Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has accused Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza, declaring he can no longer defend the country’s actions and branding the Netanyahu government “a criminal gang”.
In a scathing Haaretz op-ed, Olmert – who served as prime minister from 2006 to 2009 – wrote that Israel was waging “a war without purpose, without goals or clear planning,” and that the death toll among Palestinian civilians had reached “monstrous proportions”.
“What we are doing in Gaza now is a war of devastation: indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians,” he wrote. “Yes, Israel is committing war crimes.”
The former Likud politician, once a staunch defender of Israel’s military conduct, said he could no longer claim the IDF avoids targeting civilians. “This is now a private political war,” he argued, “its immediate result is the transformation of Gaza into a humanitarian disaster area.”
Speaking to the BBC and CNN, Olmert reiterated that the military campaign was not serving Israel’s interests. “It doesn’t serve any important interests of the state of Israel at this point,” he said, calling for an end to what he described as “unjustified” military expansion.
His comments follow those of retired general Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, who recently told Israeli media: “A sane country does not kill babies as a hobby.”
Israeli ministers hit back, accusing Olmert and Golan of treachery. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the pair were aiding “a propaganda war against Israel”. Education Minister Yoav Kisch claimed Olmert had “stuck a knife in the back” of IDF soldiers, while Social Equality Minister May Golan accused him of “spitting in their face”.
Finance Minister Smotrich defended the military offensive, saying: “We are conquering, cleansing and remaining in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed.” Moshe Feiglin, a former MK, went further, telling Channel 14: “Every child in Gaza is the enemy. Not a single Gazan child will be left there.”
According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 54,000 Palestinians – including 28,000 women and children – have been killed since 7 October. The IDF claims it has eliminated over 20,000 Hamas fighters.
Despite growing domestic disillusionment and calls for a hostage deal, Netanyahu has refused to commit to ending the war. Olmert now pins his hopes on international pressure. “I really certainly think that he [Trump] is the only person perhaps that can force the Israeli prime minister to come to terms with reality and with the moral reality of what is being accomplished by this government.”
