Former PM Ehud Olmert accuses Netanyahu of surrendering to extremist ministers pushing for Gaza occupation and warns of dire consequences for hostages and Israeli democracy.
In a blistering interview with Britain’s Sky News, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert issued a grave warning: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be planning a full-scale occupation of the Gaza Strip, with the quiet goal of ethnic displacement—a plan, Olmert asserts, driven not by Netanyahu himself, but by his radical far-right coalition partners.
“The real power isn’t Netanyahu,” Olmert declared, “it’s Ben-Gvir and Smotrich—the ones publicly pushing for Gaza’s occupation and the voluntary emigration of its Palestinian population.”
Olmert painted a dark political vision, alleging that this Gaza strategy is just “phase one” of a broader plan that includes Judea and Samaria, hinting at a dangerous blueprint for demographic engineering.
He also delivered a sobering warning: such a military adventure could endanger the lives of the remaining Israeli hostages, who, he reminded, are already starving and tortured in Hamas captivity. Olmert cited advice allegedly given by former US President Joe Biden, cautioning Israel “not to go too far” in its retaliation for the October 7th massacre.
“Hamas has already been dealt a serious blow,” Olmert said. “Now, the priority should be rescuing the hostages, transitioning to Arab security forces, and launching a diplomatic process led by the Palestinian Authority.”
When asked whether Netanyahu and his cabinet care about Palestinian civilian lives, Olmert’s response was blunt and chilling:
“I’m not sure, unfortunately.”
Olmert also criticized Netanyahu’s fading international support, claiming he is “almost entirely isolated on the world stage,” with the notable exception of Donald Trump, who he says holds the leverage to halt the war.
In Israel’s internal arena, Olmert threw his support behind former PM Ehud Barak’s call for civil disobedience, urging millions of Israelis to rise up, flood the streets, and demand early elections.
“The people no longer trust Netanyahu or his ministers to decide the fate of the hostages—or the war,” Olmert concluded.
As political tremors shake the Israeli establishment, Olmert’s comments add fuel to an already explosive national debate over democracy, war strategy, and the soul of the state.
