26 feb 2017
Speaking in a conference ahead of the publication of a state comptroller report this week, which is expected to contain a myriad of reservations about the handling of the 2014 Gaza campaign, Gantz insists on operation's success; says he is 'prepared to go to the next round with the intelligence as it was in the last one.'
Former IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz rebuffed on Friday a series of expected findings about Operation Protective Edge, ahead of a publication by the state comptroller of a report into the 50-day military campaign.
“I don’t accept what is written there,” said Gantz—who presided over the 2014 operation—at a closed event, according to reporter Isaac Dabush from Yedioth Ahronoth.
Gantz insisted that contrary to apparent claims of failed intelligence, particularly pertaining to the tunnel threat from Gaza, the preparation was comprehensive and based on excellent information.
“It is impossible to implement a deployment and succeed in wars without intelligence,” he said. “In Protective Edge, the intelligence was great, accessible and always complete."
So confident was Gantz in the information on which he based the waging of the war, he added: “I am ready to go to the next round with the intelligence as it was in the last one.”
Gantz’s comments were made in a similar tone to Moshe Ya’alon, who served as defense minister at the time of the operation.
In a video uploaded to his Facebook page, Ya’alon said “There are those who leak, and there are those who fight.”
“In the coming weeks you will hear an awful lot about Protective Edge. Whoever was playing politics in the cabinet then during the war, will continue to do so this week,” Ya’alon wrote on his Facebook page.
“They will tell you they didn’t know, that nobody told them, that nobody reported to them. And the biggest lie of all? They will say that we were not prepared and that we lost. This is nonsense.”
However, the preemptive defense put up by Gantz and Ya’alon has already found itself absorbing shots from big guns in the military establishment, including from the likes of Yoav Galant, the former head of the IDF's Southern Command.
The report is expected to contain fierce criticism against how Gantz operated, along with a number of officials from the senior general staff, including the then head of intelligence Aviv Kohavi, who now serves in the northern command.
However, Gantz expressed his steadfast support for Kohavi, describing him as “the best intelligence chief in the IDF in the last 40 years.”
“He made big reforms that (IDF Military Intelligence General Herzi Halevi) is continuing, I imagine. All the criticism that has been heard in the report on this, I don’t accept.”
Gantz also discussion the cooperation between the IDF and neighboring armies. “The IDF is stronger than all the regular armies in the
region put together,” he continued, adding that “We have wonderful cooperation with Egypt” and that he supports reforms for shortening mandatory military service.
Transcripts from the cabinet meetings during the operation, which were obtained by Yedioth Ahronoth, show that the chief of staff cooperated with Netanyahu and Ya’alon’s concept of Hamas containment.
“Hamas doesn’t want to act,” Gantz was quoted as saying in one of the meetings. In a later session, Gantz said "I am against a ground operation. There have been big achievements up to this point. Hamas is beaten, the tunnels are a reasonable threat.”
The comments on the tunnels were made before they became the central strategic target of the war.
According to the minutes, Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett appeared to be the most vociferous proponent of a more aggressive campaign.
“I expect you all to come to the cabinet with an operational plan with an offensive spirit. It is not me that is supposed to bring a plan here for the destruction of the tunnels,” he said during one meeting. “Be galloping horses and not lazy bulls.”
Along with Ya’alon and Gantz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to find himself the subject of censure, particularly over his handling of the security cabinet during the operation.
Former IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz rebuffed on Friday a series of expected findings about Operation Protective Edge, ahead of a publication by the state comptroller of a report into the 50-day military campaign.
“I don’t accept what is written there,” said Gantz—who presided over the 2014 operation—at a closed event, according to reporter Isaac Dabush from Yedioth Ahronoth.
Gantz insisted that contrary to apparent claims of failed intelligence, particularly pertaining to the tunnel threat from Gaza, the preparation was comprehensive and based on excellent information.
“It is impossible to implement a deployment and succeed in wars without intelligence,” he said. “In Protective Edge, the intelligence was great, accessible and always complete."
So confident was Gantz in the information on which he based the waging of the war, he added: “I am ready to go to the next round with the intelligence as it was in the last one.”
Gantz’s comments were made in a similar tone to Moshe Ya’alon, who served as defense minister at the time of the operation.
In a video uploaded to his Facebook page, Ya’alon said “There are those who leak, and there are those who fight.”
“In the coming weeks you will hear an awful lot about Protective Edge. Whoever was playing politics in the cabinet then during the war, will continue to do so this week,” Ya’alon wrote on his Facebook page.
