Gantz: Israel must change course; ‘change is needed here and now’

In his statement, Minister Benny Gantz calls for an urgent change in the direction of the war, which he says has been drifting off course because of the cowardice of some of Israel’s leaders.

“While Israeli soldiers are displaying incredible bravery on the front, some of the people who sent them to battle are acting with cowardice and a lack of responsibility,” he says, without specifying to whom he is referring.

“While in the dark tunnels of Gaza, the hostages are undergoing the agonies of hell, there are some who are involved in nonsense,” says Gantz, stressing the word “some.”

“While the Israeli public is outdoing itself,” he charges, “some of the politicians are thinking of themselves.”

“Within the holy of holies of Israeli security, personal and political considerations have begun to penetrate,” laments Gantz.

“A war is only won with a clear and realistic strategic compass,” he says, seemingly taking a shot at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unwillingness to lay out a plan for a post-Hamas Gaza Strip and the slow pace of military operations in recent months.

“A war is only won when all Israelis do their part, and take part in the war effort,” he adds, amid fights over a new law determining how many Haredi youths will be drafted each year.

Wars cannot be won amid infighting, Gantz argues.

He says he and his colleagues have done “everything we can in closed rooms” to highlight the dangers and demand the necessary changes.

“Change is needed here and now,” he says, pledging that his National Unity party “will do everything possible to change course, to prevent a crash into the rocks, and to ensure that Israel will sail safely toward real victory. ”

The statement comes days after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned the prime minister that he must set out a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip, in a speech where he said the gains of the war were being eroded by the lack of planning, with Israel’s long-term security at stake.