Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon has accused Israel of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. His comments come in the wake of accusations by the ICC against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.
In statements to Israeli media, Yaalon-a former army chief of staff-warned that hardliners within Netanyahu’s far-right cabinet seek to displace Palestinians from northern Gaza in an attempt to re-establish Jewish settlements. “I am compelled to warn about what is happening there and what is being concealed from us,” Yaalon told public broadcaster Kan on Sunday. “At the end of the day, war crimes are being committed.”
In an interview with DemocratTV, he detailed his opinions: “The road we are being led down is conquest, annexation, and ethnic cleansing.” He mentioned how places like Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoon have essentially vanished, saying that what’s happening in Jabalia is to clear the area of Arabs.
An outspoken critic of the prime minister, Yaalon served as Netanyahu’s defense minister from 2013 until 2016. Netanyahu’s Likud party attacked Yaalon after his remarks for perpetuating “slanderous lies”. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, a rival rightist politician who leads a small party, labelled the charges “baseless.”.
The ICC recently issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the ongoing Gaza conflict. Reports indicate that as many as 44,429 Palestinians and more than 1,400 Israelis have been killed since the Hamas attacks against Israel were launched on October 7, 2023.
The accusations of ethnic cleansing by Israel have long been coming from the Palestinians since violence continues. Most recently, Palestinian-American historian Rashid Khalidi termed the situation in Gaza since October as “genocide” and worse than any phase of Palestinian history.
The Israeli military has increased its operations in northern Gaza, claiming to target regrouped Hamas fighters, which has resulted in widespread civilian displacement. United Nations agencies report that Palestinians are enduring severe hardships due to the prolonged military siege.
The visiting Minister of Housing Yitzhak Goldknopf, in turn, has expressed support for the restitution of settlements in the enclave during his tour to the border with Gaza: “Jewish settlement here is the answer to the terrible October 7 massacre and a response to the ICC in The Hague.”
Most global powers regard settlements built on territory seized during the 1967 war as illegal, viewing their expansion as a significant barrier to peace, as it encroaches on land Palestinians seek for a future state.
In a meeting in Kuwait, leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council called for an “immediate and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza, condemning what they described as “shocking and horrific crimes” committed by Israeli forces against Palestinians. They welcomed the ICC’s arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.
With a ceasefire in negotiation but still elusive, the Israeli army shelled Beit Lahyia on Monday and at least 10 more Palestinians have been killed. The overall humanitarian casualties reported in Gaza so far are 44,429 dead and 105,250 injured since fighting flared on October 7.
