Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon sparked fierce backlash Friday after accusing the Israeli military of conducting ethnic cleansing in Gaza and planning to build Jewish settlements in the territory's northern region.
"Put him behind bars," demanded Knesset member Tali Gottlieb, who branded Ya'alon "worse than our greatest enemies" and a "wartime collaborator." Her explosive comments reflect the intensity of response from multiple Israeli officials to Ya'alon's controversial claims.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar called for an immediate retraction, describing Ya'alon's statements as "irresponsible" and "baseless defamation of Israel."
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi went further, demanding Ya'alon be stripped of his military ranks. "Comparing IDF operations to 'transfer' or 'ethnic cleansing' isn't just a despicable lie – it crosses every red line," Karhi said, defending the military's conduct during the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
The extraordinary public clash highlights growing internal tensions over Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Ya'alon's comments come at a particularly sensitive time as Israel faces increasing international scrutiny over its operations in the territory.
MK Almog Cohen warned that such statements from a former defense chief could damage Israel's international standing "a thousand times more than any international arrest warrant or BDS organizations."
Ya'alon, who previously served as IDF Chief of Staff before becoming Defense Minister, has yet to respond to the wave of criticism from his former colleagues in government.
