Israeli President Isaac Herzog believes the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip was a strategic error, he told Israel Hayom in an interview, an excerpt from which was published on Monday.
“It is clear to me now that the disengagement was a mistake. Not the desire to separate from two million Palestinians—that was logical—but the act itself, which, due to the Palestinian Authority’s weakness, led to a Hamas takeover in Gaza,” said the president.
Ahead of Israel’s 77th Independence Day, Herzog finds himself caught in the middle.
“I’ve been called ‘the Kaplanist president’ and ‘the Bibist president’—which perhaps shows that I am maintaining balance. I take great care to remain balanced and act responsibly,” he said. “The President’s Residence is one of the few places where everyone is still willing to come and talk. That is my role: not to take sides, but to help heal the divide.”
On the issue of the hostages held by Hamas, Herzog remained cautious.
“The war has two objectives—the defeat of Hamas and the return of the hostages. It doesn’t have to be an either-or situation; there is room for actions that could achieve both. We can change the reality while also bringing the hostages home,” he said.
“Certain statements, especially from the president, could harm efforts. When a president says certain things, it might drive up the price [of negotiations], so there are things I will not say,” he added.
Herzog also spoke about his efforts to mediate discussions regarding the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the events leading up to the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.
“Even among those opposing the commission, there is agreement that there must be an investigation. The debate is about how the commission should be formed. I believe the Commission of Inquiry Law is the right tool, but it allows flexibility that must be used wisely,” he explained. “I met with the president of the Supreme Court [Yitzhak Amit], and he, in his nobility, said, ‘Okay, I will forgo my honor and consult with my deputy [Justice Noam Sohlberg], whose legal school of thought is different, so we can create trust.'”
(Amit is considered left-wing and Sohlberg is considered a conservative.)
Addressing the criminal cases facing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Herzog said: “When I hear [former Supreme Court President] Aharon Barak say, ‘Go for a plea deal,’ I think we need to listen. It’s time to talk about it. It makes sense.”
‘Strangling each other’
The president revealed that he had attempted to mediate the dispute between the prime minister and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Director Ronen Bar. “I spoke with the prime minister and the head of the Shin Bet. Instead of focusing on threats, we are busy strangling each other. I tried to calm things down between them,” he said.
On the issue of military conscription for ultra-Orthodox men, Herzog said, “There are currents within the ultra-Orthodox public that are more willing to hear the army’s plans. I don’t like the attacks on the ultra-Orthodox; I am in favor of dialogue.”
Herzog sharply criticized Chief Sephardi Rabbi of Israel Yitzhak Yosef, who recently said that military draft orders should be thrown “into the garbage.”
“I was appalled by those remarks; my insides turned over. It is completely unacceptable to me. I believe many people in the ultra-Orthodox community were uncomfortable with those statements as well. After all, we are sacrificing our sons and daughters,” said Herzog.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.