Israeli security role in Gaza would be euphemism for occupation, says ex-Defence Minister Gallant

Former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has said that a security role in the Gaza Strip would be a euphemism for occupation.

Gallant’s comment comes at a time when the Israeli government is considering deploying Israeli soldiers to provide security for the distribution of humanitarian aid by private organisations in Gaza.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gallant said that such proposals are “empty words for the beginning of a military government” in Gaza.

“The blood price will be paid by the IDF soldiers and the State of Israel will pay in light of a poor order of priorities that will lead to the neglect of more important security tasks,” said Gallant in a post in Hebrew.

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הדיון שיעסוק ב״חלוקת המזון לתושבי עזה בידי חברות פרטיות באבטחת צה״ל״ הוא מכבסת מילים לתחילתו של ממשל צבאי. את מחיר הדמים ישלמו חיילי צה״ל ותשלם מדינת ישראל לאור סדר עדיפויות לקוי שיביא להזנחת משימות ביטחוניות חשובות יותר.

הכל תלוי בהכנה מבעוד מועד של גורם אלטרנטיבי שיחליף את…

— יואב גלנט - Yoav Gallant (@yoavgallant) November 20, 2024

Last week, more than 100 trucks of aid with the United Nations (UN) were violently looted in Gaza in the biggest such instance since the beginning of the war. Israel has been criticised since the beginning of war for the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. While it has been criticised the fewer-than-required number of trucks carrying aid entering Gaza, there has also been the issue of Hamas and other terrorist or criminal elements looting aid.

Gallant was sacked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the Minister of Defence earlier this month.

‘Military govt in Gaza not part of war goals’

Gallant stressed in the post on X that setting up a military government in Gaza was not part of the objectives of the ongoing war.

Gallant further criticised the Israeli government for not having any plan for the post-Hamas future of Gaza. So far, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he would not allow Hamas to continue to run Gaza, he has not made a decision on any alternative arrangement.

“Everything depends on the preparation ahead of time of an alternative entity that will replace the IDF in seizing the territory — otherwise we are on the way to a military government. The aid will be shared by the private companies, the companies will be guarded by the IDF and we will all pay the price.

A military government in Gaza is not part of the goals of the war, but a dangerous and irresponsible political act,” said Gallant.

Since the early days of the war, Gallant had been against the Israeli occupation of Gaza. In October 2023, Gallant said that once Israel would dismantle Hamas from a position of power in Gaza and eliminate remaining resistance, it would withdraw from Gaza.

The final phase of the war would “require the removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip, and the establishment of a new security reality for the citizens of Israel”, said Gallant last year.

Previously, Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu prefers a solution that includes private organisations distributing aid under security arrangements by Israel, which would start in northern Gaza as a ‘pilot programme’ in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, or Jabalia.