
US military official slams Israel as a 'death cult' and the country's 'worst ally'
Colonel Nathan McCormack, who leads the Levant and Egypt branch at the Joint Chiefs of Staff's J5 planning directorate, has used a semi-anonymous account to post numerous comments targeting Israeli actions and US support.
The posts, reportedly written since the 7 October 2023, have sparked outrage among pro-Israel circles in Washington. The story was first reported by the Jewish News Syndicate.
Here's what he said:
'Netanyahu and his Judeo-supremacist cronies are determined to prolong the conflict for their own goals: either to remain in power or to annex the land.'
'Israel's actions over decades have prompted the accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide.'
'The Western states go to great lengths to avoid criticism of Israel, much out of Holocaust guilt.'
'Our worst 'ally.' We get literally nothing out of the 'partnership' other than the enmity of millions of people in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.'
'The US has not been an honest broker. We have overwhelmingly enabled Israel's bad behavior.'
Responding to the idea of relocating Gaza's population, McCormack wrote that Israel wants 'to expel them and cleanse 'Eretz Israel' (Greater Israel) of ethnic Palestinians.'
Since June 2024 he also called Israel a 'death cult'
McCormack has held his current Pentagon post since June 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile. Shortly after the report was published the Pentagon told Jewish News Syndicate it is 'aware of the situation' and 'looking into the matter'.
An aerial image shows the Pentagon (US Department of Defense) in Washington, DC (AFP)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Egypt slams Israeli plan to expel Palestinians as ethnic cleansing
Egypt condemned Israeli plans to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza, calling them ethnic cleansing and a war crime, even as it controversially strengthens economic ties with Tel Aviv. In a statement on Sunday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said reports of Israeli consultations with foreign governments over potential relocation schemes were part of 'an unacceptable Israeli policy aimed at emptying Palestinian land.' Cairo said it had contacted countries allegedly approached by Israel, adding they rejected involvement in what it described as 'reprehensible plans.' 'Egypt will not accept the displacement and will not participate in it, as it is a historical injustice that has no moral or legal justification,' the ministry said. It added that any attempt to push Palestinians from their land would 'inevitably lead to the liquidation of the Palestinian cause.' The statement stressed Egypt's 'absolute rejection' of any attempt to remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip or the occupied West Bank, urging states worldwide not to 'be involved in this immoral crime that contravenes all principles of international humanitarian law, constitutes a war crime and ethnic cleansing, and represents a clear violation of the four Geneva Conventions.' New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Cairo also warned of 'historical and legal responsibility' for any country that cooperates with such measures, saying the consequences would reverberate regionally and internationally. Egypt's comments come as reports that South Sudan is in talks with Israel about resettling Palestinians forcibly displaced from Gaza. The Associated Press reported that talks had taken place between the two countries about transferring Palestinians, citing six sources familiar with the discussions. It is unclear how far the talks have progressed. Joe Szlavik, a US lobbyist working with South Sudan, told AP he was briefed by South Sudanese officials on the talks, and that an Israeli delegation had planned to visit the country to explore the possibility of setting up camps for Palestinians. Israeli plan to ethnically cleans northern Gaza The strong Egyptian rebuke came as the Israeli army announced preparations to ethnically cleanse to a million residents from Gaza City, days after signalling a new offensive on the enclave's largest urban centre. Senior Israeli official flees US following arrest over paedophilia Read More » Gaza health officials reported at least 57 people were by Israeli forces on Sunday, 38 of them were shot dead while trying to reach desperately needed aid. According to a statement from the Israeli Coordination of Government Activities in the Palestinian Territories (COGAT), the military would begin providing tents and shelter equipment to civilians in southern Gaza as they flee from Israeli war planes. Meanwhile, Israel's domestic debate intensified after Israel's Channel 12 aired leaked recordings of a senior general. The officer, Gen. (retired) Aharon Haliva, who led military intelligence on 7 October 2023, was heard saying that '50 Palestinians must die for every person killed that day, and it does not matter now if they are children.' The broadcaster said the recordings were made 'in recent months.' Haliva went on to say that the Palestinians "need a Nakba every now and then to feel the price," in reference to the 1948 mass ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Haliva can be heard insisting that the killings are "not revenge," but rather a "deterrent to future generations". Egypt's denunciation of Israeli displacement plans comes amid scrutiny of Cairo's own relationship with Israel, following a $35bn gas import deal signed earlier this month that will almost triple Egyptian imports from Israel's Leviathan offshore field through to 2040. People have condemned the deal for its economic complicity in empowering Israel in the middle of a ongoing genocide.


Middle East Eye
3 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
West Bank mourns teen killed by Israeli forces
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, held a funeral for 18-year-old Hamdan Abu Aliya, who was killed by Israeli forces on Saturday. Mourners carried his body through the streets, waving Palestinian flags and banners of Fatah and Hamas while chanting, 'With our souls and our blood, we will redeem you, martyr.' His father, Musa Abu Aliya, sent a message beyond the village: 'Enough betrayal, enough humiliation, enough insult. No matter how many they kill, time is on our side. It is impossible for us to give up our land.' The Palestinian health ministry confirmed his death late on Saturday, saying he was shot by 'occupation forces in the town of Al-Mughayyir'. Responding to AFP, the Israeli army said its soldiers opened fire after 'terrorists' hurled stones and Molotov cocktails at occupation troops.


Middle East Eye
3 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Hamas condemns Israel's Gaza relocation plan as 'new wave of genocide'
Hamas said on Sunday that Israel's plan to ethnically cleanse residents from Gaza City amounts to a 'new wave of genocide and displacement' affecting hundreds of thousands. The group condemned the Israeli military's plan to deliver tents and shelter supplies to southern Gaza, calling it a 'blatant deception' disguised as humanitarian aid. After destroying much of Gaza, Israel has said it will start providing tents and other equipment from Sunday to Palestinians fleeing Israeli attacks.