Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been criticised and accused of killing more Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip, and violent clashes erupted between police and protesters in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening.
Israeli politician Benny Gantz, a minister who resigned from the now-disbanded War Cabinet, said Netanyahu had systematically obstructed prisoner exchange deals, and that it was time to hold elections “and form a national government that reflects the diversity of all Israeli society.”
Gantz stressed during a press conference held this evening that Netanyahu will not return the Israelis held in Gaza alive, because he is preoccupied with his political survival, according to his expression.
He also stated that the Philadelphi (Salah al-Din) axis does not pose an existential threat to Israel as Netanyahu claims, stressing that the Israeli army can withdraw from it and return to it whenever it wants, according to him.
Gantz said that Netanyahu had “lost his way” and that he “sees himself as the state, and this is dangerous.”
Anger has mounted in Israel after the army retrieved the bodies of six prisoners from the Gaza Strip this week, with Israelis saying they could have been returned alive had Netanyahu not obstructed efforts to reach a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.
Netanyahu had added new conditions to the ceasefire negotiations, including his insistence on continuing to occupy the Philadelphi Corridor as a main passage for the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) to obtain supplies, according to his claims.
Yesterday, Monday, he gave a speech in which he stressed that Israel will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor, no matter the pressures.
Why does Netanyahu insist on occupying the Philadelphi corridor?#Networks #Gaza_War pic.twitter.com/qQ3cy0MWpx
— Tel Aviv Tribune Channel (@AJArabic) September 3, 2024
“Goals not achieved”
Criticism also came from Gadi Eisenkot, who resigned from the War Cabinet and is a member of Gantz’s party, who expressed his annoyance with Netanyahu’s speech yesterday, saying that the prime minister refused to make any changes to the war’s goals, “none of which were achieved.”
Eisenkot added – during a press conference – that Netanyahu decided, for political and partisan considerations, not to implement the deal proposal.
The Israeli politician, who was the Chief of Staff of the Army, explained that Israel’s strategic position is not decided through the Philadelphi Corridor, stressing that concluding the deal is a “moral duty and a strategic necessity.”
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office was quick to respond to the criticism, saying, “Since Gantz and his party resigned from the government, Israel has assassinated the chiefs of staff of Hamas and Hezbollah.”
He added that since that time, Israel has also attacked the Houthis, occupied the Philadelphi Corridor, and carried out a preemptive attack against Hezbollah, he said.
Military criticizes
On the other hand, press reports quoted Israeli political and military officials with a series of criticisms of Netanyahu and his government.
Haaretz quoted an official as saying that Netanyahu’s press conference yesterday “was intended to disrupt the hostage talks for political purposes.”
Yedioth Ahronoth also quoted a senior army official as saying that the government must decide whether it will take responsibility for the lives of the detainees.
In the same context, senior military sources told Channel 13 that “expanding operations in the Gaza Strip will put the lives of the hostages at risk.”
The same sources added that “the hostage deal allows the army to operate more freely in all areas of Gaza.”
On the other hand, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper quoted political sources as saying that Shas party leader Aryeh Deri is in contact with opposition parties and is seeking to persuade Netanyahu to include them in the coalition government to weaken the influence of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Clashes in Tel Aviv
Meanwhile, widespread protests continued in Israel demanding Netanyahu step down and a prisoner exchange deal.
Violent clashes erupted in Tel Aviv between police and protesters who blocked the main Begin Road in both directions.
Tel Aviv Tribune’s correspondent reported that protesters set fire to the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv.
Yesterday, Monday, Israel witnessed a broad strike by the Histadrut trade union federation in protest against the disruption of the prisoner exchange deal, but the Tel Aviv court ordered its end in response to the government’s request.
The ceasefire negotiations in Gaza have reached a critical stage, due to Netanyahu’s insistence on continuing the war on the Strip, and not withdrawing from the Netzarim and Philadelphi axes in the center and south of the Strip, while Hamas insists on ending the war, returning the displaced, and the Israeli withdrawal from the entire Strip.
Source : Tel Aviv Tribune + Agencies + Israeli press