Ex-IDF Official Calls for Evacuating Settlements; Likud Accuses Opposition of Anti-Settlement Agenda

Yoram Cohen, deputy to former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, has called for the evacuation of some outposts and settlements established by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich without government approval. Cohen's remarks, made in his capacity as deputy to Eisenkot, who is now a minister in the National Unity party, suggest a potential policy shift regarding unauthorized settlements.

In response to Cohen's statement, the Likud party issued a sharp rebuke, stating, "The cat is out of the bag. Eisenkot's number two reveals the truth, Eisenkot will establish a left-wing government that will destroy the settlements and establish a Palestinian state." The Likud's statement frames Cohen's call as evidence of a broader political agenda within the National Unity party aimed at dismantling settlements and facilitating Palestinian statehood.

The controversy highlights the ongoing political tensions surrounding settlement policy in the West Bank and the differing approaches between parties regarding their legality and future. Cohen's position as deputy to a prominent minister and his call for action against unauthorized settlements have ignited a strong reaction from the Likud, which views such actions as detrimental to Israeli sovereignty and security.