Israel’s military was thrown into chaos after the country’s Defence Minister announced live on a right-wing talk show that he was replacing a senior general in charge of the occupied West Bank, prompting a massive backlash and accusations that the government is sacrificing legality for political gain.
Israel Katz said he would appoint Maj Gen Dado Bar Kalifa as the next head of the Central Command, a post currently held by Maj Gen Avi Bluth, because the latter renewed a restraining order against violent settler Tal Yinon Dardik, who is suspected of sexually abusing a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank village of Khirbet Humsa, among other violent attacks.
Dardik lives on an illegal outpost in Area B of the territory, which is supposed to be under Palestinian civil control.
Israel’s military quickly came to the defence of Mr Bluth, saying that “the chief of staff has no intention of replacing commanders in key positions during this sensitive period”. Mr Bluth is criticised by the far-right of Israel’s settlement movement for the detention order, but has told people who live on outposts, which are illegal even under Israeli law, that he “appreciates their work”.
Mr Bluth made the comments as Israeli settler and military violence soars in the occupied West Bank, leading to almost daily attacks that are often deadly and include mass vandalism and displacement.
Mr Katz said the military appealed the cancellation of the detention order “against my position” and that it was “the wrong step”. He later denied that he had announced the replacement. “The attempt to portray my remarks as if I called for the dismissal of the Central Command chief live on air is a complete lie, part of a political campaign directed against the government,” he said in a statement.
Mr Katz made his comments during a panel on Channel 14, a popular right-wing show on which government ministers often appear. Mr Katz is a senior member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Since taking office, Mr Katz has criticised and reversed the use of administrative detention orders against Jews, while encouraging their continuing use against Palestinians. Administrative detention allows authorities to detain someone without trial on the grounds that they might be about to break the law.
Israel’s opposition was quick to criticise the announcement. Yair Golan of the Democrats party said Mr Katz’s comments were the “crossing of a red line that proves that this destructive government has lost all restraint”.
Naftali Bennett, a former prime minister, defence minister and settler leader, said: “The dismissal of Bluth is a crazy step that stems from trained ministers who receive orders from deranged entities.”
Yoav Gallant, Mr Netanyahu’s former defence minister, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, called Mr Katz’s remarks “a contemptible act”.
Even leaders of Israel’s settlement movement backed Mr Bluth. Shai Alon, the mayor of settlement Beit El, said it was “an absolute disgrace that the Defence Minister fires the head of Central Command who has established 104 settlements”. The Yesha Council, an umbrella group that represents settlements, praised him for “developing” settlements.
