Eisenkot warns incoming coalition could lead to ‘break up of the army’

Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisnkot warns that the incoming government, with its far-right members, could lead to the breakup of the IDF.

“The behavior of the future coalition undermines the authority of the IDF command, harms the faith of the public, and could lead to the breakup of the army,” says Eisenkot, now an MK with the National Unity party, speaking at an Israel Democracy Institute conference.

Eisenkot speaks out against transferring control of certain units and the Civil Authority in the West Bank to other ministries, as demanded by Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir and Religious Zionism’s Bezalel Smotrich.

“The citizens of Israel are not aware of the complex reality in which we, the IDF and Shin Bet, operate to combat terrorism with a 98% success rate and save lives. If this balance is violated, it will create a very complex situation,” he says.

He also backs up the IDF commanders who earlier today sentenced a soldier who taunted an activist in the West Bank city of Hebron last week to 10 days in military prison.

The soldier on Friday confronted an activist and boasted about Ben Gvir, who is set to become Israel’s next national security minister — an expanded public security minister role.

Eisenkot slammed Ben Gvir for supporting the soldier’s actions.

Ben Gvir suggested Saturday that left-wing activists were to blame. “The activities of politicians weaken the IDF and the public’s faith in it,” he said.