Gallant slams ‘attacks by extremist population’ on IDF: If you’ve got beef, come at me

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant expresses support for security chiefs after a far-right minister likened them to the mutinous Russian mercenary group Wagner for denouncing recent violence by extremist settlers as “terrorism.”

“I’ve been speaking with commanders and soldiers in recent days and am very worried from what I heard. There are attacks by an extremist population on commanders and soldiers. These attacks are also physical and this is dangerous and worrying,” Gantz says in a statement.

“I turn from here to those who are attacking the IDF chief of staff, Shin Bet head, Israel Police commissioner, IDF commanders in the field… and say to you elected officials — ministers and Knesset members: If you want to attack somebody, attack me, the defense minister,” he adds.

Gallant, who doesn’t name Religious Zionism minister Orit Strock after her remarks this morning, also vows that anyone who harms the IDF or commanders will be brought “to justice in the most severe manner.”

Meanwhile, the head of the Religious Zionism party defends Strock.

“Minister Strock clarified her remarks immediately, she apologized,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says at the outset of a Knesset faction meeting. “Everyone makes mistakes.”