If Israel had adopted his father's of thinking, he said, "we certainly would have decided years ago that Gilad must indeed return to his mother's arms, but that IDF soldiers are the ones who should have released him, and not any deal."
"A commander who thought and recommended that his release is too dangerous or that he lacks proper intelligence should have stepped down and made room for another," he said. "This military was created to win in every kind of war. And those who did not know how to win the war for Gilad should have taken off his uniform and gone to rest."
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was present and also eulogized Ze'evi, but did not react to the criticism that was leveled at him, among others.
