In a fiery move that reveals increasing disputes and divisions within the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Benny Gantz threatened to resign last Saturday if Netanyahu does not agree to a plan regarding the situation in Gaza, which includes how to govern the territory after the war with Hamas ends.
Ministerial sources confirmed that relations among the members of the small government have deteriorated significantly recently, especially amid the failure to make any progress on the issue of retrieving hostages held in Gaza, as reported by Kan Israeli TV. The sources hinted that "the dissolution of the government seems closer than ever." Furthermore, they clarified that the disputes and tense relationships are not limited to the political level of the ministers themselves but extend to the military leadership as well.
Recently, several ministers within the government harshly attacked Defense Minister Yoav Galant, demanding his resignation after he was blamed for the continued failures in Gaza amid disputes about the post-war scenario and governance of the Palestinian territory. In response to his critics, Galant stated, "I am the first to oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state; I support Israeli control from the river to the sea... but Gaza is not Mount Hermon or Jerusalem; there are two million Palestinians, and there is no Israeli interest." He argued that a military rule in Gaza would cost a lot in terms of blood, money, and time.
It is noteworthy that Netanyahu is facing sharp criticism both domestically and internationally for failing to clarify a timeline for the end of the war after more than seven months since it erupted following the surprise attack by Hamas on Israeli settlements and a military base in the Gaza vicinity. He is also facing almost daily protests and calls for his resignation from the families of hostages whose fates remain unknown after negotiations with Hamas stalled in Cairo.
Additionally, Gantz's statements yesterday intensified Netanyahu's predicament, as he called on the war government to develop a six-point plan in the next three weeks, threatening that his center-right party would withdraw from the emergency government if his expectations are not met. He added that his proposed plan would include establishing a temporary American-European-Arab-Palestinian system for civil administration in Gaza while Israel retains security control.
