By Said Amori and Ikram Kouachi
JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi to reprimand the head of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder, over comments attributed to him criticizing US President Donald Trump’s plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza.
According to the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Friday, Katz ordered Halevi—who is set to step down in March—to officially censure Binder for opposing Trump’s proposal.
“There will be no situation where Israeli military officers make statements against the important plan presented by President Trump regarding Gaza or oppose directives from the political leadership,” Katz said.
“I have ordered the military to prepare for the implementation of the plan and that is exactly what the Israeli army must and will do,” he added.
Binder is said to have expressed concerns that Trump’s plan could immediately escalate tensions in the occupied West Bank.
On Tuesday, Trump said at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would “take over” Gaza and resettle Palestinians elsewhere under an extraordinary redevelopment plan that he claimed could turn the enclave into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
He doubled down on his proposal Thursday and said no US soldiers would be needed.
The proposal has been widely condemned by world leaders.