Gallant slams Ya’alon for saying Israel on path of ethnic cleansing in Gaza: ‘Lie that helps our enemy’

Yoav Gallant, who was  defense minister until a few weeks ago, attacks Moshe Ya’alon — who also served in that post as well as that of IDF chief of staff — for his comments that Israel’s leadership is taking the country down a path of ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.

“Ya’alon’s words are a lie that helps our enemy and hurts Israel,” Gallant writes on X.

“I saw the IDF fighters and commanders up close as I led the difficult war against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran,” he says.

“The IDF acted in accordance with the highest standards that can be applied in the complex and difficult war that was forced upon us,” Gallant writes. “The instructions and orders were always given in accordance with the law and in the spirit of the IDF.”

“I suggest that Ya’alon learn the facts, take it back, and apologize to IDF fighters,” Gallant writes.

Ya’alon, who, like Gallant, served under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said yesterday that “the path we are being dragged down is one of occupation, annexation and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip.”

Journalist Lucy Aharish asked Ya’alon to confirm he believes Israel was on a path to ethnic cleansing.

“There is no Beit Lahiya, there is no Beit Hanoun, they are currently operating in Jabalia and are essentially cleaning the area of ​​Arabs,” Ya’alon said.

In a Kan radio interview this morning, asked about his allegation of ethnic cleansing, Ya’alon said he “stands behind the expression” and added, “My issue is not with the soldiers of the IDF. On the contrary: I’m speaking on behalf of commanders who are active in northern Gaza and turned to me, because they are troubled, troubled by what is happening there. Their lives are being placed in danger; they are being faced with moral dilemmas… and ultimately, they will be vulnerable to legal complaints at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.”

In October, Israel ordered the remaining population of the northern third of Gaza, estimated at around 400,000 people, to evacuate to the south, and allegedly blocked humanitarian aid for weeks before allowing it back in, under pressure from the US and others.

The evacuation order came as the military launched a widescale operation in northern Gaza as it sought to destroy Hamas terrorists the military says have been regrouping around Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun.

Israel has repeatedly denied claims of ethnic cleansing, saying its intensive operations in northern Gaza were an operational response to Hamas’s efforts to regroup.

At the same time, far-right politicians have made no secret of their desire to see Gaza at least partly depopulated and Jewish settlements rebuilt, with Palestinians encouraged to “voluntarily migrate.”