Katz: Eisenkot ready to abandon North, return Hezbollah

Defense Minister Israel Katz launched a sharp attack Thursday against Gadi Eisenkot, with serious accusations concerning the security of northern residents and Israel's defense policy. Katz claimed that Eisenkot is prepared to withdraw immediately from the security zone in Lebanon established to protect northern residents.

"Eisenkot, who is ready to withdraw immediately from the security zone in Lebanon that we established to protect the North, and I suggest he not deny it in case I will be forced to prove it, when the immediate consequence is returning Hezbollah to the fence and abandoning the northern residents," the defense minister wrote in a sharp statement.

Katz went on to accuse Yair Golan, the Democrats' candidate for defense minister, of serious charges against IDF soldiers. "Whose designated defense minister, Golan, accuses IDF soldiers of killing children in Gaza as a hobby," Katz claimed, presenting the difference between the security approaches of the two camps.

The defense minister also addressed policy toward Iran, claiming the rival camp opposes decisive action. "And opposes the elimination of Khamenei and the strikes we delivered on Iran, while removing the threat of annihilation and strengthening Israel's security, and it is clear he will not attack Iran again to complete the objectives," Katz clarified.

Katz accused his political rivals of spreading a "false libel" that the prime minister and defense minister are initiating an attack on Iran before the elections for political reasons to prevent them. "And they spread it and also respond to it with feigned shock, thereby strengthening and encouraging the enemy to attack Israel," he claimed.

At the end of his remarks, he emphasized: "He won't teach me what responsibility is and what real security is." He clarified that the current government has changed Israel's security concept to a policy of initiative and attack, in contrast to the containment and arrangement approach that the rival camp championed.

The statements come against the backdrop of high alert in the security establishment and the growing possibility of a military campaign breaking out against Iran.

"We have changed Israel's security concept to a policy of initiative and attack and dealing with threats and defending settlements from deep within enemy territory, in contrast to the containment and arrangement approach that he and his colleagues championed for all these years, and we will continue to do this when the voter places his trust in us again," Katz concluded.