Former Head of IDF Ground Forces Says Government Has No Moral Right to Prevent the Military from Annihilating Hamas
Major General (Res.) Guy Tzur speaks about the next steps expected in Gaza in an IsraelDefense interview
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 17/10/2023
Major General (Res.) Guy Tzur, who was chief of the IDF Ground Force Command and held various other significant positions, granted an interview to IsraelDefense during which he attempted to provide some clarity as to where the war is headed and what will happen in Gaza.
"In the Gaza fighting rounds up until now, the clock was ticking for the IDF. The goal was to end the fighting quickly and achieve as much quiet as possible. After the terrible massacre last Saturday, there is a change in the equation – that's how the army understands it, and it seems the Minister of Defense as well," Tzur says.
"There are several components that need to dictate the objectives of the battle. Neutralizing Hamas' military capability is the top goal and can be achieved in a matter of weeks of fighting. After a few months, it is possible to achieve a complete clearance of the strip from Hamas."
"An additional component is to maintain a military presence in the Gaza Strip, and to engage in combat whenever there is a development. Another component is the creation of a buffer zone between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Given the horrific massacre carried out by Hamas, we have every moral right to reclaim this territory for Israel. It will be a 'no man's land' where anyone who enters will be fired upon."
"A third important component is returning the Israeli communities in the area to normalcy, as much as possible. This can only be done once Hamas's military capability is eliminated. The reconstruction needs to be swift, and there needs to be a massive investment in the communities that were there before the massacre so that they can flourish once again.
If we implement all of these components, we can restore deterrence to the IDF and send a clear message to any enemy that it will be annihilated if it decides to slaughter Jews."
What about Israel’s economy?
"Israeli economy will endure this," Tzur argues. "Yes, during the months of war, it won't be easy. However, in the long run, eliminating Hamas in Gaza will bolster the economy."
"The State of Israel will reduce the threat from Gaza to zero. Not only will the communities in the vicinity benefit from this, but the entire economy will. There will be one less front. Israel can reemerge as different, better. For years, we've been playing with Hamas, and it has ended very badly."
How should the civilian population in Gaza be handled during a time of war?
"First, it's important to understand that we are not responsible for the residents of Gaza," Tzur explains. "They chose Hamas, which butchered our civilians and abducted them. They slaughtered infants, women, and men without protection. Thousands of Gaza residents joined in this massacre.
“The moment the residents actively participated in choosing Hamas and slaughtered our civilians – let the world take care of them."
"However, we cannot ignore the fact that we are a moral army, we are not seeking to harm infants. The world will have to address the situation in Gaza under the restrictions that we impose. There will be humanitarian corridors and the entry of water and food. The Gaza population will not die of starvation during the fighting with Hamas.
"Yes, it's complex. However, it is possible to manage the issue of the civilian population in Gaza along with the international community during the conflict. As our military achievements grow, we can become more humanitarian because there will be no Hamas. We can also provide humanitarian benefits in exchange for the release of captives. All of this doesn't need to divert us from the goal of the war - to neutralize Hamas' military capabilities."
Are you concerned about a Hezbollah trap?
Since the beginning of the fighting on Saturday, I've been reading and listening to various scenarios. Some claim that Hezbollah will attack as soon as there's a flare-up in Gaza. Others argue that Iran will intervene if there's a maneuver in Lebanon," Tzur says.
"I don't know what's correct. There's no doubt that as opinions multiply, the decision will become more difficult. However, it's important to remember that the IDF is preparing for three fronts: the West Bank, the North, and the South. If Iran decides to enter the conflict – there are American forces in the region, and it will turn into a regional war. The American government has stated firmly that it will stand by Israel if other parties seek to exploit the situation," explains Tzur.
"We currently have no choice. We cannot just stop and leave Hamas in Gaza. We would be perceived as weak, and there's no room for that in the Middle East. The more powerful and assertive we become, the more deterrence we will instill in Hezbollah.
"Hezbollah has been operating at a minimum level in the past week. However, it's true that there can always be a miscalculation or a glitch that could escalate the situation. For the Americans, the images from the Israeli communities near Gaza represent ISIS rising again. In their value set. There is no place in the world for such a phenomenon. Even if the IDF lost some of its reputation, I would suggest that Iran doesn’t attempt the Israel-US combination.”
During previous confrontations, the US didn’t send troops to the region, what has changed?
"The IDF without the Americans does not have the same capabilities,” Tzur explains. "We are fortunate to have them as our partner. It’s a tremendous force multiplier.
“The USA is a nation that operates based on a specific set of values. When they saw the massacre in the Gaza Strip, they understood that ISIS had raised its head right inside Israel. From their point of view, this threat cannot exist in the Middle East. The only ones who can disrupt the American decisiveness to eliminate Hamas are the Israelis.”
What if the government holds the army back?
If the government does not allow the IDF to eliminate Hamas, there is a fear of civil uprising. The government bears responsibility for the massacre in the Gaza Strip. I don't believe anyone in Israel will agree to another 'regular' round in Gaza that ends with Hamas still in power there. The government has no moral right to prevent the IDF from annihilating Hamas."
