Haim Ramon: COGAT Says 1 Division To Run Gaza Strip - DM Gallant Claims 4
Former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Health, Minister of Interior,
Minister for Jerusalem Affairs, and Minister of Justice
23 May 2024
X https://x.com/ramonhaim/status/1793496715909099976
{ChatCPT translation)

At a Likud faction meeting held this week, the Defense Minister presented a
nightmare scenario, suggesting that if a military administration is
established in Gaza, it would be the end of the State of Israel or close to
it. Since Gallant does not have substantive reasons to explain his
opposition to military administration, which has already become irrational,
he presented baseless arguments.

The first argument was that "the implication (of an Israeli military
administration in the Gaza Strip) is that the IDF needs to maintain
approximately four divisions permanently." The destruction of Hamas'
military capability and the collapse of its civilian rule require a full
occupation of the strip and the establishment of a temporary military
administration. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Charles
Brown, said this week: "Not only do you really need to go in and eliminate
the adversary you're facing, but you need to hold the territory - and then
you need to stabilize it." General David Petraeus said similar things even
before the war. But who are they compared to Gallant and the Chief of Staff?

COGAT, the body specializing in this issue, presented an opinion that one
division is sufficient to maintain a military administration in the strip,
but Gallant conceals this opinion so that he can continue telling the public
made-up stories.

Gallant estimated that "thousands of soldiers would pay with their lives
over the years." However, it should be noted that in the 56 years between
the Six-Day War and October 7, approximately 500 soldiers were killed in
Judea and Samaria and Gaza, including during the First and Second Intifadas
and extensive operations like Defensive Shield and Protective Edge.

The establishment of a military administration throughout the entire strip
is possible only after the destruction of the majority of Hamas' military
capability, which clearly would lead to a drastic reduction in the number of
soldiers killed. Moreover, the military administration should only be
temporary, and since Gallant agrees that the IDF needs to maintain security
control in the strip for many years, there is no substantial reason for his
opposition to establishing a temporary military administration until the
collapse of Hamas' rule.

Another argument by the Defense Minister was: "We will also have to extend
service to approximately four years." After his lies about "four divisions"
and "thousands of soldiers" killed, it is surprising that Gallant did not
speak about extending service to 40 years. Between 1968 and 2015, Israel
managed four major wars, and during most of these years also maintained a
military administration in Judea and Samaria and the Gaza Strip, yet the
length of military service for men remained three years, and in 2015 it was
even shortened to 32 months.

Finally, Gallant said: "The only approach that can work here is that when
you leave, someone local comes in to replace you." Gallant, who opposes a
temporary military administration, has come up with a slew of bizarre plans
for an alternative government to Hamas, all of which have failed. But let's
assume there is substance to his delusions about local entities that would
rule in our place even before Hamas is defeated. Where are they? He has been
looking for them for seven months, and if he hasn't found them by now, what
makes him think he will find them soon? Meanwhile, Hamas continues to seize
most of the humanitarian aid, including the aid that is now entering through
the American pier (and Hamas even fires at the pier).

Gallant vehemently opposes the viable solution of a temporary military
administration and supports bizarre plans that will never materialize. I
believe that the damage caused by his opposition to a military
administration has driven Gallant out of his mind, which is why he presents
more and more absurd arguments on the subject. Ultimately, there are only
two options for civilian control in the strip at the present time - a
temporary military administration or the continuation of Hamas' rule. By
opposing a temporary military administration, the Defense Minister has
strengthened Hamas' rule.

Gallant, who bears responsibility for the mega-failure of October 7
(alongside the Prime Minister) and who bears responsibility for the
strategic failure in the war (as a member of the war cabinet), demonstrated
in his remarks this week that he is extremely unfit to continue serving as
Defense Minister.
________________________________________
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on
Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il

For free regular subscription:
Subscribe at no charge: imra-subscribe@imra.org.il
Unsubscribe: imra-unsubscribe@imra.org.il

For free daily digest subscription:
Subscribe at no charge: imra-subscribe-digest@imra.org.il
Unsubscribe: imra-unsubscribe@imra.org.il

IMRA is now also on Twitter
http://twitter.com/IMRA_UPDATES