In brief
In a surprising critique, Yaalon highlights the severe impact of Israel's military operations on Palestinian communities, amid ongoing conflict.
Former Israeli defense minister Moshe Yaalon has publicly accused Israel of committing war crimes and engaging in ethnic cleansing in Gaza, a significant and rare challenge to the current government's narrative amid ongoing hostilities. At a recent event, Yaalon condemned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government for what he described as a path leading to occupation and settlement building in Palestinian territories. He specifically pointed to northern Gaza, where he claimed towns have been destroyed, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians since the conflict escalated following Hamas attacks in October 2023. The comments elicited immediate backlash from Netanyahu's allies, who argued that such statements could endanger Israel's security and bolster its adversaries.
