Ex-Israel PM Ehud Olmert seeks Netanyahu's resignation amid war with Hamas

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday blamed Premier Benjamin Netanyahu for the Hamas' attack on Israel, claiming that the latter promoted the status of Hamas and downgraded the status of Palestinian authorities. He also sought the resignation of Netanyahu.

In an exclusive conversation with Republic, Ehud Olmert said, “Hamas will suffer a major blow that will incapacitate them...My only advice to Netanyahu is the advise he gave me after the Second Lebanon War. He gave it for all reasons but the war was a great strategic success for Israel and kept most parts of the country quiet for 17 years. The Hezbollah were intimidated by the Israeli reaction. All I can say to Netanyahu today is to go home. The sooner he goes home, the better it is for Israel. Everything he touches corrupts, everything he does is the opposite of what needs to be done. He downgraded the Palestinian authorities. Instead, he promoted the status of Hamas because they are not considered to be potential candidates for peace negotiations and he could flirt with them without making any political accommodations. He should be held responsible for good reasons for what happened.”

He called the terrorist attack by Hamas a painful experience and stated that many people were butchered and slaughtered. “Hamas is like ISIS and Al-Qaeda,” Olmert said.

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Backing the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stance, the former Prime Minister blamed Hamas terrorists for the massive explosion at Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of people. “US President Joe Biden is here, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is also scheduled to visit, all these visits are very important. The Hamas shot the Hospital yesterday. Hamas is an ISIS organisation and it needs to be removed. Joe Biden believes that Israel does not target hospitals and believes that we should continue its military operation against Hamas. The same was done in Parliament in London by Rishi Sunak,” he said.

Furthermore, Olmert said that Israel would destroy bunkers, infrastructure and launching sites of Hamas.  “We don't want to stay in Gaza. The ultimate goal of Israel is not to control Gaza,” the 72-year-old told Republic TV.