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Wednesday, March 13, 2024
In rare critique, IDF general says military won’t ‘run from responsibility,’ says politicians must ‘be worthy of us’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
In rare and harsh remarks directed at Israel’s political leaders, the commander of the 98th Division says the military will “not run away from responsibility,” and tells them that they must push away extremism so as to “not return to October 6.”
“I ask at this opportunity to address our leaders, from both sides, and I hope that they will have the time to listen to the heart of a soldier,” says Brig. Gen. Dan Goldfus during a press conference on the Gaza border.
Goldfus says he has been fighting since the morning of Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, “and I have not stopped fighting since. Since then I have not stopped sending soldiers, and gone with them, into the fire. We are fighting, we are not getting tired, we are determined to win, determined to bring home the hostages, directly or indirectly.”
“Don’t worry, we, the people of the military, the commanders and troops, have taken, are taking, and will take responsibility for every action. We will not run, just as we don’t run from the fire. We will not run from responsibility,” he says.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has notably avoided taking responsibility for the October 7 onslaught, unlike the defense minister and many top IDF officers.
“We bow our heads over our resonant failure on October 7, but at the same time we push forward, carry out operations at the highest level of quality, protect our values, and attain many achievements on the battlefield,” Goldfus says.
“But you, you need need to be worthy of us. You need to be worthy of the soldiers who lost their lives. You need to be worthy of the reservists who don’t care what [political] side they are on, and fought and fight alongside each other,” he continues.
“Make sure that everyone takes part, you must,” he says, apparently referring to the exemption of ultra-Orthodox Israelis from service. “You must make sure we do not return to October 6, that all the effort and sacrifice won’t be in vain. This you must keep well in your minds, every day, every hour.”
“From my heart, I ask of you to be together, united, push away the extremism, and adopt the togetherness. Find what unites. We on the battlefield found it, and we will not give up on it,” he says.
“Make it worth [it],” Goldfus adds in English.
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