Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot criticized Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's plan to formalize a defense alliance with the United States.
"The defense alliance with the US is not required at this time when Israel is at the peak of its security capabilities. The IDF holds a prominent strategic superiority over our enemies and so I think it is not appropriate to promote it now," said Eizenkot at the National Security Research Institute conference on the Iranian Quds Force on the country's northern border, according to Mako News.
"Israel has intelligence and strategic superiority over Syria and Iran - making it difficult for them to act," he added.
According to the former chief of staff, during this period Israeli economic moves are needed for the Lebanese people - in order to break the grip of Iranian Quds Force and Hezbollah in the country. "Against the background of the demonstrations in Lebanon, economic moves in favor of the Lebanese people, such as gas agreements and other agreements, will help. There is an opportunity to bring the country back to the Lebanese and get it out of the hands of the Iranian Quds Force and Hezbollah."
Addressing the proposed defense pact with the US, Eizenkot said: "The perception that has developed over the years is that Israel is defending itself on its own. Israel today is an invincible country. There is still no ultimate iron wall here, but our predecessors and everyone in his era built a security pillar that has made Israel very strong. Israel can defend itself on its own, so this is not required at a time when Israel is at the peak of its security capabilities with regard to its enemies. The IDF has a prominent strategic superiority over its enemies so I think it is wrong to promote this [agreement]."
Eizenkot also referred to Israel's policy of acting against Iran's attempts to establish itself in Syria, saying: "The capabilities we have seen in Syria are less than the ones Iran can operate from Iran. The assaults on Saudi Arabia should bother us. For a decade Iran has been a priority. Israel has intelligence and strategic superiority over Syria and Iran - making it difficult for them to act. The Iranian center of gravity has moved from Syria to western Iraq, creating a different kind of problem for us. The Iranians are very determined - they are here, but they are far from the vision they set for themselves. "