It is natural that the Prime Minister of Israel suffers from insomnia these days. The situation on the fronts, the fate of the abductees, the situation on the home front – these are weighty concerns that rest on his shoulders. But from the tweet released by Benjamin Netanyahu in the middle of Saturday night, it is clear that other thoughts occupy his mind. He is preoccupied with the commission of inquiry of the day after, his political future, his personal career. No forced apology can obscure the shameful picture revealed from the depths of his mind and soul.
"You are guilty of the omission": Hundreds protest in front of Netanyahu's home in Caesarea // Photo: Yaron Doron
Blaming the heads of the defense establishment, whom Netanyahu is now supposed to lead to victory, is destructive. It may, by the way, be real, but it is so unwise and immoral these days, when we must join hands. And more worrying is the realization that those who are supposed to devote all their energy only to leading us out of the catastrophe are still preoccupied with their image and personal career. It's just shocking. It is not for nothing that Hamas propagandists did so on their behalf.
The nightly tweet only completes the overall picture of Netanyahu's conduct in this fateful campaign. For example, the insistence not to state the obvious – I am overall responsible as prime minister at the time of the attack. This statement is not necessarily taking blame for the eclipse that led to the disaster; This issue will still be ground and decided by committees of inquiry and the trial of history. But it is of dramatic importance in terms of the public's ability to know that it has a leader and a father: Whoever now burdens our collective fate on his shoulders puts ego and personal calculations aside, devotes himself only to the public he needs to lead. Unfortunately, Netanyahu's every move and mimicry projects the exact opposite, providing another cause for concern.
Prime Minister Netanyahu in a security discussion with Defense Minister Galant and Chief of Staff Halevi, Photo: GPO
The window that opens to the prime minister's thoughts is added to his feeble functioning. 20 days into the Yom Kippur War, despite the surprise and omission, despite the fact that two armies broke into our territory, the IDF has already sailed on the other side of the Suez Canal, 100 kilometers from Cairo, crossing the Syrian border and shelling the outskirts of Damascus with artillery. In Israel, three and a half weeks into the war, the leadership is stopping the army from doing what should have been done a week or more ago – entering into a ground decision.
This shuffle is led by the prime minister, who hides behind the war cabinet and, according to cabinet ministers' claims, also beeps at explicit decisions of the expanded cabinet. Thus, in contrast to Thursday's decision to carry out the significant ground incursion, what we have received so far is signals - a backdrop of a ground entrance. And yes, a massive opening of supplies to Gaza, in capitulation to American pressure. All are moves that will make it impossible to realize the goals that the government has decided and declared – to smash Hamas.
If the prime minister lacks the determination and leadership that the country needs and is preoccupied with his personal fate and blame, perhaps it is time for the Likud leadership to examine an alternative from its ranks. Not the Kaplan camp, not Benny Gantz - the Likud members themselves
From the morning of Black Saturday, it was clear that Benjamin Netanyahu's public career had also come to an end. But despite my harsh criticism of him, I thought it was right to let him lead the struggle now, for the sake of unity. That is why I was also happy to have Benny Gantz and his partners on board.
Chairman of the state camp Benny Gantz, photo: None
But if the prime minister lacks the determination and leadership that the country needs today, and is busy thinking about his own fate and blaming others, perhaps it is time for the Likud leadership to consider providing alternative leadership from its ranks. Not the Kaplan camp, not Benny Gantz, but the Likud members themselves. It's time for the Likud to summon the courage to examine whether the head of their party is qualified to lead us. Perhaps in his place the position of navigating the battle will be taken by a team from among them, until the day after.
This is no longer a political game of chairs, but an existential issue, because the goals set by the government – toppling Hamas and releasing the hostages – are the elixir of life for the state and Israeli society. Therefore, the campaign must be led by those who also devote their night reflections only to our collective fate.
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