Eve is here. Regarding the Common Dreams post reprinted below, I hate to sound like I’m being opinionated. Trying to spot the differences between genodicers may sound like what the Japanese call a height competition between peanuts. Differences that seem non-existent are important to them. Nevertheless, it is incorrect to portray the newly appointed Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz as the equivalent of Yoav Gallant, who was just ousted by Netanyahu. By Israeli standards, Mr. Gallant is a moderate and Mr. Katz is a hardliner.
There has long been friction between Mr. Gallant and Mr. Netanyahu. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously fired Gallant in 2023, but reinstated him a month later.
Gallant’s dismissal seemed to come as a surprise, but there were signs that relations between the two men were deteriorating. Gallant seemed to see part of his job as defending the IDF. The IDF is exhausted by all standards, including the Air Force, and is experiencing unprecedented levels of casualties. Larry Wilkerson pointed out that the injuries are at least significant for Israel because the levels are so high due to Israel’s proximity to the front lines (i.e. soldiers who could be injured and killed on other battlefields). are usually good hospitals (where you can be transported very quickly). And these injuries are often life-altering, including the proverbial loss of a bloody limb.
Gallant’s relatively moderate stance therefore appeared to stem, at least in part, from an understanding of the IDF’s limitations and an attempt to chart a more realistic course for Israel. But hardliners see war as apocalyptic, and at least some believe that God will save them. Prime Minister Netanyahu must remain in power and continue the conflict from prison.
The latest sign that relations between Gallant and Netanyahu have deteriorated further is that Gallant announced that Netanyahu would meet with Pentagon officials to “coordinate” negotiations and plans for Israel’s response to the October 1 Iranian missile attack. That was when I canceled my visit to the United States. Israel was eventually recognized as being effective in accurately hitting military targets (and, worse for Israel, primarily in penetrating Israeli air defenses). Prime Minister Netanyahu insisted that Biden would speak to him first. Gallant’s travel plans remained unchanged. Instead, Pentagon officials came to Israel.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s biggest reason for canceling the Gallant visit was that Gallant was concerned about how to constrain Israel’s response, especially since Iran’s success has almost certainly exposed how vulnerable Israel is to other countries. I think it was because they suspected that they might cooperate with the United States (like a conspiracy). An even bigger attack by Iran. Recall that Iran said it was ready to settle the matter the day after the October 1st demonstrations, but if Israel attacks Iran again, Iran will carry out even more severe attacks, especially against civilian infrastructure. will be targeted. Western news outlets have reported that the United States strongly wants Israel to take limited retaliation, rather than attack Iran’s nuclear program or oil infrastructure, as threatened by Iran. The Biden administration is desperate to stop the war from escalating before the election, especially since Iran is too big and well-trodden for Israel to deliver a decisive blow. Iran could easily take countermeasures that would cripple oil shipments and production and send energy prices soaring.
Now, clearly forcing the US to visit Israel to negotiate an attack package is a nod to a more aggressive response, of the kind that Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior officials have been so vocal about. It seems that I was not able to obtain it. But when discussions take place in Israel, Gallant and like-minded members of the team are no longer able to speak freely.
Times of Israel account Prime Minister Netanyahu has made easy attacks by portraying Gallant as a rebellious figure who does not necessarily carry out instructions from him or his cabinet, and then by painting Gallant as close to a traitor.
“We have repeatedly tried to bridge these gaps, but they have only widened further,” Netanyahu said. “They also became known to the public in an unacceptable way, and even worse, they became known to our enemies. Our enemies relished it and profited a lot from it. I got it.”
But the televised attack gave Mr. Gallant a chance to tell his side of the story. I’ll try again era of israel:
After Tuesday’s dismissal, Gallant issued a one-line statement, writing to X that “the security of the State of Israel has been and will continue to be my life’s mission.”
This statement was the same one he issued 18 months earlier, on the night of his first dismissal.
He appeared visibly emotional as he elaborated at a news conference late Tuesday night, explaining that there were three reasons for his dismissal. The need to recruit Haredi people into the IDF, the need to bring hostages back from Gaza, and the need to bring back hostages from Gaza. The need for a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack and subsequent war.
All three initiatives pose a threat to Prime Minister Netanyahu. The IDF has just begun drafting Haredim against fierce opposition. Their parties are part of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition government. For Bibi, the hostage crisis is an even bigger problem. Getting the hostages back means negotiating with Hamas. Hamas will not release them on conditions other than a permanent ceasefire, at least not for a long enough period. A ceasefire would create demands for new elections. An independent commission on October 7th will similarly undermine Prime Minister Netanyahu. Not only did the attack take place on Netanyahu’s watch, but the investigation also investigated how Netanyahu supported Hamas from a pear-shaped plan to undermine the PLO to before the 2006 election, when it became Gaza’s leading party. It will also attract attention.
