In departing remarks, Ya’alon implores IDF to ‘remain human’

Under a hot Tel Aviv sun, outgoing Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon inspected the troops and bade a personal farewell to the Israel Defense Forces’ senior officers and to members of the Defense Ministry at a ceremony in the army’s Kirya headquarters on Sunday.

Minutes beforehand, in a conference room high above the courtyard — amid the throngs of journalists and their cameras — Ya’alon praised the IDF top brass for showing “levelheadedness” in its use of force, and urged the defense establishment not to lose sight of “remaining human.”

“Sitting here is a levelheaded and responsible group of people led by the chief of staff, which wields force in a considerate way,” he said.

“Remember, an army needs to win, but we must remain human, even after the battle,” he told the generals.

In addition to his quiet conversation with the full General Staff, Ya’alon held an even more private meeting ahead of time with its chief, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot.

The pictures from their conversation show the outgoing minister smiling and chatting with the general he appointed, whose tenure is set to expire in another year and a half, assuming he doesn’t receive an extension.

Once Ya’alon made his private goodbyes to the generals, who were dressed in their finest uniforms, he headed down to the courtyard beneath the base’s central building, which is divided in two, with the army on one side and the Defense Ministry on the other.

After a rendition of the national anthem, Hatikva, Ya’alon was led by Eisenkot to see representatives from the army’s various branches and units for the final time during his tenure as defense minister.

The troops thoroughly inspected, Ya’alon swung back around to the opposite side of the courtyard where the General Staff and Defense Ministry officials stood in line for a final handshake.

The first general to lock hands with the outgoing minister was Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, whose controversial remarks on Holocaust Remembrance Day have been credited with at least contributing to Ya’alon’s ousting.

As the two shook hands, the sound of every camera present exploding to life filled the courtyard, as the photographers made a desperate attempt to capture the moment.

Once Ya’alon finished going down the line, he paused momentarily for a final official photograph, before getting into the back of a waiting black SUV and driving away.

“It was a great experience working with these wonderful people,” he posted on Twitter in Hebrew later on Sunday, along with a picture. “The aides, the officers, the soldiers. Thank you, everyone.”

Ya’alon quit his post and the Knesset on Friday, amid an ongoing tussle with Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he had lost faith in the prime minister. Netanyahu was in talks to replace Ya’alon with Avigdor Liberman as part of a deal to bring the Yisrael Beytenu party into the ruling government.

If coalition talks go as planned, Yisrael Beytenu is slated to formally join the government by Tuesday, the day that Liberman will also officially start as defense minister.

Ya’alon submitted his resignation as a Knesset member on Saturday night. He will be replaced Monday by the next person on the Likud list, Temple Mount activist Yehudah Glick.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.