“Israeli” Chief of Staff Defies Bibi, Dismisses Smotrich’s Comments: “I Did Not Feel Insulted”

By Staff, Hebrew Media

The “Israeli” military analyst in the Maariv newspaper, Avi Ashkenazi, reported that the new Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, has completed 60 days in office this week and has recently issued a series of statements regarding military plans. Among them, he noted that 2025 will be a year of war, focusing on Gaza and Iran, while also aiming to consolidate and deepen gains in other arenas. He outlined several future directives, including a prioritization of war objectives that contradict statements made by “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the International Bible Contest ceremony.

Ashkenazi affirmed, according to the "Israeli" Occupation Forces, that “the army’s top priorities are bringing back the captives and toppling Hamas.”

The Chief of Staff himself was also heard on several occasions clarifying the IOF’s priorities: “Our foremost policy is the ethical duty to recover the captives, followed by the objective of dismantling Hamas.”

Ashkenazi noted that Zamir estimated on Thursday that the fighting in Gaza will soon enter a new phase. He stated, “Despite military pressure, Hamas continues to resist compliance. Therefore, the forces will intensify the fighting and may call up additional reserve forces.”

According to Ashkenazi, the Chief of Staff appears to be on a collision course with certain figures within the entity, particularly regarding the draft law. He stated, “Due to numerous challenges, the forces must expand—this is a security necessity and the call of the hour.” He reported that the IOF intends to recruit thousands of Haredim annually.

Ashkenazi continued that just last week, Zamir came under verbal attack from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over the ongoing military operations in Gaza and humanitarian aid distribution.

Quoting the IOF, Ashkenazi reported that the Chief of Staff responded to the incident by saying, “I did not feel insulted by his remarks. Anyone who speaks in such a manner insults himself more than he insults me. I will not be drawn into this kind of discourse. I have made it clear: If there is someone who can do this job better than I can, they are more than welcome.”