Former IDF chief of staff and MK Gadi Eisenkot reportedly criticized Shas leader Aryeh Deri, accusing him of turning the military's top officer into a tool of political games. "There is nothing leadership-like about turning the chief of staff into a tool of your dirty political game," Eisenkot said, according to Israeli media reports.
At 13:51 Jerusalem, opposition MK Gadi Eisenkot issued a sharp new statement accusing Shas leader Aryeh Deri of turning the IDF chief of staff into a 'tool in your dirty political game.' The statement comes roughly half an hour after The Zioneer reported a series of responses from Eisenkot and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to Deri's earlier attack on the military's top officer.
The Zioneer's coverage of the day's events began at 13:13 Jerusalem, when it reported Bennett's initial criticism that Deri's attacks strengthen Israel's enemies and dismantle the IDF. In a series of reports at the same time, The Zioneer covered Bennett's direct address to soldiers, telling them to 'hold strong, reinforcements are on the way,' Eisenkot's joining of the accusations, and the joint statement calling Deri's remarks 'a display of insolence and detachment.' The escalation continued with Eisenkot's latest statement, which was not part of the earlier reports.
The exchange reflects ongoing tensions between coalition partners and the IDF's professional leadership, as reported by The Zioneer. The debate over civil-military boundaries in Israel's wartime government has intensified in recent weeks, with opposition leaders accusing senior coalition figures of undermining the military's independence.
As of this publication, no response from Deri or the Shas party has been reported to Eisenkot's latest statement.
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