The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has exposed the deep divisions within Israel’s political and military establishment, especially among the members of the emergency war cabinet formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The war cabinet, which includes former senior military officers from the opposition, has been plagued by mistrust, disagreements and accusations of playing politics amid the crisis.
The latest sign of discord came over the weekend when Netanyahu tweeted that he had never been informed about warnings of Hamas’s assault on Israel on October 7, which killed at least 1,400 people.
He seemed to blame his army and intelligence chiefs for the attack, saying they had assessed that Hamas “was deterred and ready for a settlement” before the attack.
The tweet sparked an uproar among political leaders, who slammed Netanyahu for undermining the morale of the army and the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency. Netanyahu later deleted the tweet and apologised for his words, saying he was "wrong".
Experts say the episode confirmed a widening rift within the political and military establishment, one that questioned Netanyahu’s leadership and his capacity to navigate the country through war without prioritising his own interests over national security.
“To say that he was out of order would be the understatement of the year,” said Yossi Mekelberg, associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House.
“This is a very difficult military campaign so you want a responsible prime minister and there is not a single person [in the government] that trusts Netanyahu – that’s the main issue for this cabinet,” Mekelberg said.
One of the most vocal critics of Netanyahu within the war cabinet is Benny Gantz, a former defence minister and leader of the Blue and White party, who joined the coalition in exchange for a rotation agreement that would make him prime minister in November 2023.
Gantz swiftly demanded Netanyahu retract his controversial tweet and show full support to the army and the Shin Bet. Gantz has also clashed with Netanyahu over the strategy and objectives of the war in Gaza, calling for a more decisive and comprehensive military operation to end Hamas’s rocket attacks and tunnel network.
Gantz has also expressed his willingness to engage in diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire with Hamas, while Netanyahu has rejected any calls for a truce and vowed to continue fighting until "this battle is won"3.
Another source of tension within the war cabinet is Avigdor Lieberman, a former defence minister and leader of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, who also joined the coalition after October 7.
Lieberman has accused Netanyahu of "not being interested in security, he is not interested in hostages, only politics". Lieberman has also advocated for a more aggressive approach towards Hamas, saying that Israel should “cut off their heads” and “destroy their infrastructure”.
Lieberman has also criticised Netanyahu for failing to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 300,000 people have been displaced and lack access to basic services such as water, electricity and health care.
The war cabinet also includes other former military officers from different parties, such as Gabi Ashkenazi, Moshe Ya’alon and Yoav Gallant, who have varying views on how to deal with Hamas and Gaza.
Some of them have expressed their frustration with Netanyahu’s handling of the war, saying he has been too secretive and indecisive. They have also complained about being sidelined by Netanyahu, who has been making most of the decisions with his close allies such as Defence Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
According to a poll by the Israeli Democracy Institute released last week, trust in the government collapsed to a 20-year low with 20 percent of Israelis saying they trusted Netanyahu’s cabinet – eight percentage points lower compared with June.
Still, Netanyahu is known for his political survival skills and has managed to keep his coalition intact despite the internal rifts. He has also maintained his popularity among his base of supporters, who see him as a strong leader who can defend Israel against its enemies.
However, as the war in Gaza drags on with no clear end in sight, Netanyahu may face more challenges and pressures from within and outside his war cabinet.
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