Bennett and Eisenkot Condemn Deri for Politicizing IDF Chief of Staff

Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Yachad party, sharply criticized Aryeh Deri, leader of Shas, for his recent remarks against IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. Bennett accused Deri of mixing politics with the military and claimed that only in the current government formed on October 7 would someone like Deri, whose career he described as encouraging mass draft evasion, dare to blame the Chief of Staff for his own failures.

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisra party and former IDF Chief of Staff, also condemned Deri's statements. Eisenkot stated that it is neither Jewish nor leadership to send only part of the Jewish people to a war of obligation and to turn the Chief of Staff into a pawn in a dirty political game. Both Bennett and Eisenkot's comments highlight a growing political dispute involving the military's role and criticism within the current Israeli government.

The controversy centers on Deri's accusations against Zamir, which Bennett and Eisenkot see as inappropriate politicization of the military leadership. The dispute reflects tensions in the government formed after the events of October 7, with Bennett and Eisenkot defending the IDF leadership against political attacks.