The Financial Times notes that Prime Minister Netanyahu timed the shooting to take advantage of the pre-occupation of the US election (possibly coupled with a marked increase in killings in Gaza). From the Financial Times:
But his dismissal comes as Israel is in the midst of a multi-pronged conflict with enemies including Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, even as the feud between Gallant and Netanyahu has become increasingly public. The timing was unexpected…
Gallant has been a key interlocutor with the United States, Israel’s main ally throughout the war, and people familiar with the matter said it was no coincidence that he announced his removal on the day of the U.S. presidential election.
“Everyone knows Americans love Gallant,” the official added. “[Prime Minister Netanyahu]chose this timing because no one[in the United States]has the focus[today]to look closely at this.”
Larry Wilkerson offered a variety of opinions on Gallant’s firing. He sees the turmoil as a need for Prime Minister Netanyahu to divert attention from military failures and domestic pressure. He also said that 4,000 people were seriously injured in Lebanon alone, an extremely high number considering the short duration of the operation.
Now on to the main event.
Written by Brett Wilkins. It was first published in common dreams
Palestinian advocates on Tuesday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of firing right-wing leader Yov Gallant, the defense minister, and replacing him with a “genocidal maniac.” Israel Mr. Katz served as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“Israel has just stepped up its efforts to prolong the slaughter of Palestinians.” Gaza” journalist and genocide scholar Samira Mohidin said on social media following Prime Minister Netanyahu’s move.
Prime Minister Netanyahu cited a “gradually deepening” “crisis of trust” as the reason for the change, with Israel waging wars in Gaza and Lebanon as it prepares for Iranian retaliation for recent Israeli attacks on Middle Eastern countries. It happened inside.
Yoav Gallant was replaced by Israel Katz, a hardliner who wants Palestinians to starve to death. (Hard-liners who wanted Palestinians to starve to death) https://t.co/7srmxkpXmP pic.twitter.com/z7sY71qxbO
— Abu Bakr Hussein (@KintsugiMuslim) November 5, 2024
“In the midst of war, complete trust between the prime minister and the defense minister is required now more than ever,” Netanyahu said on Tuesday. According tojerusalem post. “There has been a rift in the trust between me and the Minister of Defense.”
Katz, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, has held several cabinet positions and most recently served as Israel’s top diplomat. On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing more than 1,100 people (at least some killed by Brotherhood gunfire), kidnapping more than 240 people, and returning to Gaza. On October 7, 2023, he was the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. .
Two days later, Katz issued an order “immediately cutting off water supplies from Israel to Gaza.”
“Yesterday, the electricity and fuel were cut off,” he said. “What was there will be gone. All civilians in the Gaza Strip will be ordered to leave immediately. We will win. They will not receive a single drop of water or a single battery until they leave.”
Israel’s new defense minister introduces another genocidal maniac https://t.co/jziVAsjkn3
— Yousef Munayyer (@YousefMunayyer) November 5, 2024
Katz’s instructions followed Gallant’s instructions. order For the “total siege” of Gaza.
“There’s no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is shut down,” Gallant said. “We are at war with animal humans and we are acting accordingly.”
These statements from Mr. Gallant and Mr. Katz: quoted At the International Court of Justice on January 26th interim order We call on Israel to stop its genocide in Gaza. Israel is on trial for genocide at the ICJ. accused Ignore this, subsequent orders issued by a court.
On Tuesday, Israeli state media reported The Israel Defense Forces have completed the division of the Gaza Strip into two parts and said it “does not intend to allow residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return to their homes.”
Thanks to Israel’s deliberate policies and tactics, “there are no more civilians left in northern Gaza City,” but there is “no intention” to allow them to return.
There is a word to clear the territory from all people… https://t.co/iGhEJALAog
— Ishaan Tharoor (@ishantharoor) November 5, 2024
Mr. Katz is also accused of: declare UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called Israel persona non grata, with more than 155,000 Palestinians dead, injured or missing in Gaza, and millions more starving and sick. He criticized the country’s war in Gaza.
While serving as Israel’s foreign minister, Mr. Katz was also accused of: threatening This would have “serious consequences” for the countries that formally recognized the Palestinian state. Nearly 150 of the 193 United Nations member states recognizePalestine.
Katz also raised eyebrows in 2022. made thinly veiled threats Ethnic cleansing of Israel’s Arabs. “Remember 48 years,” Katz said in response to Israeli Arab students who displayed Palestinian flags on university campuses, when more than 750,000 Arabs were expelled from Palestine to make way. He was referring to 1948, when Israel declared independence amid a campaign of ethnic cleansing. for Jewish settlement.
Palestinians call this mass deprivation and expulsion “ nakbaMeans “catastrophe” in Arabic.
“Remember our war of independence and your Nakba,” Katz said. “Don’t stretch the rope too far…If you don’t calm down, I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.”
“If you ask your elders, your grandfathers and grandmothers, they will tell you that eventually the Jewish people woke up and knew how to defend themselves and the cause of the Jewish state.” he added.
Mr. Katz on Monday, in one of his final acts as foreign secretary, started the process The move abolishes a 1967 agreement between Israel and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which Israel accuses of being “infiltrated” by Hamas. The United Nations strongly refutes Israel’s accusations.
