Retired General Warns of National Catastrophe Ahead of Elections

A retired Israeli brigadier general and former president of the Manufacturers Association, Oded Tira, has warned that Israel is approaching a dangerous precipice of internal conflict, with the upcoming election campaign potentially exacerbating societal divisions. In an opinion piece for Maariv, Tira urged political leaders to preemptively agree on forming a national unity government, stating that the current level of animosity between political and social factions has reached a critical point, affecting families, friends, the military, business, medicine, and education.

Tira identifies the upcoming election period and the months immediately following as particularly perilous, predicting that accumulated tensions could erupt into public violence regardless of the election results. He even raises the possibility of civil war in a worst-case scenario, envisioning a schism that could divide key institutions like the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and other state bodies. He hypothetically cites potential rifts within the IDF, such as between air force and ground troops, or between religious Zionist elements and Unit 8200.

The root cause of the crisis, according to Tira, extends beyond the political standoff surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu. He argues that Israeli society is fundamentally divided on core issues including the role of religion, observance of Shabbat, military service, liberal versus conservative values, education, and the approach to the Palestinian issue. While Tira believes compromises are still possible on these substantive matters through democratic processes in the Knesset, he considers the personal animosity between political leaders a more significant obstacle.

He points to the animosity towards figures like Gadi Eisenkot from some right-wing circles and the opposition to Netanyahu from his detractors as examples. Tira asserts that national reconciliation is nearly impossible as long as each side demands the removal of the opposing leader as a condition for compromise.

As a solution, Tira proposes a pre-election agreement between Netanyahu and Eisenkot. He suggests they meet with President Isaac Herzog before the elections to commit to forming a national unity government post-vote. This government would operate under agreed-upon principles for at least half its term, with the premiership going to the leader of the party with the most Knesset seats. Tira suggests this agreement need not be made public immediately to avoid influencing the election campaign and potentially alienating voters.

Without such political compromise, Tira warns, the current crisis of trust could escalate into a far more serious confrontation.