The French newspaper La Croix said that a growing number of voices in Israel are calling for early elections to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from power, at a time when the war cabinet is witnessing a public division over how to deal with the war in Gaza.
The newspaper explained – in a report by its correspondent in Jerusalem, Cécile Le Moyne – that the words of former General Gadi Eisenkot, a member of the military cabinet, created a precedent by revealing for the first time his differences with Netanyahu’s policies, in prime time on Channel 12.
The former general, and a member of the opposition National Unity Party who joined the Select Council at the beginning of the war, said that those who talk about the absolute defeat of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza are not telling the truth, “Today the goals of the war in the Gaza Strip have not been achieved. We must say “The truth with courage. The only way to get the hostages back alive is to reach an agreement (with Hamas).”
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The correspondent pointed out that such criticism, which was unimaginable a few weeks ago, reflects the divisions within the war government, which can hardly agree on its strategy and on the future of the 132 detainees.
Merav Zonszin, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, says, “Israel currently has two camps. One of them wants a deal to return detainees in Gaza, even if that means ending the war before Hamas is completely eliminated, and the other refuses to pay this price.”
The second camp represents a majority – estimated by an opinion poll conducted by the Israeli Democracy Institute on January 2nd – at about 65% of Israeli Jews, and they believe that continuing military pressure is necessary to facilitate the release of detainees in Gaza.
Because Eisenkot is highly respected, especially since he lost his son and nephew in Gaza last December, the impact of the small bomb he dropped in his interview was strong, when he said that elections were necessary “within a few months” and that he was ready to resign if he wanted. Netanyahu continues the war outside political calculations.
Zonszin believes that “the departure of Gadi Eisenkot and Benny Gantz is only a matter of time.” Their departure means the end of the national unity that prevailed during the war and will accelerate the holding of new elections. If they are held now, the Likud Party led by Netanyahu will lose about half of its 39 seats in the Knesset, while Benny Gantz’s party will double its seats. 3 times, giving the opposition a majority of 71 seats, according to a poll published by the Maariv daily newspaper on January 19.
The newspaper concluded that Netanyahu will not achieve his goal of war, and that he is avoiding making decisions, adhering to his only strategy, which is permanent war, after he lost the confidence of the Israelis, although the protest is still shy, but it is increasing in the streets.