GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 697

Sparks Fly

Contentious Meeting

As expected the Israel Cabinet meeting today evoked fiery opinions with those wanting to take the deal approved by Hamas and others saying no partial deal will be accepted as we see in a report from The Jerusalem Post:

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir addressed the government's plan and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition to a partial Gaza hostage deal during a cabinet meeting and stated, "You are heading toward military rule. Understand the implications."

Not everyone agreed with that assessment:

Yossi Fuchs, the Cabinet Secretary, responded: "That's not true."

"Instead of military rule, we can encourage voluntary emigration," National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said.

The IDF chief held firm, though with another minister saying they already have a plan in place:

After Zamir reiterated his warning, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told him: "We have made a decision."

Those in attendance know that the PM isn’t budging on the Hamas approved plan:

"Our impression is that Netanyahu's opposition is genuine. He will not agree to a partial deal," ministers said.

Talking about the Gaza City offensive was the only agenda planned:

The discussion centered on the conquest of Gaza City, with the military presenting its plans. An Israeli official previously told The Jerusalem Post that the cabinet would not discuss the question of attempting to reach a partial deal or not.

Zamir was at odds with Netanyahu and other members of the cabinet as seen in an article from The Times Of Israel:

Netanyahu, however, was said by Hebrew media to have told Zamir, and the rest of those present, that “a partial deal is not relevant,” reiterating the stance he adopted last month after previously supporting phased hostage-truce deals throughout the war. After Netanyahu changed his position, Hamas said it accepted the phased-deal outline, after for months rejecting previous versions of it that Israel at the time had backed.

Some actually wanted a vote to put the thought of a partial deal to rest. Netanyahu shot it down:

“There is no need for a vote; it’s not on the table. Hamas must be destroyed,” Netanyahu responded, according to several Hebrew media outlets… Netanyahu reportedly responded: “If Israel makes do with a partial deal without defeating Hamas, this would mean that by kidnapping its citizens, Hamas brought Israel to its knees.”

No Partial Deal

The PM brought up that US President Trump is against a partial deal:

Moreover, Netanyahu reportedly told cabinet ministers that US President Donald Trump has urged him not to accept any partial ceasefire and hostage-release deal with Hamas, because it will turn into a sequence of small “salami” mini-deals, and to instead fight the terror group “with full force.”

While internal and external pressure is put on Netanyahu, Trump is pushing as well:

“Forget the partial deals… Go in with full force and finish this,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying Trump told him. Before the security cabinet meeting, Channel 12 news cited unnamed sources as saying Trump was increasing pressure on Netanyahu to move more rapidly toward defeating Hamas, after losing faith in the efficacy of ceasefire and hostage release talks.

Instead of a military occupation Trump wants voluntary emigration of the strip as we reported on previously. No military takeover would be needed. Trump’s plan was fashioned with some outside help:

Trump on Wednesday hosted a meeting at the White House with officials — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — to discuss how to end the Gaza war and future steps.

Netanyahu agreed with others that agreeing to a 60-day ceasefire would set back the war efforts at least 6 months, something I’m sure Hamas knows and hopes will happen. There were some more fireworks at the meeting as well:

Amid the debate, a heated confrontation broke out between Zamir and far-right Settlements Minister Orit Strock, with the latter accusing the IDF chief of staff of cowardice by way of a biblical quotation.

“Is there anyone afraid and disheartened? Let him go back to his home, lest the courage of his comrades flag like his,” Strock said, in response to Zamir’s support for a hostage deal, according to the Kan public broadcaster.

Orit must have struck a nerve:

Hitting back, Zamir declared that he had two missions — “preventing a nuclear Iran and destroying Hamas,” leading Strock to once again recite the quotation, from the Book of Deuteronomy. In response, Zamir said that he had called for the recent Israeli operation in Iran, declaring that he “approves strikes everywhere. No one is afraid and disheartened.”

Zamir wanted them to know he is no puppet and will speak his mind:

“If you want blind discipline, bring somebody else,” he declared, prompting Netanyahu to interject, “I don’t want blind discipline, but also not someone who oversteps [his authority].”

Strock wants all of Gaza to on the table for military action, something the military hasn’t done:

Strock also took issue with the IDF’s practice thus far of avoiding operating in areas where hostages are believed to be held, telling the cabinet, “There can’t be no-go areas in Gaza, it endangers the residents of [Israel’s] Gaza border area and the south,” according to quotes published by Channel 12.

“To win the war we have to control all these areas, and not leave them as bubbles of terror above and below ground,” she added. With respect to concern over the hostages’ fate, Strock said: “We have to make a great effort not to harm them.”

After the dust settled, Zamir stated he would carry out any orders even if he disagrees with them:

Despite the clashes, Zamir reportedly told the cabinet that the IDF will carry out whatever instructions it receives from the political echelon, even if it disagrees with them — winning him plaudits at the meeting, according to the Israel Hayom daily.

As we pray for the peace of Jerusalem we need to pray for the leadership in Israel to make good decisions even if they aren’t popular with the international community or the press.