Galant: We destroyed tunnels during Cast Lead and the government did nothing
Kulanu's Major General (res.) Yoav Galant says defense minister and others were aware of tunnels from Gaza for years but failed to prepare adequately.
"We knew and we reached them under the radar. 92 tunnels were destroyed by the southern command," he said. He said the existence of the tunnels was known before Operation Protective Edge.
"The defense minister and others were photographed inside the tunnels," Galant claimed. "It's absurd not to prepare a plan and to say they didn't know. The soldiers and the military command know how to get the job done and the political echelon and defense minister did not allow them to complete the mission."
Galant also criticized the results of last summer's Operation Protective Edge. "I understood that something went wrong. A good campaign is measured by the fact that it is inexpensive in human life and resources, short, and has high-quality results. The latest operation in Gaza accomplished none of these things, and it is unacceptable to me for us to be even with Hamas at the end of a military operation."
Galant added that Hezbollah's attack in the north on Wednesday that killed Major Yochai Kalangel and Staff-Sgt. Dor Nini was the result of political mismanagement, and not the army's fault.
"Hezbollah is attempting to widen the Lebanon region towards the Golan Heights," he said. "We must prevent this, but this isn't something that's disconnected from its environment. A fierce struggle between Shiites and Sunnis is taking place. We need to act on the one hand and on the other hand to stand on the sidelines and wish luck to both sides in mutual pulverizing. We don't need to play ping pong with Hezbollah."
When asked about the government's defense experience, Galant said that "most of the actors in the government do not understand anything about security. I did not make my way through the television studios. When you tell inexperienced actors things they don't know how to deal with, this is the result."
The candidate for Knesset also had criticism for the chairman of Bayit Yehudi, Naftali Bennett. "The plan for one bi-national state with a Palestinian majority beyond the Jordan river will bring disaster on the Zionist dream," he said. If Netanyahu takes votes away from the center and acts like Bennett, that's an equally problematic disaster.
"Kahlon presents the clearest equation for citizens," said Galant. "Without economic and social resilience, there will be no national resilience. Only when the reservist knows that he can purchase an apartment and food for his babies inexpensively, will he be able to fulfill his duties. Moshe Kahlon is the man who came from the bottom to the top through his deeds, not through words."
