Former defence secretary Ben Wallace has warned Israel dangers dropping its “authorized” and “ethical” authority if it continues with its “killing rage” in Gaza, as he appealed to all sides to pursue a two-state answer.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Wallace insisted he was not calling for an instantaneous ceasefire within the area, however for Israel to “cease this crude and indiscriminate technique of attack”.
In his article, former Army officer Mr Wallace pointed to his expertise through the Troubles in Northern Ireland, saying actions like internment confirmed “a disproportionate response by the state can function a terrorist organisation’s greatest recruiting sergeant”.
He mentioned he was “unequivocal” in his condemnation of Hamas, however whereas going after the organisation is “official… obliterating huge swathes of Gaza isn’t”.
Mr Wallace added: “We are getting into a harmful interval now the place Israel’s unique authorized authority of self-defence is being undermined by its personal actions.
“It is making the error of dropping its ethical authority alongside its authorized one.”
Pointing to Israel’s prime minister, he wrote: “I’m positive that the disgrace Benjamin Netanyahu feels for not foreseeing the 7 October assaults is deep, particularly for somebody who offered himself as a safety hawk and hard man.
“But maybe that disgrace is driving him to lose sight of the long run.
“Netanyahu’s mistake was to overlook the attack within the first place. But if he thinks a killing rage will rectify issues, then he’s very mistaken. His strategies won’t clear up this drawback.
“In truth, I imagine his ways will gas the battle for an additional 50 years. His actions are radicalising Muslim youth throughout the globe.”
