Writer Daphne Layal believes that following the attack of October 7, 2023, Israel is experiencing one of the worst security and political crises in its history, stressing that the government has become besieged from all sides in light of its inability to rebuild the people’s confidence in it and achieve the military objectives desired from its war. on the Gaza Strip, restoring the country’s internal stability, and dealing with the increasing demands to hold those responsible accountable.
The Israeli writer said – in an article published in the Hebrew newspaper “News 12” – that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent speech before the Knesset embodied the deep gap between attractive political slogans and the “tragic reality” that Israel is experiencing.
War objectives
The writer considered that the message of silence with which the families of Israeli prisoners confronted the Prime Minister during his speech was more eloquent than words, while he tried to promote what he described as “complete victory,” claiming that Israel is living in a “historic moment,” despite the criticism it faces internally and externally.
The writer stated that Netanyahu’s speech focused on the goals he set at the beginning of the war, which are: liberating all hostages, eliminating Hamas, preventing future threats, and restoring normal life in the south and north, but these goals are still far from reach, and reflect – as she put it – the gap between Aspirations and reality.
Regarding the liberation of the prisoners, Netanyahu does not seem ready to end the war or achieve a comprehensive deal for their return. Rather, he prefers to reach partial approvals, which means that some of them will remain in captivity for a long time, and this position has angered their families, who have been living under tremendous psychological pressure for more than a year. , according to the article.
The author added that the goal of eliminating the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) was also not achieved, as although the movement suffered heavy military losses, it still maintains its civilian control over the Gaza Strip, which gives it an opportunity to rebuild its capabilities in the future.
She continued that the goal of restoring normal life in southern and northern Israel is still far away, as the residents of these areas live in a state of constant fear and are reluctant to return to their homes due to the tense security conditions, in addition to the stifling economic crises they are experiencing.
A false victory
The writer considered that in light of the inability to achieve these goals, the government’s promoted achievements and talk of a “complete victory” are unrealistic, stressing that victory will not be achieved without recovering all the hostages and reaching a true peace that also deals with humanitarian issues in the Strip.
The writer expressed her surprise at the absence of an official investigation into the failure of the authorities to confront the attack of October 7, 2023, and said in this context, “Instead of taking serious steps to form an independent investigation committee, the government ignored popular calls and focused on political calculations, and the affected families were forced to form “October Council” group to defend her right to know the truth.
She confirmed that Netanyahu is seeking to form an investigation committee of a political nature, which reflects his attempt to evade responsibility and hide the facts, and contradicts his demand in previous cases to form independent investigation committees.
On the political level, according to the author, the government faces a dilemma due to the complexities of the compulsory conscription law, as the Israeli army insists on demanding an increase in the number of conscripts and imposing criminal penalties on those who evade service, while the Haredi parties insist on excluding their members from military service.
The writer concluded that Netanyahu is trying, despite all the pressures, to strengthen his political standing and ensure the continuity of his government, but the success of his efforts on this level will not be enough to address the deep crises facing Israel, whether on the security or social levels.