'Pathetic, sad, and heartbreaking': Former NSC head Giora Eiland criticizes Israel's war strategy

Eiland criticized Israel's strategy in both Lebanon and Gaza, and warned of Iran's outreach across the Middle East through its proxies.

By 103FM VIA WALLA NOVEMBER 14, 2024 13:47

Giora Eiland attends a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on September 18, 2024. (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Retired Maj.-Gen. Giora Eiland, former head of the National Security Council, spoke to 103FM on Thursday regarding Israel’s approaches in Lebanon and Gaza and Iran's influence on regional conflict.

“I think we are pursuing a terrible strategy in Lebanon. Israel missed the greatest opportunity to fundamentally alter the situation—not only in Lebanon but across the Middle East,” Eiland said. 

“In Gaza, as well, we fall into the trap of the slogan ‘military pressure only.’ The situation in Lebanon is particularly distressing because there’s no real pressure on the other side,” he added.

He explained, “Iran has invented a new kind of colonialism: you don’t need to conquer a country to control it. It’s enough to create militias that are more powerful and better financed than the country’s own military. This way, the country appears sovereign but suffers from a destructive force within.”

Eiland emphasized that a year ago, “Israel should have initiated a broad diplomatic campaign, declaring that Hezbollah is not merely our problem—it represents Iran’s worldview, which dismantles nation-states from within and spreads instability as a tactic. This stands against the principles established 79 years ago after World War II.”

Giora Eiland testifies during a hearing of the civil investigative committee on the October 7 massacre, in Tel Aviv, August 8, 2024. (credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90)

“We inflicted severe military damage on Hezbollah, undermined its position in Lebanon, and dealt a significant blow to Iran, demonstrating that it cannot fully support its proxies—not in Yemen, Gaza, or Lebanon,” Eiland said. “No Israeli authority has clearly communicated this.”

Eiland described Israel’s strategy as “pathetic, sad, and heartbreaking,” questioning the impact of military gains in southern Lebanon. 

Eiland calls for stronger attacks on Hezbollah

“What matters in Lebanon? Only one thing—what happens in Beirut. Are we supposedly launching a heavy assault on Dahiyeh? Not at all. We’ve informed them in advance which buildings we’ll target."

"We could have declared two months ago that all of Dahiyeh is a military compound, and thus all residents should have evacuated,” he added. “There is no genuine pressure on Lebanon nor threats of a blockade. Are we at war with Lebanon? No. Are we fighting only Hezbollah? They are one and the same.”

Regarding Gaza, Eiland criticized Israel’s strategy, stating, “In warfare, the aim is to engage as little as possible. The ideal outcome is to win without prolonged fighting."

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"A year ago, Israel surrounded northern Gaza, providing a significant military advantage. This should have been turned into a siege. Civilians could have been offered safe exit corridors with ample time to leave, allowing a siege to starve out remaining fighters, in line with international protocols.”

He added that such an approach would have created a leverage point with Hamas, noting, “We could have demanded the release of hostages in exchange for restoring northern Gaza. Instead, we have taken the opposite approach—entering high-risk areas where Hamas fighters are concentrated."

"Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed in the last operation alone. Israel is acting foolishly, despite having one of the best-equipped militaries, causing unnecessary loss of life,” Eiland concluded.