Former Israeli defense minister Moshe Yaalon has accused Israel of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. He specifically criticized the Israeli government for putting IDF soldiers at risk and exposing them to potential lawsuits at the International Criminal Court. Yaalon mentioned that hard-liners in the Israeli government want to re-establish Jewish settlements in Gaza, leading to ethnic cleansing and forcing civilians out of their homes in some areas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office referred questions to the IDF, which denied the accusations of ethnic cleansing. Yaalon, who had served as IDF chief of staff and defense minister, resigned from his position in 2016 citing a lack of faith in Netanyahu and has been a vocal critic since then. Netanyahu’s allies condemned Yaalon’s remarks, calling them lies that harm Israel.
Yaalon’s comments came as the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and another former defense minister over alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza. Netanyahu’s office rejected the accusations as absurd and biased, while Israeli politicians from various parties have united in opposition to the arrest warrants. The Biden administration also rejects the warrants but has warned of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed or wounded in the ongoing conflict. The UN Human Rights Office has condemned the high number of civilian deaths in Gaza, while Israel’s diplomatic mission to the UN has dismissed the claims as not reflecting the reality on the ground.
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