Avigdor Liberman to ‘Post’: This is what Israel should do in Gaza

No more crossings and no more supplying, he says. But first of all, Hamas leaders need to be eliminated, and those who are abroad remain legitimate targets. 14:53

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN, JPOST 

Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman has been warning about the Hamas threat for two decades. The former defense minister sat down with The Jerusalem Post at his office in the Knesset this week to discuss what Israel should do in Gaza, a month after the October 7 massacre that started it all.
“It was clear to me that such a radical religious jihadist movement is a real threat for our future and existence, and in our 2009 coalition agreement, at our insistence, one of the main clauses was to eliminate Hamas rule in Gaza,” he said.

In 2016, as defense minister, Liberman prepared a document that predicted a large-scale Hamas attack. His conclusion then was the “opposite from our whole military establishment, despite their experience and professionalism.

“After I joined the Netanyahu-led government in that May, already in December I had handed him a paper that I wrote with my advisers, describing the scenario that we saw on October 7, 2023. I also gave it to then-IDF chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot and then to the cabinet.”

Liberman stuck by his warnings. In 2018, he resigned because the government accepted a ceasefire with Hamas to transfer money from Qatar to Gaza. Liberman characterized it as “capitulation” to terrorism.

Liberman: no deals with Hamas

He now wants to see Israel make some crucial decisions about Gaza: No more crossings and no more supplying. But first of all, Hamas leaders need to be eliminated, and those who are abroad remain legitimate targets.

“We will never accept that Saleh Arouri will operate from Beirut,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where they are living today. They are legitimate targets.”

Liberman also thinks hostages should be released by force, no deals should be struck with Hamas, and Israel should have the freedom to operate in Gaza and a buffer zone along the border after Hamas is defeated.

Israel will be changed by this war, he said, adding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be held accountable.

The full interview will be published in Friday’s Magazine supplement.

November 10, 2023 | 10 Comments »

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  1. Peloni

    Your comment is only repeating in different form what was said much earlier

    Quote

    “Hence, Bibi’s recent statement indicating that the Pals will remain in Gaza was a serious mistake, and it was made with an unequivocal resolve to not only keep the Gazan hordes but to flood them with another govt of their choice and a slew of ready cash to ‘rebuild’ their future. This has been a lethal miscalculation which leaves us only the JO as a possible move forward unless Bibi’s unmistakable commitment to Mow-The-Grass-Again is broken.”

    For the reader JO MEANS the JORDAN OPTION

    AND

    That raises a whole other set of problems you cannot solve. So no further on.

  2. Israel has to do what works with the Arabs. They don’t care about their lives – anyone who dies in their view is a shahid who will go to heaven and get 72 virgins to play with. The things they do care about is their homes and land. If Israel would make it their policy that anyone who attacks them will lose land as a result, that would put a fast stop on all these attacks. Right now, the Arabs feel they have nothing to lose. They didn’t win the first 10 times? They can always try the 11th. They don’t mind losing lives, so there is no downside to making war against Israel. Israel will always give in at some point and give them back their land under international pressure.

  3. @Felix
    The removal of the Pal Cleft which holds Israel in a constant state of war is what must be done. The May War of Riots and Rockets demonstrated that Israel can not pursue a bi-national state under any circumstances, while the attack on Otef has demonstrated that Israel can not pursue the TSS. The only possible choice left to this dilemma is the expulsion of the Pals who are the perpetrators of this endless war against the Jewish state. Of course, a simpleton without even the use of a four function calculator could have arrived at this conclusion long ago, but it seems that Israel’s leadership is still unable to draw this conclusion even to this day.

    The JO was a good prospect to achieve this objective, but we are at war and victory can often lead to many changes which were once thought to be impossible, but only if we actually pursue them with an earnest intent, devoid of hesitation or promises of even further compromises.

    Hence, Bibi’s recent statement indicating that the Pals will remain in Gaza was a serious mistake, and it was made with an unequivocal resolve to not only keep the Gazan hordes but to flood them with another govt of their choice and a slew of ready cash to ‘rebuild’ their future. This has been a lethal miscalculation which leaves us only the JO as a possible move forward unless Bibi’s unmistakable commitment to Mow-The-Grass-Again is broken.

  4. I repeat what I said Nov 10 yesterday morning

    Totally ignored so far

    “Israel has to ask basic questions of what it needs to survive

    What do readers think?

    But how to achieve what it needs. Do not omit that step.”

    I mentioned Gestalt. I mean reply with the Whole.

  5. But both Liberman and Bennett sided with the Left, abandoning the Right, fractured by thirteen years of constant attacks by Obama/Soros/Biden against Bibi!

  6. Israel has already been given the military strategy; they have made a choice not to follow it.

    Deut. chapter 11 and chapter 20.

  7. This is one part. I like his position on Hamas but…

    I first came across this at college. I was into athletic skills etc.

    I often think of that and now also

    Quote

    “What is the Gestalt theory in simple terms?
    Gestalt theory emphasizes that the whole of anything is greater than its parts. That is, the attributes of the whole are not deducible from analysis of the parts in isolation”

    Imho Caroline Glick is tops here. She includes the whole esp the so called West Bank and Israeli Arabs

    Israel has to ask basic questions of what it needs to survive

    What do readers think?

    But how to achieve what it needs. Do not omit that step.