In October 2023, a statement was widely circulated about Israel's refusal to follow international humanitarian law, allegedly made by the country's defense minister. We checked to see if he said something similar.
“We have abolished all the rules of war. Our soldiers will not be held responsible for anything. There will be no military courts” - this statement, attributed to Yoav Galant, became popular amid the largest escalation of the Arab-Israeli conflict in recent decades, which began on October 7 with an attack by Hamas militants. On October 10, a number of Russian federal media outlets, including the newspaper "Sight" and TV channel "Constantinople" It was even published on the RIA Novosti website column, which compares Galant's statement to Hitler's words. Quote became viral on Telegram, receiving, according to the TGStat service, more than 17 million views only on the first day of distribution, October 10.
Such close attention to the statement is likely due to the fact that in recent days international organizations have expressed concerns and even accusations against Israel regarding the retaliatory airstrikes that have begun against the Gaza Strip. Thus, human rights activists from Human Rights Watch accused Israel of use phosphorus munitions, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called reconsider the blockade of Gaza, which puts civilian lives at risk. Similar assessment gave and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, and US President Joe Biden stated about the importance of following rules of war. The officials in question stressed that Israel has the right to defend itself, but cannot violate international humanitarian law in doing so.
“Verified” examined the available statements of the Israeli Minister of Defense. October 10 Yoav Galant saidthat the country is planning a full-scale offensive and that the Gaza Strip will never be the same as it was before. Galant made this statement during a meeting with military personnel in the border area.
“I have lifted all restrictions, we have regained control over this territory and are launching a full-scale offensive. <…> You will have the opportunity to change reality here. You have seen the price of this and will be able to see the changes. Hamas wanted change in the Gaza Strip. The change will be 180 degrees different from what was intended. <…> They will regret this moment, [the] Gaza Strip will never be the same as it was before. Those who come to behead, kill women and Holocaust survivors, we will destroy with all our might and without compromise,” stated Galant in his address. This is a harsh statement, but it does not mean refusing to comply with international law. And the phrase about lifting restrictions in the context of the words about “restoring control over this territory” implies the abolition of the special situation regime, introduced Galant immediately after the Hamas attack in the areas of Israel adjacent to Gaza.
About the rules of war Galant spoke two days earlier, during a meeting with the military in the city of Ofakim on October 8, but in this statement there was no phrase about abandoning the rules of war: “The rules of war have changed. The price that Gaza will pay will be very high and will change reality for generations.” These words were also spoken in the context of the massacre of Israelis and capture hostage fighters - Hamas members entered Ofakim.
“Verified” did not find Galant’s statements about military courts on these dates, nor, in principle, any news about their creation or liquidation in Israel.
The transcript of the October 10 appeal was published by the Times of Israel at 20:33 Moscow time. At 21:05 the quote is already distorted appeared in Russian on the Gray Zone Telegram channel (258,000 views; this is the earliest “Verified” source discovered) and started spread through other channels, and at 22:49 a note was published in Vzglyad, which included a quote about the rejection of the rules of war and the lack of responsibility for Israeli soldiers.
Thus, the Israeli Minister of Defense, judging by available media reports and official sources, did not utter the words attributed to him, and Israel did not refuse to comply with the rules of war. The distorted quote appeared and went viral in the Russian-language segment of Telegram, from where it found its way into the Russian media.
Cover photo: Yoav Galant at a meeting with the military. Israeli Ministry of Defense
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