Likud Praises Netanyahu for Rejecting Former Hostages Chief's Hamas Concessions

The Likud party responded sharply to comments made by Nitzan Alon, former head of the Hostages and Missing Persons Command, who criticized Israeli leadership for refusing to agree to full hostage exchange deals with Hamas in pursuit of a "complete victory," which he called a falsehood. Alon made these remarks during a conference at Reichman University in Herzliya.

Likud accused Alon of advocating surrender to Hamas demands, including withdrawing from Gaza and ending the war prematurely. They also accused him of leaking sensitive information from secret negotiations, thereby harming the peace process. The party stated it was fortunate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not heed Alon's advice.

According to Likud, Netanyahu's rejection of Alon's position allowed Israel to achieve significant military and strategic successes, including the capture of Rafah, control over the Philadelphi Route, the elimination of key militant leaders such as Nasrallah, Haniyeh, and Daph, the establishment of security zones, dominance over most of the Gaza Strip, and the return of all Israeli hostages.

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions within Israeli political and military circles regarding the approach to Hamas and the broader conflict in Gaza. Likud's statement underscores its support for Netanyahu's hardline policies and frames Alon's stance as detrimental to Israel's security and negotiation efforts.