Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Denounces the Gaza War on Danish TV

Aug. 27—During Danish TV station DR2’s widely-seen evening news interview program “Deadline” on Aug. 21, after the announcement of the Israeli government’s intention to take over Gaza City, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denounced the plan, the continuation of the war, and the Netanyahu government.

While supporting the beginning of the war, as a reaction to the October 7, 2023 attacks, he said things have changed. “The perception in Israel of all the former commanders of the Israeli army, senior generals, the head of the Mossad, the security services, share the same opinion that today, there is not any objective which is worth the cost of continuing the war, perhaps losing the hostages, killing many Israeli soldiers unnecessarily, and killing many Palestinians who are not involved in terror. Under such circumstances, there is not any basis for continuing the war, and this is the opinion of more than 70% of the Israelis….”

“If the meaning of this plan [to take over Gaza City] means the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Gazans is totally unbearable and unacceptable….” It will be forced deportation, and in that case, “there is no other way to interpret it but ethnic cleansing. I hope it will not take place.”

Regarding the Greater Israel faction, he said that “Gaza has never been connected historically to the Jewish people….” There were Israeli settlements, but they were dismantled. He denounced Ministers [National Security] Ben-Gvir and {Finance] Smotrich and the “messianic groups’” fantasies and dreams. “These dreams are an imminent and immediate danger to the well-being, the future, and the security and the stability, and the status of the State of Israel. And I hope that we will have enough power within the State of Israel to prevent it.” Olmert called for overthrowing the Netanyahu government, and for the international community to make a distinction between the government and the Israeli people.