JERUSALEM

A former senior Israeli military official on Saturday urged Israel to withdraw from Gaza as soon as possible, describing the situation as a "dire quagmire."

According to Israel’s Channel 12, Maj. Gen. Israel Ziv, former head of operations for the Israeli army, criticized the ongoing war, stating that Israel is "stuck in Gaza and bleedin g."

Ziv, who previously led the Gaza Division, suggested that Netanyahu may be prolonging the war to maintain his political position and delay his corruption trial, which could lead to his imprisonment.

Ziv added that after a year of what he called the longest and most exhausting war in Israel's history, the country finds itself trapped in a continuous security crisis with no end in sight.

He noted that the situation is not improving and lacks a clear path toward resolution. He emphasized that the war, which Netanyahu claimed was on the verge of victory six months ago, now appears endless.  

Netanyahu’s Philadelphi Corridor ploy  

Ziv refuted Netanyahu’s claim that remaining in the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt is essential.

He argued that Netanyahu "is using the regrouping of Hamas remnants to construct a new narrative of an 'existential threat,' allowing him to continue the war and avoid a deal to release hostages, which would accelerate the end of the war."

He added that "in this situation, Israel, aside from retrieving the hostages, has nothing to do in Gaza and should leave as soon as possible."    

Israel warned of ground entry into Lebanon  

"In the north, Israel is in amid a war of attrition with no end in sight, and the Galilee is Hezbollah’s main range, with the northern residents as its cannon fodder,” said the former army chief.

He warned that "any ground entry into Lebanon without an exit strategy or a clear objective, even if it’s a limited invasion, would further complicate the situation."

He contended that entering southern Lebanon would not force Hezbollah to cease firing, but would instead increase rocket and drone attacks on Israel, similar to what happened in Rafah in southern Gaza following the invasion.

Since Oct. 8, in the wake of the Gaza war, Lebanon’s Hezbollah has been exchanging daily fire with the Israeli army across the Blue Line border, resulting in hundreds of casualties, mostly on the Lebanese side.    

Far-right ministers exploit Netanyahu's weakness  

Regarding the escalation in the occupied West Bank, Ziv blamed the "dangerous actions" of extremists in the government, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, for "fueling the fire in the region."

He said, "Even in the West Bank, the escalation is intensifying, with Ben Gvir obsessed with igniting every possible flame to set the region ablaze, competing with Smotrich over who can create a total war that would lead to the reoccupation of Judea and Samaria (the biblical term for the occupied West Bank), overthrow the Palestinian Authority, and expel large numbers of Palestinians."

Ziv pointed out that "the two extremist ministers have no idea what their dangerous actions mean, nor how they are exploiting Netanyahu’s weakness to create regional instability."

Since the outbreak of the war on Oct. 7, Ben Gvir has incited violence against Palestinians, ranging from calling for the forced displacement of Gazans to proposing a law in the Knesset or parliament to execute Gaza prisoners by firing squad.

Ben Gvir, along with Smotrich, continues to lead frequent incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, and in August he advocated for the construction of a synagogue in its courtyards.     

Loss of deterrence  

Ziv said, "The war itself has become the goal that provides stability for Netanyahu and his government.”

Netanyahu is under public and political pressure within Israel to resign and call early elections, but he refuses.

Israel has continued its offensive on Gaza since a Hamas attack last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 41,100 people, mostly women and children, have been killed and over 95,100 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.  

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi