Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant in a statement near the scene of the attack in the Jordan Valley, April 7, 2023 (Elad Malka)
Alarms in the north, missiles in the south, sirens in Tel Aviv, riots on the Temple Mount and a hunt for terrorists in the Jordan Valley;
The celebrations of the first 100 days of Netanyahu's sixth government, or as it is commonly called the full-on right-wing government, were well celebrated all over the country with a definite note of failure.
Even so, these were dubious celebrations, marked by an unprecedented internal, political, social and economic crisis.
But the widespread security escalation, in the midst of Passover, marks the government's failure in its basic mission, the most important and sacred of all, and may also bring its collapse closer.
This is true for any government, and especially for one that was elected on the basis of a promise of governance and security, after a horrific campaign against its predecessor and its apparent surrender to terrorist elements.
And especially to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who for years pretends to boast the title "Mr. Security".
Well, three months after Netanyahu returned to the Prime Minister's office, Israel has deteriorated into the most complex and dangerous security situation remembered in recent years, with a growing backlog of threats on many fronts.
The writing was on the wall, as all Israeli citizens heard but two weeks ago from the mouth of Defense Minister Yoav Galant, who warned of a "clear, immediate and tangible danger" to the security of the state, following a series of private conversations in which he warned Netanyahu of the consequences of the legal revolution.
The deterrence has worn off.
The sisters Maya and Rina Di, who were murdered in the attack in the Jordan Valley on Friday (photo: courtesy of the family)
Gallant was right;
Our enemies have recognized the inner cracks that are opening and attack the weakness.
Netanyahu, on the other hand, knew and didn't do it.
That is, he did the opposite.
Despite the serious intelligence assessments that were placed on his desk, he shot the messenger and fired the defense minister;
And despite the severe escalation that has happened since then, he has not retracted it until now, only "suspending" the dismissal while leaving the sword hanging in the air.
The confrontation with Gallant, the latest in the chain of defense ministers, chiefs of staff, heads of the Mossad and former Shin Bet chiefs who confronted him and came out against him, during and after the position, brings him closer to the title of "Mr. Insecurity" than the one he boasts about.
And so is the grim security, political and strategic reality after only one hundred days of his sixth government.
Deterrence has been eroded, terrorism is rampant on the roads and streets, Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas are raising their heads, and Israel is isolated and weaker than ever, and in a severe and deep crisis with the most important ally for its existence and future, which also destroys the title of "Mr. America"
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"Mr. Insecurity".
Netanyahu and Galant at the scene of the attack in the Jordan Valley (photo: official website, Ariel Harmoni, Ministry of Defense)
The severe security escalation also shatters the concept of the "full right" and its promises of firmness and strength against our enemies.
The wonders of the archive bring up unforgettable quotes and videos of Netanyahu, Smotrich, Ben Gabir, Regev and Co. defaming and inciting against the Bennett-Lapid government and its ineffectiveness in the fight against terrorism;
The security peace that prevailed for a year and a half speaks for itself, in front of the 18 murdered people and the dozens of missiles fired at Israel since their government was established.
Now, when those who promised assassinations, occupations and a tough hand against terrorism are in power - they are pointing the finger at "someone" else.
In an example of rapprochement and abdication of responsibility, Smotrich and Ben Gvir over the weekend pointed out the culprits in the situation: the IDF, which according to Smotrich is "captive to the Oslo concept" and the Minister of National Security who accused the opposition of encouraging the enemy, no less, to start a conflict. The same minister who a week after taking office He went up to the Temple Mount, whose party members are confronting the security forces on behalf of lawbreakers and Jewish terrorists, who on the eve of the holiday leaked internal recordings of the police commissioner and continues to undermine his chain of command, and consistently incites the police to use more force, in whose spirit the unprecedented confrontations with the worshipers took place On the eve of the holiday on the Temple Mount.
So did the Minister of Finance, who brought a chain of international condemnations on Jerusalem with the Emirate of Hawara and the expanded map of Jordan.
Netanyahu's extremist partners have a significant part in the security deterioration, but instead of directly looking at their responsibility to the public and their voters, they turn it aside and fail to rise to the magnitude of the role or the moment.
Our enemies have recognized the internal cracks.
Trample attack in Tel Aviv (Photo: Reuven Castro)
Netanyahu, on the other hand, understands very well the seriousness of the situation and the sequence of security events from sleepless nights.
In a demonstrable effort to convey responsibility and unity, he appeared with Gallant on Friday at the scene of the attack in the Bekaa for a joint statement in front of the cameras and stopped the silence treatment that he gave the Defense Minister during the IDF's cup-raising last week. him to take the lead. Calming down against Gallant serves a tactical interest: the defense minister serves as a protective vest against the right-wing criticism of Smotrich and Ben Gvir and helps the prime minister restore his shattered security image. As long as the system is on alert for escalation, it can be estimated that the suspension of the dismissals will also remain in effect, but as long as The government does not definitively announce that it has decided to keep him in office - the cloud over Gallant's future remains and signals that this is only a slight lull in the political and family battle.
Roll responsibility.
Ben Gabir and Smotrich (photo: Yaniv Khalif, Yaniv Khalif)
In the meantime, Gallant has already won the public battle: according to a survey by the Sample Institute that was broadcast on the Friday studio, 56% of the public gave him a "good" grade for his performance in the Ministry of Defense;
In a mirror image to the 67% who gave the prime minister a "poor" grade;
This, following most of the latest polls, which reveal that the coalition, the Likud and Netanyahu himself are in collapse, in all indicators.
The security deterioration is only expected to strengthen and accelerate the trend and further undermine the basis of trust and legitimacy of the government, which will also be damaged as a result of the legal revolution, and also eat into the coalition from within.
Ben Gvir admittedly made it clear yesterday that despite the criticism and the situation, he has no intention of overthrowing the government, and Netanyahu meanwhile gives him and Smotrich some credit to attack and criticize and let off steam for the right-wing base.
But, over time they will find it difficult to come to terms with a responsible and restrained policy that Gallant and the defense establishment are trying to lead.
And the price that Netanyahu will pay for the partnership with the extremists will only increase.
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