“They will tell you they didn’t know, that nobody told them, that nobody reported to them. And the biggest lie of all? They will say that we were not prepared and that we lost. This is nonsense.”
However, the preemptive defense put up by Gantz and Ya’alon has already found itself absorbing shots from big guns in the military establishment, including from the likes of Yoav Galant, the former head of the IDF's Southern Command.
The report is expected to contain fierce criticism against how Gantz operated, along with a number of officials from the senior general staff, including the then head of intelligence Aviv Kohavi, who now serves in the northern command.
However, Gantz expressed his steadfast support for Kohavi, describing him as “the best intelligence chief in the IDF in the last 40 years.”
“He made big reforms that (IDF Military Intelligence General Herzi Halevi) is continuing, I imagine. All the criticism that has been heard in the report on this, I don’t accept.”
Gantz also discussion the cooperation between the IDF and neighboring armies. “The IDF is stronger than all the regular armies in the
region put together,” he continued, adding that “We have wonderful cooperation with Egypt” and that he supports reforms for shortening mandatory military service.
Transcripts from the cabinet meetings during the operation, which were obtained by Yedioth Ahronoth, show that the chief of staff cooperated with Netanyahu and Ya’alon’s concept of Hamas containment.
“Hamas doesn’t want to act,” Gantz was quoted as saying in one of the meetings. In a later session, Gantz said "I am against a ground operation. There have been big achievements up to this point. Hamas is beaten, the tunnels are a reasonable threat.”
The comments on the tunnels were made before they became the central strategic target of the war.
According to the minutes, Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett appeared to be the most vociferous proponent of a more aggressive campaign.
“I expect you all to come to the cabinet with an operational plan with an offensive spirit. It is not me that is supposed to bring a plan here for the destruction of the tunnels,” he said during one meeting. “Be galloping horses and not lazy bulls.”
Along with Ya’alon and Gantz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to find himself the subject of censure, particularly over his handling of the security cabinet during the operation.
Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested deploying international forces in the Gaza Strip as a security solution to deal with the Gaza Strip
According to Israel’s Channel 2, Netanyahu made his remarks during his meeting on Sunday morning in Sydney with Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop.
The two sides discussed several regional issues and Israel’s concerns over taking legal action against its officials at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
Netanyahu told the Australian minister that he did not oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state with the presence of Israeli security control over the entire West Bank and limited Palestinian sovereignty.
He also expressed his rejection of any presence of peacekeeping forces in the West Bank because of Israel’s bad experience with such forces, and called for dispatching them to Gaza.
He urged the minister to make efforts to prevent the ICC from putting pressure on Israel and dissuade it from seeking to try Israeli officials accused of committing war crimes against Palestinians.
He said that Australia could influence other countries to act against the ICC and force it to reduce its investigations and fact-finding missions on claims related to war crimes.
The two officials also talked about Iran, its nuclear program and its intervention in regional problems and agreed on promoting relations and cooperation between the two sides in the areas of security, intelligence, economy and technology.
According to Israel’s Channel 2, Netanyahu made his remarks during his meeting on Sunday morning in Sydney with Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop.
The two sides discussed several regional issues and Israel’s concerns over taking legal action against its officials at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
Netanyahu told the Australian minister that he did not oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state with the presence of Israeli security control over the entire West Bank and limited Palestinian sovereignty.
He also expressed his rejection of any presence of peacekeeping forces in the West Bank because of Israel’s bad experience with such forces, and called for dispatching them to Gaza.
He urged the minister to make efforts to prevent the ICC from putting pressure on Israel and dissuade it from seeking to try Israeli officials accused of committing war crimes against Palestinians.
He said that Australia could influence other countries to act against the ICC and force it to reduce its investigations and fact-finding missions on claims related to war crimes.
The two officials also talked about Iran, its nuclear program and its intervention in regional problems and agreed on promoting relations and cooperation between the two sides in the areas of security, intelligence, economy and technology.
14 feb 2017
Chairman of Israeli Knesset’s foreign affairs and security committee and a member of the ruling Likud Party Avi Dichter said on Monday evening that “Israel must strengthen its means for destroying Hamas’ infrastructure in Gaza.”
His statements came shortly after Hamas Movement declared it chose Yehya Sinwar as its new political leader in the Gaza Strip.
“From today onward, the chairman of the Palestinian authority of Hamas in Gaza is a mass murderer, for all intents and purposes.
The illusion that there exists a political and a military echelon was never correct, and today it has vanished,” claimed Avi Dichter.
“The message for us is that we must strengthen our means for destroying Hamas’ infrastructure in Gaza, because we might need to use them earlier than we expected,” he added.
