Moshe Yaalon Accuses Israeli Military of Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza

Title: Moshe Yaalon Accuses Israel of Ethnic Cleansing in Gaza

Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon openly stated that the Israeli army is conducting ethnic cleansing of Arab Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. His remarks have sparked outrage within the Israeli government.

In an interview on DemocratTV, Yaalon stated, "The path we are on is conquest, annexation, and ethnic cleansing." When discussing the term "ethnic cleansing," he highlighted the disappearance of towns such as Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, claiming that the army is actively removing Arabs from the land.

Since October 6, the northern Gaza Strip has faced heavy Israeli attacks aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping.

Yaalon, 74, previously served as Chief of Staff for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from 2002 to 2005 and held the position of Defense Minister before resigning in 2016 due to disagreements with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Yaalon’s comments have led to immediate backlash in Israel. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir expressed shame over Yaalon’s past military and defense leadership. The Likud party, led by Netanyahu, criticized Yaalon’s statements as “empty and dishonest,” claiming they give support to the International Criminal Court and Israel’s enemies.