Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in an interview with the BBC criticized the Israeli army's actions in the Gaza Strip, identifying them as "very close to a war crime".
“This is simply a war without intent — a war without a chance to accomplish anything that could save the lives of the hostages,” Olmert said.
He besides pointed to the immense failure on both sides.
"The apparent image of this war is thousands of Palestinian civilians killed and many Israeli soldiers. From all point of view this is disgusting and outrageous," he added. "We fight the Hamas murderers, we don't fight innocent civilians. That must be clear," he stressed.
A Wave of Criticism Against Olmert
Olmert's words sparked a sharp reaction from Israeli politicians. The Minister of Education Yoav Kisch accused him of “training the State of Israel internationally” and stated that he should “be ashamed.”
Similarly, Israel's erstwhile ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, who considered Olmert's message to be "an unprecedented betrayal of the national interest during the war". It is described in social media as “a man separated from the reality of war” and “a narrator of Israel’s enemies”.
Some commentators propose that Olmert is “trying to get media attention”, as 1 of Netanyahu's erstwhile advisors commented as “an effort to return to political salons at the expense of soldiers on the front”.
Olmert's alternate – political solution, not military
Olmert has for years supported the concept of a two-state solution, which assumes the creation of an independent Palestine alongside Israel, with agreed borders and the division of Jerusalem as the capital of both states. During his word of office, he proposed that Palestinians retreat from 93% of the West Bank and exchange territories.
In his last interview, he stated:
"Every day of this war we decision distant from the anticipation of a peaceful solution. We request an global mechanics and a political plan, not further bombed districts."
In the past, he besides attempted to establish a regional peace alliance involving Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, but his government collapsed before plans took shape.
Number of victims
According to UN and Ministry of wellness figures in Gaza (on 21 May), the Israeli invasion consumed over 36,000 deaths on the Palestinian side, including about 14,000 children. Over 85,000 people are injured. More than 1,600 soldiers were killed on the Israeli side, according to the IDF, and thousands were injured.