His statements came shortly after Hamas Movement declared it chose Yehya Sinwar as its new political leader in the Gaza Strip.
“From today onward, the chairman of the Palestinian authority of Hamas in Gaza is a mass murderer, for all intents and purposes.
The illusion that there exists a political and a military echelon was never correct, and today it has vanished,” claimed Avi Dichter.
“The message for us is that we must strengthen our means for destroying Hamas’ infrastructure in Gaza, because we might need to use them earlier than we expected,” he added.
12 feb 2017
interests, and this has to stop. I intend to fight how the Cabinet handed Operation Protective Edge in 2014.”
Bennett from the Jewish Home right wing nationalist party, following the Israeli aggression on Gaza in 2014, has said “It’s too bad we didn’t eliminate more terrorists because whoever lifts his hand against the state of Israel must die.”
In that time, Israel has killed over 2,200 Palestinians, according to UNRWA figures, at least 500 of them children.
Over 11,000 Palestinians were also wounded in the aggression. On the Israeli side, 67 soldiers and 6 civilians were killed.
05/17/16 Bennett Wants to See Palestinians Become ‘Water Carriers and Wood Hewers’ for Jews
Bennett from the Jewish Home right wing nationalist party, following the Israeli aggression on Gaza in 2014, has said “It’s too bad we didn’t eliminate more terrorists because whoever lifts his hand against the state of Israel must die.”
In that time, Israel has killed over 2,200 Palestinians, according to UNRWA figures, at least 500 of them children.
Over 11,000 Palestinians were also wounded in the aggression. On the Israeli side, 67 soldiers and 6 civilians were killed.
05/17/16 Bennett Wants to See Palestinians Become ‘Water Carriers and Wood Hewers’ for Jews
Al Mezan Center For Human Rights slammed on Sunday the Israeli Supreme Court for upholding a request from the Israeli prosecution to increase the prison sentence of Al Mezan’s client—Palestinian prisoner, Jihad Khalid Abu Hadaid, 28—from six years of imprisonment to eight.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemned the increase in prison term in a case built on the torture of the defendant, and called on the international community to intervene.
On 25 July 2014, during Israel’s bombardment on the Gaza Strip codenamed “Operation Protective Edge”, the Israeli forces launched a ground invasion into the area of Al Fukhari, Khan Younis, and arrested Abu Hadaid, among others, a statement by Al Mezan Center read.
In his affidavit to Al Mezan, Abu Hadaid described the use of torture and other cruel and degrading treatment during his arrest and interrogation by Israeli security forces and authorities.
Abu Hadaid stated that he was beaten; forced to sit in direct sunlight for several hours; during interrogation his hands were cuffed from behind while he was seated in a “stress position” on a small chair; he was verbally abused; and he was kept in solidarity confinement for several days.
In one verbal threat, Abu Hadaid was told by Israeli authorities that his house would be attacked; his home was later attacked by the Israeli air force. Abu Hadaid was prevented from meeting with a lawyer for 21 days after arrest.
Al Mezan asserted that the level of coercion used against Abu Hadaid resulted in a forced confession, which must not be used as evidence in court.
“A confession obtained under means of torture, including enhanced interrogation techniques, or other forms of duress is considered a forced confession under international law,” Al Mezan warned. “The ruling issued by the High Court is dependent on a confession by torture and, as a serious miscarriage of justice, amounts to a serious violation of international law and blatant disregard for justice principles.”
The ruling further violates article (5) of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, article (10) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article (14) of the International Covenant on Civilian and Political Rights, articles (11,12,13, and 14) of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners relating to the conditions in which Abu Hadaid is kept, and the Convention against Torture relating to the absolute prohibition on torture and ill-treatment.
Al Mezan called on the international community to uphold its moral and legal obligations toward Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel and to exert pressure on Israel to respect international law, in particular the absolute prohibition on torture and ill-treatment and the principles of justice.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemned the increase in prison term in a case built on the torture of the defendant, and called on the international community to intervene.
On 25 July 2014, during Israel’s bombardment on the Gaza Strip codenamed “Operation Protective Edge”, the Israeli forces launched a ground invasion into the area of Al Fukhari, Khan Younis, and arrested Abu Hadaid, among others, a statement by Al Mezan Center read.
In his affidavit to Al Mezan, Abu Hadaid described the use of torture and other cruel and degrading treatment during his arrest and interrogation by Israeli security forces and authorities.
Abu Hadaid stated that he was beaten; forced to sit in direct sunlight for several hours; during interrogation his hands were cuffed from behind while he was seated in a “stress position” on a small chair; he was verbally abused; and he was kept in solidarity confinement for several days.
