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The Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, Likud MP Nissim Vaturi, initiated a petition calling on the Israeli Defence Minister to strip retired Lieutenant General Moshe (Bogi) Ya’alon and retired Major General Yair Golan of their military ranks, reducing them to the rank of private. The move, first reported by Ma’ariv, was prompted by Vaturi’s allegations that the two officers had made “serious and false” accusations against the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and the State of Israel, thus providing “support” to terrorist organisations and haters of Israel around the world.
The petition, which has already been signed by several MPs and ministers from the coalition, states that Ya’alon and Golan, who held senior positions in the IDF, including Ya’alon as former Chief of Staff and Golan as Deputy Chief of Staff, “slander Israel” and “incite hatred” at a time when the country is fighting on several fronts. Waturi argues that their statements are “not only false, but also contribute to the growth of anti-Israeli sentiment in the world”.
Vaturi stressed that the removal of Ya’alon and Golan’s titles is a necessary symbolic act to demonstrate that their statements do not reflect Israel’s position, and that they are “unworthy, extremist and rejected” individuals. He expressed hope that the petition would be supported by all “Zionist and nationalist” MPs from both the coalition and the opposition.
The day before, Ma’ariv also reported on a bill by Likud MK Ariel Kelner that would strip senior officers of the IDF and other security forces (lieutenant colonel and above) of their ranks and privileges if they call for conscientious objection, stop volunteering, or spread slander against the security forces. In addition, MK Abed Afiv proposed an amendment to the Knesset Basic Law that would prohibit those accusing Israel of “killing innocents during the war” from running for office.
Yair Golan, commenting on these initiatives, called their authors a “pathetic group” and stated that these actions are further proof that “this gang does not understand what democracy is and behaves like a criminal group”.
According to Maariv, Vaturi’s petition has already been supported by numerous MPs and ministers from the coalition, and several more ministers are expected to join it in the coming days.
Source: Maariv