Major General (Res.) Guy Tzur speaks about the next steps expected in Gaza in an IsraelDefense interview
Major General (Res.) Guy Tzur, who was chief of the IDF Ground Force Command and held various other significant positions, granted an interview to IsraelDefense during which he attempted to provide some clarity as to where the war is headed and what will happen in Gaza.
"In the Gaza fighting rounds up until now, the clock was ticking for the IDF. The goal was to end the fighting quickly and achieve as much quiet as possible. After the terrible massacre last Saturday, there is a change in the equation – that's how the army understands it, and it seems the Minister of Defense as well," Tzur says.
"There are several components that need to dictate the objectives of the battle. Neutralizing Hamas' military capability is the top goal and can be achieved in a matter of weeks of fighting. After a few months, it is possible to achieve a complete clearance of the strip from Hamas."
"An additional component is to maintain a military presence in the Gaza Strip, and to engage in combat whenever there is a development. Another component is the creation of a buffer zone between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Given the horrific massacre carried out by Hamas, we have every moral right to reclaim this territory for Israel. It will be a 'no man's land' where anyone who enters will be fired upon."
"A third important component is returning the Israeli communities in the area to normalcy, as much as possible. This can only be done once Hamas's military capability is eliminated. The reconstruction needs to be swift, and there needs to be a massive investment in the communities that were there before the massacre so that they can flourish once again.
If we implement all of these components, we can restore deterrence to the IDF and send a clear message to any enemy that it will be annihilated if it decides to slaughter Jews."
What about Israel’s economy?
"Israeli economy will endure this," Tzur argues. "Yes, during the months of war, it won't be easy. However, in the long run, eliminating Hamas in Gaza will bolster the economy."
"The State of Israel will reduce the threat from Gaza to zero. Not only will the communities in the vicinity benefit from this, but the entire economy will. There will be one less front. Israel can reemerge as different, better. For years, we've been playing with Hamas, and it has ended very badly."
How should the civilian population in Gaza be handled during a time of war?
"First, it's important to understand that we are not responsible for the residents of Gaza," Tzur explains. "They chose Hamas, which butchered our civilians and abducted them. They slaughtered infants, women, and men without protection. Thousands of Gaza residents joined in this massacre.
“The moment the residents actively participated in choosing Hamas and slaughtered our civilians – let the world take care of them."
"However, we cannot ignore the fact that we are a moral army, we are not seeking to harm infants. The world will have to address the situation in Gaza under the restrictions that we impose. There will be humanitarian corridors and the entry of water and food. The Gaza population will not die of starvation during the fighting with Hamas.
"Yes, it's complex. However, it is possible to manage the issue of the civilian population in Gaza along with the international community during the conflict. As our military achievements grow, we can become more humanitarian because there will be no Hamas. We can also provide humanitarian benefits in exchange for the release of captives. All of this doesn't need to divert us from the goal of the war - to neutralize Hamas' military capabilities."
Are you concerned about a Hezbollah trap?
Since the beginning of the fighting on Saturday, I've been reading and listening to various scenarios. Some claim that Hezbollah will attack as soon as there's a flare-up in Gaza. Others argue that Iran will intervene if there's a maneuver in Lebanon," Tzur says.
"I don't know what's correct. There's no doubt that as opinions multiply, the decision will become more difficult. However, it's important to remember that the IDF is preparing for three fronts: the West Bank, the North, and the South. If Iran decides to enter the conflict – there are American forces in the region, and it will turn into a regional war. The American government has stated firmly that it will stand by Israel if other parties seek to exploit the situation," explains Tzur.
"We currently have no choice. We cannot just stop and leave Hamas in Gaza. We would be perceived as weak, and there's no room for that in the Middle East. The more powerful and assertive we become, the more deterrence we will instill in Hezbollah.
"Hezbollah has been operating at a minimum level in the past week. However, it's true that there can always be a miscalculation or a glitch that could escalate the situation. For the Americans, the images from the Israeli communities near Gaza represent ISIS rising again. In their value set. There is no place in the world for such a phenomenon. Even if the IDF lost some of its reputation, I would suggest that Iran doesn’t attempt the Israel-US combination.”
During previous confrontations, the US didn’t send troops to the region, what has changed?
"The IDF without the Americans does not have the same capabilities,” Tzur explains. "We are fortunate to have them as our partner. It’s a tremendous force multiplier.
“The USA is a nation that operates based on a specific set of values. When they saw the massacre in the Gaza Strip, they understood that ISIS had raised its head right inside Israel. From their point of view, this threat cannot exist in the Middle East. The only ones who can disrupt the American decisiveness to eliminate Hamas are the Israelis.”
What if the government holds the army back?
If the government does not allow the IDF to eliminate Hamas, there is a fear of civil uprising. The government bears responsibility for the massacre in the Gaza Strip. I don't believe anyone in Israel will agree to another 'regular' round in Gaza that ends with Hamas still in power there. The government has no moral right to prevent the IDF from annihilating Hamas."
