Gantz slams ‘unrestrained attacks’ on IDF chief over opposition to potential occupation of Gaza

Blue and White-National Unity chairman Benny Gantz condemns cabinet ministers’ “unrestrained attacks” against IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir over his reported opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push to occupy Gaza.

“In the state of Israel, the chief of staff is subordinate to the political echelon, as it has always been and will be, but he is not a puppet on a string or a rubber stamp,” Gantz tweets. “Instead of threatening and whining, perhaps it’s worth internalizing: The problem lies with the political echelon, not the military one.”

This morning, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir declared that the military chief must obey the political echelon’s orders even if he disagrees with them, amid reported tensions within the security cabinet over whether to escalate military operations in Gaza or allow more time for a hostage deal.

“The chief of staff is required to state clearly that he will fully comply with the directives of the political echelon, even if a decision is made for conquest and decisive action,” wrote Ben Gvir, who is pushing for the full occupation of Gaza, in a Hebrew-language post on X.

Zamir was defended by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who posted that he was “required to express his professional opinion clearly and unequivocally to the political echelon.”

During a visit to an IDF post in the Gaza buffer zone, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that “once the political leadership makes the necessary decisions, the military echelon, as it has done in all fronts of war so far, will professionally implement the determined policy.”

“My role as the defense minister in charge of the IDF is to ensure that this will be the case, and that is what I will do,” he said.

Zamir is expected to present updated military options during a limited security meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later today.