IDF Chief Zamir says IDF not afraid to share opinions, notes culture of debate is core Israeli characteristic

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who will speak to the security cabinet later this evening over the proposed plan of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to occupy the Gaza Strip, addressed tensions with the political echelon regarding that plan while talking to the General Staff.  

During a multi-front situational assessment with the General Staff Forum that dealt with all arenas, Zamir also talked about the IDF’s plans moving forward. 

In his comments, Zamir said the culture of controversy is an essential component of the IDF's organizational culture, while referencing the upcoming cabinet meeting. 

"We continue to fight on all fronts,” Zamir told the General Staff. “The echoes of our strikes are heard all across the Middle East.” 

Speaking of the reports of “heated discussions” reported in Hebrew media, Zamir downplayed the idea of a rupture, saying “debate is an inseparable part” of Jewish history. 

“The culture of debate is an inseparable part of the history of the Jewish people. It is a vital component of the IDF's overall culture – both internally and externally. We will continue to express our position without fear – in a professional, independent, and substantive manner,” the chief of staff said. “That is the expectation we have of our commanders as well.” 

Zamir noted the importance of the general staff having such debates about “the defense of the country” in its internal discussions. 

“The responsibility lies here, at this very table. We are not dealing with theory – we are dealing with matters of life and death, in the defense of the country, and we do so while looking toward our soldiers and the civilians of Israel,” he continued. “We will continue to act with responsibility, integrity, and determination – with only the security and well-being of Israel in mind.” 

Zamir reiterated his position, which is that the achievements of Operation Gideon's Chariots, including seizing control of around 75% of the Gaza Strip, provide the IDF with a variety of options. He again shared his preference for the IDF to use the controlled territory to launch raids at the IDF's determination in order to exhaust Hamas. 

“We are now approaching the final stages of Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” Zamir told the gathered commanders. “We have met and even exceeded the operation’s objectives, and we continue to act to ensure long-term security for the communities of the south of Israel and near the Gaza Strip, as well as for communities along all of Israel’s borders.” 

In Zamir’s view, these lines of attack will be west of the buffer zone at the edge of the Gaza border, which have been occupied for some time by the IDF and are being cleared of tunnels, terror infrastructure, and terrorists. Zamir argued that this will enable the military to take advantage of the IDF's advantages and erode Hamas while reducing the risk of burnout. 

“We now have the ability to establish a new security reality along the border, while maintaining continuous pressure on the enemy,” he stated. “We will no longer limit our response. We will remove threats in their early stages across all arenas and continue working to achieve our goals.” 

Zamir reiterated his focus on bringing the hostages home as a key goal of the IDF, after reports indicated that Netanyahu is willing to operate in areas that might put the hostages at risk. 

“Our intention is to defeat Hamas and continue to operate with our hostages at the forefront of our minds, we will do everything in our power to bring them home.”