In an interview with FRANCE 24, former Israeli PM Ehud Barak reacted to the cancellation of a football match between Israel and Argentina, PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Europe, as well as the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Barak supports a two-state solution in the Middle East, calling it “the only long-term possible stable equilibrium” and said Israel must take steps to “ease the humanitarian situation in Gaza”, while fighting Hamas. Finally, he said Netanyahu “should resign”.
Similarly, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert questioned the government’s policy on the Gaza Strip in an interview with German TV DW News Wednesday, saying that he has “doubts and questions” over the use of lethal weapons against protesters near the Gaza border fence.
While Israel has the right to block the attempts of thousands of Palestinians to illegally penetrate the security fence, Olmert said that he is “disturbed by the event on the border with Gaza.”
When asked by the interviewer why the IDF targeted “thousands of children,” Olmert said: “Not only thousands of children [came to the demonstrations], there were tens of thousands of people.”
“Indeed, there were many casualties,” he said. “I am terribly sorry and sad about it. I also have serious questions as to what are the appropriate patterns of response to the illegal attempts to penetrate into Israel.”
“Is it necessary to use the guns the ways they were used? [And] the snipers, the way they were used?” Olmert asked.
The former prime minister hinted that Israel should change its conduct in the Gaza Strip: “I think we need to change the relationship with Gaza in a way that does not jeopardize the security of the State of Israel.”
FRANCE24/ JP
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