Holocaust survivor speaks with Yair Golan
Holocaust survivor speaks with Yair GolanYonatan Sindel/Flash90

Herzl Hajaj, the father of fallen soldier, Lt. Shir Hajaj, is one of several bereaved family members of soldiers killed in battle who is staunchly fighting against the prospective appointment of Major General Yair Golan as the next IDF Chief of Staff.

“It drives us crazy that someone like this would be the IDF Chief of Staff, that he will be a commander over soldiers in the army,” Herzl told Arutz Sheva.

“He will dispatch them and endanger them in a senseless manner on order to protect terrorists.”

Herzl spoke of an absence on Golan’s part for prioritizing the lives of Israeli soldiers.

“I listened to him in an interview from 2006 in which he was asked over what was more preferable: the welfare of our soldiers or the welfare of terrorists located in buildings or in unknown locations,” Herzl said.

“He can become commander of a human rights organization if you ask me.”

Bereaved relatives of fallen soldiers like Herzl have already written a letter to Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman imploring him not to appoint Golan. Some critics like former deputy commander of the Jordan Valley brigade, Shalom Eisner have claimed that the bereaved family members have been influenced and driven by other interest groups like the Im Tirtzu Zionist movement.

“I know that some have already started to attack us and to tell us that we’re being led by different sources like Im Tirtzu,” Herzl noted. “This is us and we are demanding this.”

"We will do everything we can to stop this appointment, even if we need to sit on the fence for everyone,” he continued.

“I ask of Avigdor Liberman think well about who you will appoint to be the commander of the army, who will lead the next war and our children to battle.”