“This is my first time experiencing something like this. A Hamas rocket flew about 500 meters away from my house (near Jerusalem). “We must respond strongly to Hamas’ provocations, but the government is also largely responsible for focusing on issues such as reducing the authority of the judiciary for its own comfort rather than security.” (Former Israeli civil servant)
This is something I heard while chatting with a local acquaintance right after the Palestinian armed faction Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel on October 7 (local time). Currently, two months before the outbreak of the incident, a large Israeli ground force has been deployed to the Gaza Strip and is waging war against Hamas. Although the Israeli military continues to have an overwhelming advantage in terms of equipment and manpower, it is still unknown when and how the war will end. Literally, there is still a long way to go.
Even in the midst of a war like this, public opinion in Israel is unusual. Public opinion is strong that a war to eliminate Hamas, which launched a preemptive attack so ruthlessly that it killed more than 1,200 people, mainly civilians, is of course necessary. At the same time, criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who currently leads Israel, is also boiling over.
According to Reuters, etc., on November 4, thousands of Israeli citizens protested in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, and Tel Aviv, the economic center, calling for Prime Minister Netanyahu to resign. They raised their voices criticizing the Netanyahu government’s security incompetence, delay in releasing hostages, and the prime minister’s personal corruption.
In a public opinion poll released by local media outlet Channel 13 on November 3, 76% of respondents answered that Prime Minister Netanyahu should resign. 64% of respondents said that elections should be held after the war. On the other hand, only 18% of respondents said that the current regime should remain in power even after the war. This result clearly shows how dissatisfied the Israeli people are with Prime Minister Netanyahu and the current cabinet.
Above all, the Netanyahu government cannot be free from the theory of responsibility for security failure. This attack by Hamas had such a huge impact that it was described locally as an ‘Israeli version of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.’ This is because in the history of Israel, so many people have never died due to an armed conflict with an armed political faction.
In particular, Israel’s air defense and intelligence networks, which boasted world-class capabilities at the beginning of the incident, collapsed disastrously. Hamas members entered Israeli territory in large numbers and engaged in large-scale street fighting. This was difficult to imagine in Israel in the past. A diplomatic source said, “Right now, there is a perception within Israel that ‘the destruction of Hamas is important,’ but once this work is completed, the ‘government responsibility theory’ for the complete breach of the security system will be strongly highlighted.”
From July to August 2006, Israel waged a 34-day war against Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian Shia armed faction based in southern Lebanon (many say its combat capabilities are much better than Hamas). At this time, only 160 people, mainly soldiers, died in Israel (in Lebanon, about 1,200 to 1,300 people, mainly civilians, died). However, at the time, there was considerable criticism within Israel that “too many deaths occurred due to armed conflict with an armed political faction.” This gives us an idea of how greatly the Israeli people were shocked by this Hamas attack.
![Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. [뉴시스]](https://dimg.donga.com/wps/NEWS/IMAGE/2023/12/02/122449918.2.jpg)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. [뉴시스]The policies of ‘reducing the authority of the judiciary’ and ‘extreme right-wing personnel’ are also considered important reasons for increasing the intensity of criticism against Prime Minister Netanyahu and the current government. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been actively promoting a judiciary adjustment plan that states, “If a majority in the Knesset (Israel’s unicameral parliament) agrees, the Supreme Court’s final decision can be overturned.” This is to protect Prime Minister Netanyahu himself. He was investigated by Israeli investigative authorities in the past on charges of receiving luxury suits and family travel expenses from businessmen. He is also accused of corruption. Depending on the results of the investigation and trial, in the worst case, you may be arrested. Prime Minister Netanyahu is in a situation where he must continue to maintain a hard-line conservative cabinet that supports him and establish ‘safety measures’ so that he can overturn the Supreme Court’s final ruling.
In the process of forming a hard-line conservative cabinet, Prime Minister Netanyahu appointed National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gbir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. They have such hard-line tendencies that they make Prime Minister Netanyahu look like a moderate conservative.
Minister Ben-Gbir caused great controversy when he visited the ‘Temple Mountain’ in East Jerusalem, where the Islamic holy site, Al-Aqsa Mosque, is located on January 3. At that time, he walked around with a relaxed expression and even a kippah (a flat hat worn by Jewish men) on his head. It was a contrast to the past, when Israeli government officials rarely visited the region for fear of provoking the Arab world. Naturally, Minister Ben Grieve was imprinted in the Arab world as a ‘nationally hated image’ and an ‘occupier image’.
Minister Smotrich has often made outrageous remarks such as “Palestinian villages must be eliminated” and “There is no such thing as Palestinians.” He is also the Minister of State for the ‘Jewish settlement expansion policy’ in areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, which seeks to expand Israel’s territory and at the same time reduce Palestinian territory. A diplomat from an Arab country said, “It is clear that far-right figures who hold key positions in the Netanyahu government and their words and actions have also provoked Hamas.”
The Netanyahu government continues to emphasize the ‘annihilation of Hamas.’ However, the plan for the Gaza Strip where Hamas has disappeared, that is, the ‘post-Hamas Gaza Strip’, is not clear. Also, the plan on how to end the war in Gaza is unclear.
Seong Il-gwang, head of the political and economic research department at the Center for Middle East Islam at Korea University (chairman of the Korea Institute for Israel Studies), said, “If a clear plan for the Gaza Strip is not prepared, Israel could fall into considerable chaos even if it wins the war against Hamas,” and added, “In this case, it is already politically difficult. “Prime Minister Netanyahu and the current government, who are facing difficulties, will face an even bigger crisis,” he said.
Lee Se-hyeong, Channel A policy planning team leader and former Donga Ilbo Cairo correspondent [email protected]
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.