'Act patiently and cautiously in the North,' says former senior defense official

Brigadier General (res.) Zohar Palti, who served as head of the Political-Military Bureau at Israel's Defense Ministry, responded on Wednesday to statements made earlier this week by Major General Yehuda Fuchs during his resignation speech and changing of the IDF's Central Command.

"Fuchs made an amazing statement, in my opinion, regarding the fact that the state leadership defined the West Bank as a secondary arena since the beginning of the war, and indeed, it remains so," Palti said in the interview with 103FM.

"I give the same answer regarding the Northern Command; state leadership defines the north as a secondary arena. As long as the north is defined as such, it will be handled and prioritized as a secondary front."

"The main effort is primarily to neutralize Hamas and its military capabilities, and first and foremost, to bring our people who were left behind in Gaza back home. After that, we can start dealing with the north.

"Secondly, we need to examine whether the IDF is protecting Israeli citizens in some of its activities in the north."

"We need to act patiently and cautiously in the north, complete the main effort in Gaza, and only then focus everything on the north. But even then, I will ask the question, is it right to deal with the north and not engage with the true root of the entire issue, which is Iran? But that's a different conversation."

Examining lessons in history for the present war 

Regarding the possibility of a ground invasion in Lebanon, Palti replied, "We remember the 18 years we spent in Lebanon, and I suggest before we announce that we are returning to Lebanon, especially with ground forces, after the IDF fought so long in Gaza – I suggest taking a deep breath, conducting a reassessment, and seeing if it is in Israel's best interests, and not to disconnect it from the larger conversation about Iran.

"I think Fuchs is on the right path with his approach and initial steps, that he first criticized the IDF and himself. He took responsibility above all else. This is exactly what we want to see from ethical officers. He is an example and a role model for young officers."