Netanyahu’s former defense minister Ya’alon: Israeli leadership dragging country down path of ethnic cleansing in Gaza

Former defense minister and ex-IDF chief of staff Moshe Ya’alon warns Israel is being dragged by its leadership on a path of ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip that will lead to its destruction.

“The path we are being dragged down is occupation, annexation and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip,” the prominent government critic tells Democrat TV.

“Transfer, call it what you want, and Jewish settlements,” he says.

“Now look at the polls. Seventy percent — sometimes more and sometimes a little less — of the public in the State of Israel advocates a path that is Jewish, democratic, liberal, etc., and also with separation,” he says.

“Therefore, there must be no confusion here. The one who wants to confuse us is the one who is currently leading us to nothing less than destruction,” he says, apparently referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Journalist Lucy Aharish responds that Ya’alon is using unexpected language with the phrase “ethnic cleansing.”

“Ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip, is that what you think? That we are on the way there?” she asks.

Ya’alon, a former Likud defense minister under Netanyahu from 2013-16, replies: “Why on the way? What is happening there? What is happening there? There is no Beit Lahia, there is no Beit Hanoun, they are currently operating in Jabalia and are essentially cleaning the area of ​​Arabs.”

Israel has denied all claims of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.