Mr Etzion, a former soldier himself, warns that Israel’s military, Israel Defense Forces (IDF), might be committing war crimes in northern Gaza. And he is suggesting that officers and troops should reject illegal orders.
In a recent interview with the BBC that has been published on Thursday, he made these suggestions to the IDF soldiers.
The soldier himself served four Israeli prime ministers and was deputy head of the country’s National Security Council, Eran Etzion’s judgement was trusted at the highest levels of the state.
However, he is also a longstanding critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He said, “If a soldier or an officer is expected to commit something that might be suspected as a war crime, they must refuse. That's what I would do if I were a soldier. That's what I think any Israeli soldier should do.”
Mr Etzion is worried for the civilians of Jabalia and his country. “There is a very dangerous erosion of norms. There is a very widespread sense of revenge, of rage,” he says.
He is speaking out as a former soldier, as someone whose children served in the IDF, and whose family and friends still serve. “I'm just a concerned citizen trying to raise my voice. So that's what I'm doing. I want to make sure that no soldier is involved in anything that could be constituted as a war crime.”
Israel has faced mounting international criticism over its conduct during the war. The United States has threatened to cut arms shipments if Israel does not surge aid into Gaza.
The UN has accused the Israelis of repeatedly blocking or impeding the transfer of aid, most recently into northern Gaza.
However, Israel refused these allegations.
Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
