A few days after the tit-for-tat between Yoav Gallant and Benjamin Netanyahu, the difficult political relationship between the two is starting to be defined, as is the direct political consequence for Israel: accept the agreements and find a compromise to live with the Palestinians or continue a war that could first and foremost have the face of a civil war. The fact is that the war government is in crisis.
Israeli journalist Amit Segal said: “The relationship between Netanyahu and Gallant is a threat to Israel’s security, especially on the eve of the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple and the anticipation of an external attack. Gallant believes that Netanyahu is deceiving public opinion and Netanyahu believes that Gallant is an American spy”.
According to some sources, “Gallant faces reality with a real dose of facts, confronts the delirious Netanyahu and his circus”. In a meeting attended by the Israeli Defense Minister at the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee meeting, he said that Israel is at a security crossroads and has two options: “either a deal or escalation.”
Gallant said: “My position and that of the security services (IDF, Shin Bet, Mossad) is to move toward a deal with Hamas that includes an agreement to recover the kidnappers and remove the Radwan forces from the border. On October 11, I wanted to attack Lebanon, but the government did not approve the request, and now I do not recommend doing so. A war against Lebanon is no longer possible easily, and a preemptive strike would be useless because there is no longer an element of surprise.”
He continued: “I hear the drums beating and talking about absolute victory (referring to Netanyahu’s statements, ed.) but this war will be an adventure. The hostage deal has also been delayed by Israel and nothing will happen if we leave Philadelphia for two months to allow the deal to be concluded. work”
Gallant reiterated to Likud members who attacked him during the security review he presented to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee and called on him to declare war on Lebanon: “The war conditions in Lebanon today are the opposite of what they were at the beginning of the war.”
The defense minister continued to attack Netanyahu before the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, saying: “He does not show the courage he speaks about publicly behind closed doors.” In the discussion, Likud MK Tali Gottlieb, from Galant’s party, responded: “I am not willing to listen to nonsense about the prime minister.” Galant responded to Gottlieb: “I am ready to face facts and actions. I may be weak in the media and politics, but I know what I am talking about about the security situation. For years there has been no smuggling through the tunnels through the Philadelphia axis because Sisi did not allow it.” “Most of the weapons that reached the Gaza Strip entered through the Rafah crossing or through the tunnels during Morsi’s rule and now we have destroyed both of them.”
“Even after the fighting ends, Rafah will remain under our security control.” Amit Halevi Likud’s pressing question: What do you mean by security control?
Galant’s response to Halevi: “We will build an underground barrier there… We must remember that in the attack on October 7, the barrier on the surface, the wall, was breached but they failed to breaching the underground wall (…) The agreement will bring us peace in the north and south and we have to live with the cost. It is our moral duty to release the kidnapped, even if it means releasing the Palestinian murderers.”
Benny Gantz also spoke on Tisha B’Av about the need for agreements: “If we do not come to our senses, there will be a civil war here. The truth should not be hidden. We have people who are lost, networks that poison the well from which we live.”
He also said: “What does civil war look like? Arguing and arguing over prayer in public space instead of finding solutions that respect everyone. When the Israeli army fights the enemy and members of the Knesset attack military bases. A civil war is when a mob threatens to break into the security circle around the Prime Minister’s house and calls him a “tyrant” on social media. It is a civil war when the dignity of grieving parents and families of prisoners is not respected. When loyal government employees are known as traitors. We have crossed the threshold of verbal and physical violence. It will end in murder. We have not learned from October 7, we have not internalized the lesson of Tish’a Bav”.
Gantz added: “This is an alarm bell, a clear warning. We cannot say we do not know, we cannot say we were not informed. The majority of Israeli patriots should stop hating and make amends. To evict those who divide us from within to isolate the extremists whose elixir of life is hatred.” “No to civil war,” shouted Menachem Begin in the moment of the most difficult test, because he understood the greatness of the hour of the founding of the state.”
And he concluded: “But we all know that Benjamin Netanyahu will not be Menachem Begin. He will not dismantle the poison machine, the government will not sacrifice itself to protect its people, it will not do what is necessary to prevent civil war. It is time to make amends. On the evening of Yeshua, let us say yes to agreements – no to violence. Yes to heated discussions – no to repression. We are facing enormous challenges against our enemy. We must curb the civil war among us. It is in our hands.”
Netanyahu’s response was not long in coming: “Gallant damages the chances of reaching an agreement to free the hostages from Gaza.” In response to Gallant’s comments, Netanyahu said: When he adopts the Israeli narrative, he harms the chances of reaching an agreement to release the kidnappers. He should have attacked Sinwar, who refused to send a delegation to the negotiations and remained the only obstacle to the prisoner exchange, not me.”
Finally, the official statement from the prime minister came: “The accusation that Prime Minister Netanyahu added new conditions to the May 27 proposal is false. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s July 27 letter does not introduce additional conditions and certainly does not contradict or weaken the May 27 proposal. In fact, it is Hamas that requested 29 changes to the May 27 proposal, which the prime minister refused to do.”
And the statement continued: “Here are the facts: The Netzarim crossing. The May 27 proposal stipulates that only unarmed civilians will be able to cross the Netzarim corridor to the northern Gaza Strip. The July 27 letter states that an agreed mechanism should be established to ensure this (something that was initially raised by the US mediator). The letter not only does not contradict the May 27 proposal, it facilitates it.”
“Number of living hostages to be released. The May 27 proposal states that a specific number of hostages will be released “dead or alive.” Israel’s position in the July 27 letter states that all living hostages in the relevant category should be released, again in full accordance with the May 27 proposal.”
“How Palestinian prisoners will be released. The May 27 proposal states that Israel will have a veto over a certain number of released prisoners and can designate that at least a certain number of prisoners will be released abroad. The July 27 letter is also fully compliant with this condition. Therefore, the July 27 letter does not introduce new language. Instead, it includes essential clarifications to help implement the May 27 proposal.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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