Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has called on Israel’s policymakers and military chiefs to utilize the military’s aerial power to the fullest before sending soldiers into Gaza in a ground incursion, to reduce the danger facing Israel’s soldiers.

• “Before we send foot soldiers into Gaza on the ground, I want to see a force of fire that paves the way for them – a sort of pillar of fire,” Bennett told Channel 12 News, referring to the Biblical Pillar of Fire which led the way for the People of Israel during their wanders in the desert.
• He added, “What surprised me is that I was listening and I did not hear a strong enough pace of firing. It could be that this is due to [US President Joe] Biden’s visit, and the visit of the British Prime Minister.”
• Regardless, he stressed, “I know that so long as it depends on me, I send soldiers to face the enemy only after I opened the gates of hell on the enemy from above, with artillery. We have an enormous amount of firing power, and we need to use it to our advantage.”

On Wednesday, Biden visited Israel, arriving in the late morning and leaving the country towards evening. During Biden’s visit, no rockets were fired towards Israeli territory, either by Hamas or Hezbollah.

Speaking during his time in Israel, Biden emphasized that the Hamas massacre on October 7, “for a nation the size of Israel, it was like 15 9/11s.”

• He emphasized that he asked he asked Israel “to the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, based on the understanding that there will be inspections and that the aid will go to inspections and not to Hamas. Israel agreed that humanitarian assistance could begin to move from Egypt to Gaza. If Hamas diverts or steals the assistance, they will have demonstrated once again that they have no concern for the welfare of the Palestinian people. And it will end, as a practical matter, it will stop the international community from being able to provide this aid.”

Source: Arutz Sheva