Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has issued a blistering condemnation of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, declaring in a Haaretz opinion piece that the state is committing war crimes and engaging in “indiscriminate, limitless, cruel and criminal killing of civilians.”
Olmert, who served as Israel’s 12th Prime Minister from 2006 to 2009 and was once a senior figure in the Likud party, the same political bloc currently led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, described the ongoing war as a “war without purpose, without goals or clear planning and with no chances of success.”
“Never since its establishment has the state of Israel waged such a war,” he wrote. “The criminal gang headed by Benjamin Netanyahu has set a precedent without equal in Israel’s history in this area, too.”
Once a staunch defender of Israel’s conduct in past operations, Olmert acknowledged a significant shift in his stance. “I’ve often said Israel was not committing war crimes in Gaza… but in recent weeks, I’ve been no longer able to do so,” he said. “This is now a war of devastation… the result of government policy – knowingly, evilly, maliciously, irresponsibly dictated. Yes, Israel is committing war crimes.”
Olmert’s column came days after he told the BBC that the ongoing military campaign was a “war without a purpose, a war without a chance of achieving anything that can save the lives of the hostages.” His remarks sparked fierce backlash from Israeli government officials and far-right parties.
Backlash from Israeli government
The comments ignited a political firestorm. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Olmert and other critics of “taking an active part in a diplomatic campaign, in a propaganda war and in legal warfare against the state of Israel and the IDF.”
Education Minister Yoav Kisch went further, accusing Olmert of betraying Israeli troops. “While IDF troops are risking their lives against murderous terrorists seeking our annihilation, he decides to incite and stick a knife in their backs,” Kisch said.
Social Equality Minister May Golan called Olmert’s statements a betrayal. “He is spitting in the face of Israeli soldiers,” she said. “To be exact, there are innocents in Gaza, 58 of them,” she added, referring to the Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.
Escalating Rhetoric from Far-Right Leaders
Olmert’s denunciation comes amidst intensifying rhetoric from members of Israel’s far-right leadership. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich openly described the military campaign as one aimed at the destruction of Gaza. “We are conquering, cleansing and remaining in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed,” he declared. “We’re eliminating ministers, bureaucrats, money handlers, everyone who holds up Hamas’s civilian rule.”
In a chilling televised statement, far-right politician and former Knesset member Moshe Feiglin escalated the tone further, stating: “The enemy is not Hamas… Every child in Gaza is the enemy. We need to occupy Gaza and settle it, and not a single Gazan child will be left there. There is no other victory.”
A divided nation
Olmert’s remarks align with recent comments from former Deputy IDF Chief of Staff and head of the Democrats party, Yair Golan, who said on national broadcaster Kan, “A sane country does not fight against civilians, does not kill babies as a hobby, and does not give itself the aim of expelling populations.”
Both Olmert and Golan have emerged as prominent voices of dissent, challenging the morality, strategy, and legality of the current war, a conflict increasingly marked by staggering civilian casualties and rising humanitarian concerns.
As Israeli leadership continues to draw a hard line, the voices of dissent within the nation’s own political and military establishment raise sharp questions about the direction of the war, the treatment of civilians, and the long-term future of Israel’s security and international standing.
