Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused Aryeh Deri of hypocrisy, noting that Deri boasts of his draft-dodging grandchildren while attacking the chief of staff. Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot called Deri's remarks 'a display of insolence and detachment,' according to reports.
This afternoon, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot condemned Shas leader Aryeh Deri's attack on IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir. Bennett accused Deri of hypocrisy, noting that Deri boasts of his draft-dodging grandchildren while attacking the chief of staff. Eisenkot called Deri's remarks 'a display of insolence and detachment,' according to reports. The condemnations follow Bennett's earlier call for soldiers to 'hold strong,' promising that 'reinforcements are on the way,' as first reported by The Zioneer at 13:13 Jerusalem.
The Zioneer's initial report at 13:13 Jerusalem, citing Channel 12, featured Bennett's criticism alone. Within minutes, the story was updated to include Eisenkot's condemnation, with the report now citing ynet as well. The evolution reflects growing bipartisan opposition to the politicization of the military command.
The Zioneer has previously reported on clashes between political figures and the IDF. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned 'shameful remarks' directed at Zamir at a Bnei Brak rally. The Zioneer has also tracked Bennett's political positioning, including his public call for Eisenkot to join merger talks earlier this month, and his broader criticism of the government's handling of security.
The full text of Deri's original remarks has not been published in The Zioneer's coverage. It also remains unclear whether Deri or other coalition members will respond to the latest criticism from the opposition figures.
5 developments
- StrongDeri: IDF chief Zamir 'has no business getting involved in politics' — 'dangerous precedent'
- DevelopingFormer IDF chief Eisenkot slams political leadership, demands answers on Iran and war goals
- DevelopingAnalysis: Gadi Eisenkot accused of being 'worst chief of staff' in Israel's history
- DevelopingEisenkot: Any organization head who declares loyalty to me, not state, will be fired
Source and signal
- Internal intake