Defense Minister Benny Gantz responded today (Friday) to the appointment of Knesset member Itamar Ben Gabir as Minister of National Security. In a post on Facebook, Gantz wrote: “This morning we were informed of an agreement between Ben Gabir and Netanyahu that marks the direction in which the next government is going: dismantling the government’s powers according to political necessity into fragments of ministries. Dismantling operational frameworks in the IDF, which also includes damage to the operational functioning of the IDF and the Israel Police “.
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In his publication, Gantz wrote: “National security – or the dismantling of security into fragments of authority and the establishment of a private army for a great man? There are three serious failures here that are being created before our eyes.”
Benny Gantz attacks the agreement between Likud and Otzma Yehudit. Courtesy of Elad Malka
He referred to the security aspect of the agreement, and wrote: “The intention to split the capabilities and powers of the Civil Administration between the Ministry of Defense and the Treasury and the exercise of the security force in Judea and Samaria between the Ministry of Defense and the ministry and the BTP (the so-called “Ministry of National Security”) could bring us severe international pressure regarding “annexation de facto in Judea and Samaria without us gaining anything – neither in security nor in the field. This will create a significant administrative and security weakness. The idea of creating a ‘private army’ for Ben Gavir in Judea and Samaria is dangerous for the use of force, and will create real security failures.”
He continued: “In recent years, I have led the processes of full and close coordination between the IDF, the Israel Police, the Shin Bet and the IDF under the IDF. The idea of breaking down the use of force into factors will lead to contradictions on the ground and a serious security failure for which Netanyahu will be responsible. When the commander of the command will have to use the force and there is no MGB force at his disposal, or when the MGB will receive an order to act in the IOS, contrary to the need to use the force decided by the commander of the command and the Chief of Staff – security chaos will be created.”
On the governance aspect, Gantz wrote: “When I hear about the apparent agreements between Netanyahu and the extreme right and the intention to break up the government into pieces of ministries, I remember that I warned Netanyahu already when we formed the government four years ago, that the creation of dummy ministries would weaken governance. That’s why I insisted that Blue and White not There will be meaningless ministries like the “Ministry of Digital”, the “Ministry of Higher Education” or the “Ministry of Water”. I thought it was a mistake at the time, but now it is a real administrative attack when fragments of ministries become grains of ministries.”
He also referred to the aspect of national security, and wrote that “Netanyahu knows that national security is the sum total of the state’s capabilities – security; military; diplomatic; legal; economic and social. Instead of pouring powers into the Ministry of Internal Security as we proposed in the plan laid out by Gadi Eisenkot to strengthen the police, instead of working to create A final legal leg is better, he changes names and gives honors.”
Itamar Ben Gvir: “Without restoring security and governance – we cannot be in the government” (Photo: Knesset Channel)
“Either way – national security for its components has one person in charge and he is the prime minister who is responsible for synchronizing all national efforts,” Gantz wrote. “We can only see Netanyahu’s move as an admission that the real prime minister will be Ben Gavir.”
He concluded: “Comrades, Netanyahu chose dishonor – which will lead to a security danger. The future of the State of Israel is more important than these whims, and therefore the state camp, in coordination with the other parties that value the security of the State of Israel, will act against the security, administrative and national attack that has been created before our eyes. We will conduct ourselves responsibly and with determination in the face of lawlessness – and we will use all the tools at our disposal to maintain security and Israeli society. This is the order of the hour.”