West Bank 'apartheid' is 'just like Nazi Germany' - former IDF commander

Former IDF Northern Command commander Amiram Levin stated that there has been "absolute apartheid" in the West Bank for the past 57 years, during an interview with KAN Reshet Bet radio on Sunday morning.

"[Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] is sharp and he has always been sharp, but he's startled by the case against him and the too-long years in power have done their work. There is no one who stays in power that long and doesn't fall to the sin of hubris, who isn't surrounded by sycophants instead of serious people who would give him a real picture of things," said Levin.

"A Messianic, criminal group who graduated from the hilltop youth took advantage of his weakness, people who do not even understand what democracy is. They came from the West Bank. For 57 years there has been no democracy there. There is absolute apartheid there. The IDF against its will has to enforce sovereignty there and is standing by and watching the rampant settlers and is beginning to be complicit in war crimes. This is 10 times worse than the issue of [the IDF] being ready and training hours. Walk around Hebron and you will see streets where Arabs cannot walk, just like what happened in Germany."

"I am not pitying the Palestinians, I am pitying us. We are killing ourselves from within. Bibi failed here. He placed criminals and draft dodgers in key positions who, in a civilized country would be sitting behind bars."

Levin served in the IDF from 1965-1998, starting as a paratrooper and finishing as commander of Northern Command. Levin also served as deputy head of the Mossad. 

Levin in 2017: 'We'll tear the Palestinians apart if they don't accept a peace deal'

In an interview with Maariv in 2017, Amiram stated that the Palestinians "deserved the occupation," adding that any peace negotiations should not return to the '67 lines.

"If they don't want to move forward with [Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas]'s leadership, which is probably incapable, a young leadership will come, one that ate shit, sat in prison, and saw that it is impossible to beat us. We will give them a carrot in the shape of a country, and if they don't want it, we'll tear them apart. I too would like the complete Land of Israel. Many times I say that if they violate agreements, the next time we fight they will not stay here, we will throw them across the Jordan. This is how you have to fight. We were too kind in '67."

Levin's support for Breaking the Silence

In 2015, Levin expressed support for the Breaking the Silence organization - an organization that publishes anonymous testimonies from veterans concerning abuse and vandalism in operations by Israeli security forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip - stating that it "strengthens our morality."

"Under the difficult conditions imposed on the IDF, it must struggle every day to encourage and maintain a high morale level," added Levin at the time. "Breaking the Silence protects IDF soldiers in the impossible position the politicians have placed them."

"The IDF must encourage Breaking the Silence and those like them to make their voice heard without fear among the IDF and Israeli society (and only within the IDF and Israeli society)," continued the former IDF official's statement. "As a person who was once a combat soldier and a commander, and today is a father to two combat officers who served in the paratroopers and saw with their own eyes, I am breaking the silence."