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Tel Aviv
Former Israeli defence minister Moshe Yaalon accused the Benjamin Netanyahu government of ethnic cleansing in the northern Gaza Strip, the news agency Reuters reported late Sunday (Dec. 1), citing local media.
Yaalon had served as the defence minister under Prime Minister Netanyahu from 2013 to 2016. He was also the former chief of army staff.
Speaking to Israeli broadcaster Kan, Yaalon said on Sunday that hardliners in Netanyahu's cabinet were looking to chase Palestinians from northern Gaza and wanted to re-establish Jewish settlements there.
'...war crimes are being committed'
Yaalon told Ken, "I am compelled to warn about what is happening there and is being concealed from us."
"At the end of the day, war crimes are being committed," the former defence minister added.
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In a separate interview with Democrat TV, Yaalon warned on Saturday (November 30) that Israel was at a crossroads with the government looking "to conquer, to annexe, to carry out ethnic cleansing."
"What is going on there? There is no Beit Lahiya, no Beit Hanoun, they are operating now in Jabaliya and basically cleaning the area of Arabs," he said, referring to the Palestinian neighbourhoods north of Gaza City.
He added that hardliners wanted to establish Jewish settlement there, 19 years after Israel withdrew from the territory—a disengagement Yaalon had opposed at the time.
Israeli govt criticises Yaalon's remarks
Yaalon's remarks were criticised by the Netanyahu government.
Addressing a press conference, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said, "Everything Israel does is in accordance with international law and it is a pity that former minister Yaalon does not realise the damage that he has done and retract his remarks."
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Meanwhile, Netanyahu's Likud party accused Yaalon of spreading "slanderous lies."
(With inputs from agencies)