Mofaz: "I knew the decision would be unpopular"
צילום: איי פי
Protestors slam Mofaz's decision
Demonstrators upset over decision not to extend Army Chief Yaalon's term, say defense minister "stunk up the army"
TEL AVIV - Dozens of demonstrators rallied outside the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv Sunday evening in a show of support for Chief-of-Staff Moshe (Bugi) Yaalon, who was informed this week that his term would not be extended.
The protestors also expressed their anger at Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, who had decided not to grant Yaalon the customary fourth year in office. This was the first time in the IDF’s history that the army chief's term had not been extended.
Mofaz said Sunday morning at the weekly Cabinet meeting that he knew his decision would be unpopular, but decided to go ahead with it for the benefit of the IDF and Israel and for the benefit of the “national missions facing the country.”
“I think it is proper to put a new person at the head of the army, a person who would be able face the challenges ahead,” he said, referring to the planned disengagement from Gaza slated for July.
'Mofaz, you stunk up the IDF'
Among the demonstrators were members of Yaalon’s kibbutz in the south who came to show their solidarity. Protestors held up banners reading “Bugi we love you”, and “the Israeli people have lost big time.”
The protestors also held banners slamming the defense minister, spread garbage on the sidewalks, and called out “Mofaz, you stunk up the IDF.”
