Defense Minister Yoav Galant convened a press conference today (Wednesday) in Karia, and called on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to announce that a military government will not be established in the Gaza Strip and to hold a substantive discussion on the question of “the day after”. Gallant said that he repeatedly demanded to discuss finding a governmental alternative to Hamas and was not answered, and emphasized that “no decision means a decision in practice – a dangerous trend that promotes a military government and Israeli civilians in the Gaza Strip.” Netanyahu replied to Gallant’s words, and did not address the issue of Israeli military rule in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu said in response to Gallant’s statement that “as long as Hamas remains, no other entity will manage Gaza – certainly not the Palestinian Authority.” He did not refer to the possibility of establishing a military government in the Strip.
“Already on the eve of the military maneuver in October, the military system presented the war plan to the cabinet, stating that it was necessary to disband the Hamas battalions and at the same time work to create a non-hostile local Palestinian governing alternative,” Gallant said at the press conference. “Since October, I have been raising the issue continuously without an answer.” Gallant emphasized that “the end of the military campaign is a political act. The day after Hamas will only be achieved by the control of Palestinian elements that will be an alternative to Hamas. This is above all an Israeli interest. Unfortunately, the plan was not brought up for discussion, and worse – no alternative was brought up in its place.”
The Defense Minister enumerated the implications of establishing a military and civilian government of Israel in the Strip. “This is a bad and dangerous alternative for the State of Israel: strategic, security and military,” he said. “As a country we are facing a multi-arena security threat with given resources. An Israeli military government in Gaza will become Israel’s main security effort in the coming years at the expense of other arenas. It will cost blood and casualties and bring a heavy economic price.”
Therefore, Gallant called on Netanyahu “to make a decision and declare that Israel will not have civilian control in the Gaza Strip, that there will not be a civilian military government in the Gaza Strip, and immediately promote a governmental alternative to the rule of Hamas.” According to him, “It is our duty to advance the country to a better place now, right now this is our shift. We must make difficult decisions out of the preference of the national consideration even if this involves political costs. The people expect us to make the right decisions.”
In a video he published in response to the remarks, Netanyahu said: “After the terrible massacre, I ordered the destruction of Hamas,” he said, “The soldiers of the IDF and the security forces are fighting for it.” Earlier, Netanyahu admitted that Israel still does not have a coherent plan for the “day after” the fighting in Gaza. He added that “talks about the day after, when Hamas remains intact, are empty of content.”
In the shadow of the international criticism directed at him on the subject, the Prime Minister published a video in which he claimed that it is not possible to advance an alternative outline for the government in Gaza until the destruction of Hamas, and therefore the military operation in the Gaza Strip must be continued. In the unusual public statement, he added that “until it is clear that Hamas does not control Gaza militarily, no party will be willing to take over the civilian management of Gaza out of fear for its safety.” Netanyahu added that he is trying to “find a solution to this complex problem. Some of the attempts are hidden from view and it’s good that way.” At the same time, he emphasized that “there is no substitute for military victory. The attempt to circumvent it with one or another claim is simply disconnected from reality. There is one substitute for victory – defeat. The government headed by me will not agree to that.”
His words were said against the background of growing criticism in the security establishment, the American administration, European countries and the Arab world about the continuation of the military operation. The IDF is required to return to the areas where Hamas is re-establishing itself, in the absence of a clear alternative infrastructure that will provide a response to the civilians. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari was asked at a press conference yesterday if the lack of a governmental alternative to Hamas forces soldiers to operate again in the centers in the Gaza Strip where they have already operated. Hagari replied that there is no doubt that a governmental alternative would create pressure on Hamas, “but that is a question for the political level.”
The international community shows great suspicion towards Netanyahu and his plan to end the fighting. Several foreign diplomats told “Haaretz” in recent weeks that they estimate that Netanyahu is not interested in stopping the fighting for political reasons. “Netanyahu is in a fight for political survival and thus the moves he makes should be examined,” said one of them. According to him, “The more Netanyahu deepens the fighting, the chances of his survival as prime minister increase because its termination following the deal will increase the internal pressure on him to go to the elections and increase the delegitimization of his continuing to remain in office in the Israeli public and the international community.”
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken today called on Israel to draw up a clear plan regarding the future of the Gaza Strip. At a press conference in Kyiv, Blinken warned that there should not be a governmental vacuum in the Gaza Strip which would lead to chaos. The Prime Minister of Qatar, Muhammad al-Thani, also said that “in the absence A plan for the day after the war, radicalization will become a matter of concern,” and that the Israeli operation in Rafah only set the talks on a hostage deal and a ceasefire back a few steps.
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