Yair Netanyahu Blasts IDF Chief for Suspending ‘Devoted’ Troops After CNN Incident
The Prime Minister’s son shared an Instagram post from the wife of a Netzah Yehuda reservist, who slammed Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir for suspending the battalion’s operational activity following the incident involving a CNN crew. "He cried in the Cabinet that the IDF is collapsing because there aren't enough fighters," she wrote.
Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amplified criticism of Israel's military leadership Monday by sharing an Instagram post from the wife of a reservist in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, which was suspended from operational duties after an altercation with a CNN news crew.
Walla reported that the post attacked IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, quoting the reservist's wife: "He cried in the Cabinet that the IDF is collapsing because there aren't enough fighters and then he kicks out the most devoted ones."
The suspension followed an incident involving the battalion and a CNN crew in Judea and Samaria. A senior IDF officer said Monday that the reservists had been deployed to evacuate an illegal outpost and serve as a buffer force ahead of Border Police arrival, responding to reports of four illegal outposts established overnight in the Menashe and Etzion sectors.
"What you see in the video is a sergeant and two fighters sent to prevent friction between Palestinians and Israelis," the officer said, adding that the military acknowledged the situation was mishandled. One soldier who made statements deemed to have crossed "a red line" will be dismissed. A second soldier faces a disciplinary hearing over allegations of violence from two photographers, which the soldier denies. The Military Police will conduct a review.
The battalion has been removed from defensive duties and transferred to the Lachish training base for a week of what the IDF described as "educational realignment," covering military conduct, media interaction, combat values and the military's "Purity of Arms" doctrine. Battalion, company, and platoon commanders have all been summoned for disciplinary discussions.
The move drew immediate backlash from within the unit. Sources close to the battalion called it collective punishment. "They've hurt hundreds of fighters, many of whom are married with children," one source said. "They took an isolated incident and turned it into a battalion problem." Some soldiers indicated they did not intend to attend the mandatory training.