A meeting between the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Eyal Zamir, became tense following the government’s proposal to move towards a complete occupation of Gaza.
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According to The Times of Israel, Zamir expressed his rejection of the idea, calling it a “trap” that could involve the IDF in multiple fronts.
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What was the accusation against Netanyahu’s son?
In addition to the strategic disagreement, personal tensions also arose between both figures, fueled by a publication on social network X made by Yair Netanyahu, the son of the prime minister.
Although he does not hold any official position, Yair, who lives in Miami, accused Zamir of promoting a “rebellion” and a “coup d’état” within the military establishment, typical of a “banana republic” from the 70s. The publication was one of the most sensitive points during the discussion.
According to the public broadcaster Kan, Zamir directly confronted Netanyahu in a meeting, complaining about the verbal attack: “Why are you attacking me? Why are you speaking against me in the middle of a war?”, he asked. The Prime Minister responded that he would not accept threats of resignation as a form of pressure, adding: “My son is 33 years old, he is an adult”.
Strategic divergences on occupation
Eyal Zamir has expressed his disagreement with the cabinet on several occasions regarding the military strategy in Gaza. According to sources from the Prime Minister’s Office quoted by The Times of Israel, it has been suggested that if the chief of the military continues to oppose political directives, he could leave his position. Tension escalated a few days ago during a three-hour meeting between ministers from the inner circle of the government, prior to the cabinet’s vote on the occupation plan.
During that meeting, Zamir reiterated his position, warning that a total occupation would put the lives of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas at risk, of which it is believed that around twenty remain alive. Additionally, he emphasized that such an operation could “cause significant wear and tear” on the Israeli armed forces.
Channel 12 in Israel reported that Zamir proposed a tactical alternative: to avoid a complete conquest and choose to surround key urban centers, such as the City of Gaza, from where to launch selective attacks. Meanwhile, the Walla site detailed that the Chief of Staff is promoting a more progressive and controlled approach.
Netanyahu, in response, would have asked Zamir to develop new detailed plans for the occupation of the Palestinian enclave, in order to present them to the cabinet. According to Kan, when the military chief indicated that there was already a proposal, the prime minister demanded revisions: “Make improvements and present them again.”
So far, the Israel Defense Forces maintain control of about 75% of the territory in the Gaza Strip. However, the new plan would propose taking the rest of the enclave, leaving the entire area under Israeli control. The measure is mainly promoted by the far-right partners of the government coalition.