365bet�����������籭

ISTANBUL

A former Israeli military intelligence chief warned on Thursday that the country's international legitimacy has reached a low point, citing mounting global condemnation of Israeli military actions in Gaza.

“I’ve just returned from Europe. Our international legitimacy is in the worst condition it has ever been, and we may face European sanctions,” Amos Yadlin, who led Israel's military intelligence from 2006 to 2010, told the public broadcaster, the Knesset Channel.

“This could be avoided by ending the war in Gaza and reaching an understanding on the Iranian issue,” he added.

Yadlin also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying he lacks internal legitimacy to continue the war and is “relying on a specific group of extremists who dodge military service.”

He added that most Israelis prioritize the return of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza over continued combat.

“The majority of Israeli society wants the return of the captives. Only afterward Hamas can be eliminated. But the priority now is to end the war in Gaza.”

Yadlin’s remarks come amid growing dissent within Israeli political and military circles about the long-term consequences of the ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians, particularly in light of increasing international isolation and legal challenges.

Earlier, Israel’s Ambassador to Brussels Haim Regev warned that the European support for Israel is dwindling because of harrowing images of starving Palestinian children in Gaza.

Regev acknowledged during a press briefing with Israeli journalists and reported by Israel’s public broadcaster KAN that initial European support for Israel at the onset of its war on Gaza has “eroded,” with many EU member states now demanding an end to the war and the release of Israeli hostages.

“The pressure from Europe to end the war is increasing,” Regev said. “The images coming from Gaza–particularly of starving infants and children with empty pots (from starvation)– are swaying public opinion across Europe.”

Since March 2, Israel has maintained a strict blockade on Gaza, denying entry to humanitarian aid and pushing the territory into famine, which has already claimed numerous lives. Only 87 aid trucks were reportedly allowed entry–a fraction of the humanitarian need, with much of the aid stalled at border crossings.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 53,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.