A post on social media X (formerly Twitter) has sparked controversy in Israeli politics. The country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote last Sunday night that he did not receive any advance warning about the attack by Hamas on October 7. He also put the responsibility of the attack on the Israeli army and intelligence chiefs.
After that speech, Netanyahu faced intense anger. Israel's political leaders criticized him and said that the prime minister is playing politics when a complex military operation is going on in Gaza. The outrage was so intense that Netanyahu deleted his post. Forced to apologize and say, 'I misunderstood.'
Israel's war with Hamas came at a time when the nationalist right-wing government led by Netanyahu sought to introduce some controversial reforms in the country. The reforms would reduce the power of Israel's judiciary.
Experts say, from this incident, it is clear that the rift between Israel's political and military leadership is growing. Questions have been raised about Netanyahu's leadership and ability to manage the country by prioritizing national security over his own interests amid the ongoing war.
"This is a complex military operation," said Yossi Meckelberg, a researcher in the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank. So you want a responsible Prime Minister. But there is no one in the government who believes in Netanyahu. This is a big issue in the current cabinet.
Netanyahu formed a small wartime cabinet shortly after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. In that cabinet he included former army officers, even from the opposition party. One of them is Beni Gats. The former defense minister tweeted Netanyahu's full support for Israel's military and internal intelligence agency Shin Bet.
Although the wartime cabinet is divided, Netanyahu may still be able to achieve his political interests through a strategy of including senior military members in the government.
Maureen Rabbani, Researcher, Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies
Other political leaders have also criticized Netanyahu. The country's opposition parliamentarian Avigdor Lieberman said Netanyahu is not interested in protecting national security. He is not interested in hostages either. He is just doing politics. The army's top spokesman, Daniel Hagary, declined to comment. He simply said, 'We are at war.'
The Hamas attack in Israel is seen as the country's biggest intelligence failure. Netanyahu's tweets and the opposition's counter-criticism indicate that tensions are brewing among Israel's political leadership, including the wartime cabinet. Many involved in the country's security have admitted their failure. However, Netanyahu is unwilling to take responsibility for it.
Netanyahu held a press conference on Saturday, the day before the post on X on Sunday. There was a question, whether he has any responsibility for the failure to prevent the attacks of Hamas? Netanyahu tactfully did not answer the question directly and said, "When the war is over, everyone will have to answer all the hard questions." I will not be left out either.
Israel's war with Hamas came at a time when the nationalist right-wing government led by Netanyahu sought to introduce some controversial reforms in the country. The reforms would reduce the power of Israel's judiciary. Netanyahu's opponents have been criticizing the move. According to them, it is a threat to democracy. Thousands of Israelis have also protested for months against the reforms.
The Israeli Democracy Institute released a poll last week. It shows that Israelis' trust in the government has fallen to the lowest level in 20 years. Only 20 percent of Israelis say they trust Netanyahu's cabinet.
Many of those who opposed the Netanyahu government's reform efforts are reservists in the military. Thousands of such members have now taken up arms to fight against Hamas. Many critics say the scale of the anti-reform protests was so great that it affected military capabilities and effectiveness.
The Israeli army said on Monday that its troops and armored vehicles had entered further into Gaza. It is referred to as part of the 'second phase of the war'. Before this, Israel has been indiscriminately bombing Gaza for more than three weeks. More than eight and a half thousand Palestinians have died in the valley due to continued attacks.
Many analysts say that the unity created within Israel in the war against Hamas is not increasing support for the Netanyahu government. Maureen Rabbani, a researcher at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, a Qatar-based research institute, said that before October 7, Israel's current government had lost acceptance with a significant part of society. After that they could not raise public support for themselves.
The Israeli Democracy Institute released a poll last week. It shows that Israelis' trust in the government has fallen to the lowest level in 20 years. Only 20 percent of Israelis say they trust Netanyahu's cabinet. This number is 8 percent less than last June.
Yet Netanyahu has a reputation for survival tactics in politics. He is Israel's longest-serving prime minister. He first came to power in 1996. Netanyahu has served as Prime Minister for 13 of the last 14 years in Israel.
Maureen Rabbani said that although the wartime cabinet is divided, Netanyahu may still be able to achieve his political interests through the strategy of including senior military members in the government. And if there is a military failure at the end of the war, this strategy will also be useful to avoid responsibility
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