Former Israeli PM Olmert: Gaza Offensive Could Destroy Israel's Soul, Urges Trump Intervention

Olmert's Accusations Against Netanyahu's Gaza Offensive

• 🚨 Ehud Olmert, former Prime Minister of Israel, states that continuing the current military operations in Gaza is a "crime".
• 🎯 He criticizes the offensive as a "war of devastation", characterized by indiscriminate and cruel killing of civilians, which he believes is unnecessary.
• 💥 Olmert argues that a full-scale occupation of Gaza would be a "death trap" for Israeli soldiers and hostages, and would lead to the loss of many Palestinian lives.

Israeli Protests and Internal Opposition

• ✊ Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have protested against Netanyahu's strategy, with Olmert comparing the scale to a demonstration of 10 million people in the US.
• ⚠️ Senior Israeli army commanders and security officials have petitioned Netanyahu, stating that the objectives are "not worth the cost".
• 📉 Olmert believes these protests are having an impact and could grow, potentially bringing down the government.

Evolution of Olmert's Stance

• ✅ Olmert maintains that the initial Israeli response to the October 7th attacks was justified and inevitable.
• 📉 However, after 22 months of conflict, with 70% of Gaza's buildings destroyed and tens of thousands killed, he finds the continuation of military operations unacceptable.
• 🎯 He emphasizes that there is no clear objective or vision for the "day after" in Gaza, making the ongoing war unjustifiable.

Plea for Trump's Intervention

• 📢 Olmert directly appeals to President Trump to intervene and pressure Netanyahu to end the war immediately.
• 🤝 He suggests Trump has significant influence over Netanyahu and can persuade him to stop the offensive, which would allow for the return of hostages.
• 🕊️ Olmert proposes an interim security force composed of Palestinians and moderate Arab nations to govern Gaza post-conflict, enabling Israel to withdraw.

Dangers of Continued Conflict for Israel

• 💔 Olmert warns that Israel is losing international respect and status due to the current government's perceived recklessness and irresponsibility.
• 🚫 He argues that many international critics are not anti-Semites but are reacting to the government's actions, which he believes are damaging Israel's integrity and "soul".
• 🛑 Olmert urges for an end to the conflict before Israel becomes isolated and loses its standing in the international community.