08 Apr 2021; MEMO: Israeli Brigadier General (Reserve) Zvika Fogel yesterday warned that the political crisis in Israel and the conflicts among Israeli politicians have had destructive consequences on next generations, the Shehab news agency reported.
Shehab reported Israeli TV Channel 7 quoting Fogel saying that the Israeli community "is heading towards the abyss with full awareness and without hesitation due to the involvement of its politicians in internal wars."
"We have lost our sovereignty in the Negev and we are no longer controlling crime gangs which are active there," he said, "we are losing sovereignty in the West Bank and Jordan Valley."
Commenting on the potential involvement of Arab parties in an Israeli government coalition, he said: "If I were Yahya Al Sinwar [Hamas leader in Gaza] or Hassan Nasrallah [Hezbollah's leader in South Lebanon], I would launch 1,000 rockets when such a government is announced in order to prove its fragility and how easily it would be dissolved."
He did however commend Israel for its "tremendous successes" in undermining Iran's nuclear programme.
He said that Iran would never pose an existential danger to Israel even if it developed its capabilities because the Islamic Republic recognises that Israel has enough power to launch "hard and painful strikes" against it.
"Peace and coexistence," he explained, "will never happen unless Israel proves its ability to beat and cause harm to its enemies."