Gadi Eisenkot Slams Netanyahu, Warns Against Ben-Gvir Security Role

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the "Yashar!" party, fiercely criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, reacting to statements by Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir expressing his intention to seek the defense minister portfolio in the next government. Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of betraying his past promises, recalling that just four years prior, Netanyahu had vowed not to appoint Ben-Gvir as a minister.

Eisenkot asserted that Netanyahu immediately after the elections "sold the security of Israeli citizens for the survival of his coalition." He further alleged that Netanyahu's plan for the next government includes appointing Ben-Gvir as defense minister, Tali Gottlieb as justice minister, and Yaakov Bardugo as a member of the political-security cabinet, which he described as "the holy of holies of Israel's security."

Eisenkot declared that Netanyahu "has lost it" and vowed that his bloc would prevent the formation of a government he characterized as "draft-dodging and disaster on steroids." He stated, "This is the sure way to prevent another disaster and a real danger to the State of Israel. This must not be allowed to happen!"

Concluding his remarks, Eisenkot appealed to Israeli citizens, stating, "You, like me, know that they cannot lead Israel. They do not know how to bring security and they do not know how to unite the people. They will know how to bring more incitement, division, and failure." He pledged to do everything with his bloc partners to prevent this and establish a "sane and good government that will work for all citizens of Israel."