Retired Colonel Urges Israel to Militarily Occupy Gaza and Enforce Disarmament

Retired Colonel Yoni Ben Menachem outlined a firm stance on Israel's approach to the Gaza Strip during a recent interview on Channel 14's "Israel This Morning." He described the current phase as "critical and dangerous" and emphasized the need for Israel to militarily and administratively occupy Gaza, a step he said has not yet been achieved.

Ben Menachem stressed that Israel must maintain control over all currently held territories and possibly expand its positions. He identified the primary objective as the disarmament of Gaza, not merely Hamas's military wing, but the complete removal of all weapons, including ammunition, RPGs, anti-tank missiles, and rockets. He called for stringent intelligence gathering and oversight of the disarmament process, insisting that any weapons confiscated must be verified by Israeli forces.

He also advocated for a change in the rules of engagement, stating that anyone carrying a weapon in Gaza should be considered an enemy and targeted accordingly. Addressing the potential failure of a disarmament agreement, Ben Menachem warned that if the deal collapses, Israel must continue its fight against terrorism.

In such a scenario, he proposed expanding military operations to disarm Hamas throughout Areas C and B in the West Bank and urged the Palestinian Authority to take similar actions in Area A. He concluded by emphasizing that Israel should not remain passive but intensify its efforts to combat Hamas and other terrorist groups.