Israeli army could end up looking like Daesh, claims former defence minister

Former Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon said on Wednesday that the Israeli army could end up looking like Daesh if politicians set the rules of engagement rather than army officers. He made his comment during a meeting with high school students, during which he discussed the case of Elor Azaria, a soldier accused of killing Abdel Fattah Al-Sharif in Hebron, while the victim lay wounded and incapacitated on the ground.

“Some politicians seized upon the incident as a way to make political capital,” explained Ya’alon. “They declared the soldier to be a hero and began circulating rumours, first against the prime minister, then against me and the chief of staff.” Afterwards, he continued, the prime minister “unfortunately” switched sides. “He decided to embrace the soldier’s family. That’s his business, not mine. I decided to support the commanders and I was left alone in that war.”

According to the ex-minister, it was clear to all the commanders that this was something that should not be done. “They are the ones who should set the rules of engagement, not politicians like Hazan and [current Defence Minister Avigdor] Lieberman.” He criticised Lieberman for attending Azaria’s remand hearings.

In July, Ya’alon insisted that Azaria is not a hero as some are trying to represent him “That is why the divisional commander has decided he shall no longer serve as a fighter, and from there it went on to a criminal process.”