MK Yitzhak Kreizer was dismissed today (Saturday) from active reserve duty after a photo of him from a house in Lebanon that was published online. In the photo, Kreizer is seen with "MK Kreizer's Office" spray-painted on the wall behind him.
His party leader, Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, responded to the IDF's decision to dismiss his faction chairman, saying it was "shameful and disgraceful." The minister blamed "Haaretz" newspaper, which pressured the IDF to dismiss the MK, and added that he had fought bravely since the war broke out and now in Lebanon.
"The IDF panicked," he said. "This is an outrageous and concerning decision. There are people in the IDF who apparently forgot who is a friend and who is an enemy." Otza Yehudit members reacted by posting a photo with a saluting emoji.
Benny Gantz also opposed Kreizer's dismissal and called on the IDF to reconsider it. He said, "Discipline in the IDF is important and MK Kreizer's photo in Lebanon is a mistake that requires investigation and perhaps disciplinary action. However, at this time, when we lack fighters and fighting spirit is so important, specifically dismissing a public official, who sets an example and chooses to go out and fight, sends the wrong message. MK Kreizer, whom I fundamentally disagree with, deserves credit for his enlistment, and I call on the IDF to reconsider his dismissal."
Kreizer claimed his dismissal from reserve duty is a plot by "Haaretz" newspaper. In an interview on Kan, he told Aryeh Golan: "Unfortunately, Haaretz newspaper, in an ongoing and malicious campaign against IDF soldiers, decided to send an inquiry about some photo --- of course I didn't take it, of course I didn't spraypaint the writing (which appeared on the piucture). Photos are part of the reserve duty atmosphere."
Kann News contributed to this article.
