Israel's Security Threat: Why Troops in Gaza are Unnecessary - Analysis by Steven Scheer
Israel's military veteran Benny Gantz, a former general, and chief of staff, expressed that troops in the southern Gaza border area are not needed for security reasons. He emphasized that Iran, not the Philadelphi corridor, poses the main existential threat to Israel. Gantz's statements came in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on keeping troops in Philadelphi, despite Gantz's belief that soldiers would be vulnerable and ineffective in stopping tunnels.
Gantz also dismissed Netanyahu's claim that withdrawing from Philadelphi would lead to international pressure preventing a return. He highlighted the importance of strategic decisions and the need for new elections. The ongoing negotiations to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas have been hindered by the Philadelphi corridor issue, causing frustration among allies and internal disagreements within the Israeli government.
Gantz proposed a plan to block Hamas tunnels underground, which has not been politically promoted by Netanyahu. Amidst protests in Tel Aviv supporting the hostage release, Gantz called for a deal with Hamas and emphasized the need to address the threat posed by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
In response, Netanyahu defended his government's actions in eliminating key Hamas and Hezbollah leaders and seizing the Philadelphi corridor. He criticized Gantz for leaving the government and urged all parties to contribute to the victory and hostage return.
