IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir on Thursday morning slammed Haaretz for an article condemning Central Command chief Major General Avi Bluth.
In a statement, Zamir emphasized that he "strongly condemns the horrifying and inciteful publications against the Commander of the Central Command, MG Avi Bluth, and condemns the shameful statements against him."
He stressed, "MG Bluth is a frontline combat officer with values and morals, who has dedicated many years, days and nights, to defending the State of Israel and it citizens, particularly the citizens in Judea and Samaria."
"The use of distorted imagery against him crosses every red line.
"The IDF operates and will continue to operate against terrorism in Judea and Samaria, while upholding the law and its values.
"The attempt to challenge his actions or cast doubt on MG Bluth is detrimental to a public servant who devotes his life to the State of Israel, and is entirely unacceptable."
Earlier on Thursday, Haaretz published an op-ed by Gideon Levy, titled, "The 'General of Bloodshed' in the West Bank Is Israel's Moral Face."
Levy claimed, "Uberkommandant Avi Bluth, the head of the army's Central Command, decided that he'll show them. With his military kippah worn at an angle, blood-curdling eloquence, boundless arrogance and sick double standards of morality, he ordered 'redesign operations' to be implemented so that 'everyone will be deterred.'"
The op-ed continued claimed that Bluth is "the settlers' aide. ... How do you sleep at night, Bluth, with this racist morality?"
"But that's what Bluth learned in Eli - that Jews are the lords of the land. ... Every person has a name, given to him by God. ... This general of bloodshed has now become the face of the West Bank and the moral image of the entire country. Maybe he'll be appointed to command the next genocide, after Gaza."