In one verbal threat, Abu Hadaid was told by Israeli authorities that his house would be attacked; his home was later attacked by the Israeli air force. Abu Hadaid was prevented from meeting with a lawyer for 21 days after arrest.
Al Mezan asserted that the level of coercion used against Abu Hadaid resulted in a forced confession, which must not be used as evidence in court.
“A confession obtained under means of torture, including enhanced interrogation techniques, or other forms of duress is considered a forced confession under international law,” Al Mezan warned. “The ruling issued by the High Court is dependent on a confession by torture and, as a serious miscarriage of justice, amounts to a serious violation of international law and blatant disregard for justice principles.”
The ruling further violates article (5) of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, article (10) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article (14) of the International Covenant on Civilian and Political Rights, articles (11,12,13, and 14) of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners relating to the conditions in which Abu Hadaid is kept, and the Convention against Torture relating to the absolute prohibition on torture and ill-treatment.
Al Mezan called on the international community to uphold its moral and legal obligations toward Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel and to exert pressure on Israel to respect international law, in particular the absolute prohibition on torture and ill-treatment and the principles of justice.
28 jan 2017
At the behest of the Shin Bet, a vote on publishing a report on the government’s handling of the 2014 war on Gaza was postponed Tuesday by a Knesset state comptroller subcommittee, despite expectations that the publication would be approved but following amendments.
According to different Israeli news outlets on Friday, the state comptroller’s report is highly critical of premier Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as of former war minister Moshe Ya’alon, and was described by Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett on Tuesday as a “security earthquake” that will shake up the Israeli establishment.
The subcommittee, which is comprised of three coalition MKs and two from the opposition, decided to delay the vote due to concerns raised by the Shin Bet over sensitive information and security issues, and will be holding the vote next Sunday instead.
Makor Rishon newspaper reported that the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, asked to delay the vote.
After leaks from the report have created confusion and disarray among cabinet members, Netanyahu defended himself again recently, claiming he did not ignore the threats of Gaza tunnels and rockets during the war.
Israel’s Channel 2 also reported that the comptroller report directs criticism at Mossad director Yossi Cohen, who at the time was head of the national security council, for failing to be proactive on a range of issues addressed in the report.
According to different Israeli news outlets on Friday, the state comptroller’s report is highly critical of premier Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as of former war minister Moshe Ya’alon, and was described by Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett on Tuesday as a “security earthquake” that will shake up the Israeli establishment.
The subcommittee, which is comprised of three coalition MKs and two from the opposition, decided to delay the vote due to concerns raised by the Shin Bet over sensitive information and security issues, and will be holding the vote next Sunday instead.
Makor Rishon newspaper reported that the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, asked to delay the vote.
After leaks from the report have created confusion and disarray among cabinet members, Netanyahu defended himself again recently, claiming he did not ignore the threats of Gaza tunnels and rockets during the war.
Israel’s Channel 2 also reported that the comptroller report directs criticism at Mossad director Yossi Cohen, who at the time was head of the national security council, for failing to be proactive on a range of issues addressed in the report.
26 jan 2017
The European-Palestinian relations council welcomed a resolution made by a The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly accusing Israel of engaging in systematic unlawful killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza Strip over the past several years, and of exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, also known as PACE, voted on Tuesday in favor of a resolution, based on a report on the humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave, which charges Israel with excessive and intentional force without justification against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The report states that “Cases of the deliberate fatal shooting of individuals who posed no imminent danger to life amounts to an appalling pattern of apparently systematic unlawful killings”. It was presented on January 4 to the assembly and made up of 324 parliamentarians from 47 countries.
The council said that the report called on European Union countries to exert efforts for opening an official investigation at the International Criminal Court in case of the existence of reasonable evidences.
The council asked the international community and states of the European Union to carry on hard work for holding war criminals accountable as well as for ending the Israeli ceaseless siege on Gaza.
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, also known as PACE, voted on Tuesday in favor of a resolution, based on a report on the humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave, which charges Israel with excessive and intentional force without justification against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The report states that “Cases of the deliberate fatal shooting of individuals who posed no imminent danger to life amounts to an appalling pattern of apparently systematic unlawful killings”. It was presented on January 4 to the assembly and made up of 324 parliamentarians from 47 countries.
The council said that the report called on European Union countries to exert efforts for opening an official investigation at the International Criminal Court in case of the existence of reasonable evidences.
The council asked the international community and states of the European Union to carry on hard work for holding war criminals accountable as well as for ending the Israeli ceaseless siege on Gaza.