Protection Minister Israel Katz has come to the protection of IDF Chief of Workers Eyal Zamir, saying the military chief has a “proper and responsibility” to air his views, following assaults on Zamir for reportedly disagreeing with the federal government’s plan to occupy Gaza.
Specifically, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son Yair suggested in a Monday publish on X that Zamir is behind a “rebel and tried navy coup” for discouraging the reported coverage. In a follow-up publish, he claimed that Katz had “insisted” on Zamir’s appointment in March.
In a prolonged publish on X on Wednesday morning, Katz stood by Zamir. He didn’t deal with Zamir’s objections to the Gaza occupation plan, which Zamir reportedly aired in a heated assembly on Tuesday, warning that the plan would endanger Israeli hostages, exhaust a military stretched skinny, and create a “entice” for the IDF in Gaza.
However the protection minister affirmed that the IDF chief had a proper to his views.
“It’s the proper and responsibility of the chief of workers to precise his place within the acceptable boards, and following selections by the political management, the IDF will perform what was determined with willpower and professionalism — as has been completed up till now on each entrance — till we obtain the targets of the battle.”
Katz did supply an implied protection of the occupation plan, which has but to be formally accepted, writing, “Hamas’ refusal to free the hostages obligates additional selections as to the way in which we are able to advance the targets of the battle: destroying Hamas whereas creating the circumstances for liberating the hostages and making certain peace for Israeli cities now and at all times.”
Yair Netanyahu attends an occasion after the discharge of first voting leads to the Israeli normal elections, on the Likud get together headquarters in Tel Aviv, on September 18, 2019. (Gili Yaari/Flash90/File)
Katz additionally confirmed that he had really useful Zamir’s appointment, and praised his accomplishments.
“Sure, precisely as reported, I really useful Eyal Zamir as IDF chief of workers,” he wrote. “Underneath his management, along with the IDF’s heroic commanders and troopers, and beneath the management of the political echelon, the IDF is powerfully on the offensive in Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, Gaza and different fronts.”
Katz’s assertion got here after Zamir reportedly clashed with the elder Netanyahu over his son’s publish in a gathering of cupboard ministers. Zamir objected to Yair Netanyahu’s accusation, saying within the assembly, in accordance with the Kan public broadcaster, “How does that look? Why are you attacking me? Why are you talking towards me in the course of a battle?”
Netanyahu reportedly responded, “Don’t threaten to stop within the media. I can’t settle for that each time you threaten that if we don’t settle for your plans, you’ll go away. My son is 33, he’s a grown man.”
Katz’s publish additionally marked a change in tone for the protection minister himself, an in depth Netanyahu ally who had, the day before today, made an implicit push for Zamir to melt his opposition to the federal government.
“As soon as the political management makes the mandatory selections, the navy management, because it has completed in all fronts of battle thus far, will professionally implement the decided coverage,” Katz mentioned throughout a go to to an IDF publish within the Gaza buffer zone on Tuesday. “My position because the protection minister answerable for the IDF is to make sure that this would be the case, and that’s what I’ll do.”
L-R: Protection Minister Israel Katz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and IDF Chief of Workers Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir are seen on the IAF’s underground command heart on the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, throughout strikes in Yemen, Might 16, 2025. (Shira Keinan/Protection Ministry)
Sources from Netanyahu’s workplace have additionally conveyed that if Zamir disagrees with the plan, he can resign.
The argument over occupation — and the social media publish — was the most recent in a sequence of disagreements between the cupboard and IDF brass. It reportedly occurred throughout a three-hour assembly of a slender group of ministers, forward of a cupboard vote to approve the occupation plan. Netanyahu has reportedly determined to maneuver ahead with the Gaza occupation, a longstanding demand of his far-right coalition companions, as negotiations with Hamas hit an deadlock in current weeks.
The IDF at the moment holds management over roughly 75 p.c of the Gaza Strip, however beneath the brand new plan, the navy can be anticipated to occupy the remaining territory as properly — bringing your entire enclave beneath Israeli management.
It’s unclear what such a transfer would imply for the Strip’s thousands and thousands of civilians, for humanitarian teams working within the enclave, and for the 50 Israeli hostages held there by terror teams, a minimum of 20 of whom are considered alive.
Kinfolk of the hostages have expressed alarm on the plan.
