Retired general picked to head Israeli army uses quote from Torah to threaten Palestinians

By Faruk Hanedar and Yasin Gungor

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL (AA) - Israel’s incoming army chief threatened Palestinians on Sunday by quoting a verse from the Torah, the Jewish holy book.

“I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed,” said Eyal Zamir, who will replace outgoing Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi on March 6, referring to a passage from the Book of Leviticus, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.

He warned that 2025 would be a year of war and emphasized that the conflict with Palestinians is far from over.

“We still face challenges ahead,” he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frequently referenced the Torah during Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

Zamir’s appointment comes after Halevi resigned, taking responsibility for the military failures that enabled the Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Zamir’s appointment earlier this month.