In an exclusive interview with Yishai Cohen (Kikar HaShabbat), Shas chairman Aryeh Deri launched an unprecedented attack on IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, accusing him of 'losing it' and remaining silent while Prime Minister and Defense Minister wrote to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to advance legislation halting military arrests. Deri said the arrests 'won't bring a single recruit' and that Zamir was 'too busy defending his name' and 'trying to help the left.'
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has escalated his attack on IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, claiming in an exclusive interview with Yishai Cohen of Kikar HaShabbat that Prime Minister and Defense Minister sought to advance legislation halting military arrests. The remarks, published Thursday afternoon, represent a new allegation beyond the accusation that Zamir 'lost it' and sought to aid the left bloc.
The Zioneer first reported at 12:20 Jerusalem that Deri accused Zamir of 'unequivocally trying to help the left bloc' during the election period, causing 'great damage' to the army, according to a report by Noam Amir (Channel 14). The desk later updated with additional details from the same interview, including Deri's claim that the chief of staff was 'too busy defending his name' and 'trying to help the left.' The latest interview adds a new dimension: Deri now asserts that political leaders — the Prime Minister and Defense Minister — were actively seeking to halt military arrests, a claim that goes beyond personal criticism of Zamir.
As The Zioneer has reported, Deri's comments fit a pattern of political criticism directed at the IDF chief amid ongoing tensions over military policy and the arrest of soldiers. The background includes earlier reports on the political pressures surrounding the military's conduct.
The new allegation regarding the Prime Minister and Defense Minister's involvement remains unverified. No official response has been issued from the Prime Minister's Office, the Defense Ministry, or the IDF spokesperson. The Zioneer will continue to monitor for official statements.
5 developments
- DevelopingEisenkot accuses Deri of politicizing IDF chief of staff
- StrongDeri slams IDF chief over arrest bill warning: 'Most severe, he lost it'
- DevelopingIDF chief's meeting with rabbis draws criticism from right-wing channels
- DevelopingRabbi Ohad Tirosh: 'I don't believe a word the chief of staff says'
Source and signal
- Internal intake