the Palestinians want for their hoped-for independent state.
“There cannot be two commanding authorities (in the West Bank),” Kochavi said. “The separation between us is not good and may cause damage and lead to a worse situation for all populations.”
Israel captured the West Bank in 1967 along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem — territory the Palestinians seek for a future state. Israel has constructed dozens of Jewish settlements home to around 500,000 Israelis who live alongside around 2.5 million Palestinians. Most of the international community considers Israel’s West Bank settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace with the Palestinians.
Another move that Kochavi fears could undermine the army’s chain of command in the West Bank stems from Netanyahu’s agreement with Itamar Ben-Gvir, a right-wing lawmaker whose his views were so extreme that the army banned him from compulsory military service.
As national security minister, Ben-Gvir now oversees the paramilitary border police, which, until now, has worked under the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank.
“The work that the border police is doing in Judea and Samaria is excellent and I hope that the situation remains just as it is today. The chain of authority must be maintained,” Kochavi said, referring to the West Bank by its biblical name.
In other interviews, Kochavi said he called Netanyahu twice to warn him about the far-reaching consequences of the coalition’s moves for the cohesion of the defense establishment.
Netanyahu has sought to assure the public — as well as the U.S. and Israel’s European and Arab allies — that he has veto power over any changes that the far-right ministers make. But critics say he has so far failed to restrain his coalition partners.
After serving nearly four years as chief of staff, Kochavi is set to hand over the reins to Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi next week.
A soldier with a political opinion is not much of a soldier.
AP = Always Propaganda
This latest Zionist “government” in the Zionist “State” is not “far-right”. They presumably call it “far right” because they consider far-left to be normal. So, from far-left to slightly right of center is, perhaps, “far right”.
Why is it that every left wing military man thinks he’s a political genius. Oh right he’s looking to run to become a woke MK
Gen. Aviv Kochavi and all the leftist liberal looneys should remember one thing, they LOST the election. They should just shut up and crawl back under their rocks.
The so called left wing (and as one commenter called him: a “looney”) army chief fought for Israel for most of his life.. and saved the lives of many Jews
all commenters here (i presume) are are armchair fighters who’s biggest battles are conducted thousands of miles away form danger and done with keyboards (just like me. but i don’t belittle or call names to army fighters…)
a little appreciation and respect for those who have risked their lives to protect other Jews is in order
only the Zionists allow for the army to be involved in politics and forfeit to a weaker corrupt enemy territory instead of sending this made up so nation of Palestinians to Jordan from where they all came from with ZERO historic ties to the land.
who cares what he says now its a different government that’s more loyal to the torah