MK Oded Forer (Yisrael Beiteinu) accused Prime Minister Netanyahu on Tuesday of prioritizing coalition deals with Shas and UTJ over the safety of IDF soldiers in Lebanon, saying troops operate with their hands tied while Netanyahu commits to advancing a law to stop draft-dodger arrests for ultra-Orthodox parties.
MK Oded Forer (Yisrael Beiteinu) joined a growing chorus of critics Tuesday evening, likening IDF soldiers in Lebanon to 'ducks in a shooting gallery with their hands tied.' In a statement distributed by journalist Daphna Liel via the Yisrael Beiteinu faction, Forer charged that Prime Minister Netanyahu is simultaneously 'committing to Deri and Gafni to advance a law that would stop the arrests of draft dodgers' — referring to reported coalition negotiations with the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and UTJ over legislation that would limit military service enforcement for yeshiva students.
Forer's remarks align with similar accusations from former prime ministers Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, as well as commentator Hillel Bitton Rosen, all of whom have alleged in recent days that political considerations are constraining IDF rules of engagement on the Lebanon front. As The Zioneer reported Sunday, a soldier on the ground in the Yaroun-Bint Jbeil sector pushed back against those claims, saying the political talk is 'irrelevant' and troops are working nonstop.
Tuesday's statement is the first from a sitting MK to explicitly link the Lebanon rules-of-engagement criticism with coalition negotiations over the draft law, a politically charged issue that has divided Israeli governments for decades. The claim that Netanyahu is prioritizing coalition stability over combat troops' safety is unproven and was not accompanied by specific evidence in the source message.
- DevelopingFormer PM Yair Lapid: Ground troops in Lebanon have their hands tied by political echelon
- StrongBennett accuses Netanyahu and Katz of lying about IDF freedom of action in Lebanon
- DevelopingFamilies of fallen soldiers condemn Netanyahu's deal with Haredi parties
- DevelopingIran has 'handcuffed' Israel in Lebanon, analyst argues
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