Former Israel PM Bennett: 鈥渕istakes do happen鈥�
Naftali Bennett claims that, unlike Hamas, the IDF 鈥渢ake tremendous care鈥� to avoid killing civilians
Former Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett has told HARDtalk that 鈥渘o Israeli wants this war鈥� and that 鈥渋t could stop right now in two minutes, if Hamas releases the hostages and disarms itself鈥�.
Speaking to Stephen Sackur, Mr Bennett insisted that 鈥淚srael does not deliberately target civilians鈥�. He added that 鈥渨e target terrorists who are hiding amid in the midst of civilians, and who built their entire city of terror under houses, schools and hospitals鈥�.
The IDF鈥檚 conduct has come under further scrutiny following the killing of three unarmed hostages in Gaza. Mr Bennett acknowledged that 鈥渕istakes do happen鈥� and described the situation facing Israeli soldiers: 鈥渟even weeks in a battlefield targeted by Hamas, away from your family, barely sleeping, barely eating鈥�.
Mr Bennett, who served as Prime Minister from June 2021 to June 2022, stressed that the war 鈥渨as imposed on us by a horrendous, savage terror attack that people tend to forget鈥�. He said that 鈥渉orrible things that one cannot imagine鈥� were committed on October 7th and that 鈥渨e're not going to allow Hamas to continue to be鈥�.
Israel鈥檚 most important ally, the United States, has become increasingly critical of the IDF鈥檚 conduct during the war. President Joe Biden said on December 12th that Israel was losing international support due to 鈥渋ndiscriminate bombing鈥�. Mr Bennett told HARDtalk that he disagreed with President Biden鈥檚 statement.
