The third episode of the documentary series "Mered HaGeneralim" (“The Generals’ Rebellion”), based on Erez Tadmor’s book, aired Wednesday and focused on the campaign to stop the war and the gap between the war goals set by Israel’s political leadership and the actions of the top security brass.
The cabinet defined three main objectives, destroying Hamas’s military capabilities, destroying its governing power, and bringing back all the hostages. According to the program, the security establishment adopted a different order of priorities, blocking plans to strike Hamas’s governing capabilities and failing to fully implement some political instructions. At the same time, the episode said, a media campaign spread messages about fatigue, exhaustion, and that victory had already been achieved, in an effort to pressure the government into ending the fighting.
The episode featured several commentators. Rotem Sela argued that the uniform messaging in media and social networks was not accidental, saying that when multiple figures repeat the same line, “it is not because they reached the same conclusion at the same moment, it is because someone, the same someone, whispered in their ear.” Erez Wiener said that for some generals, stopping the war in the south, and by extension in the north, became “a value in itself,” more important than victory. Prof. Gadi Taub sharply criticized the public campaign around the hostages, calling it “the most disgusting act of villainy” in Israel’s campaign history. Yaakov Bardugo said the military “won because they had the Americans,” adding that the army was, in his view, acting “in an American language.” Michael Dvorin also addressed the “Qatargate” affair, claiming that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar was using it to possibly bring down Netanyahu.
The episode concluded that the struggle over the war was being fought not only on the battlefield, but also in the public, media, and political arenas, under sustained pressure to end it early, contrary to the cabinet’s goals. The IDF rejected the claims, saying all cabinet-approved orders were carried out fully and denying any effort by commanders to weaken national morale. A statement on behalf of Ronen Bar dismissed the accusations as false and said the issues could only be examined by a state commission of inquiry. Ronen Bergman also denied the allegations, calling them a slander campaign against him.
