“We are on the brink of shifting from a war against Israel’s enemies to a civil war.”
Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz and former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman have both accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fueling the risk of civil war in Israel.
“We are on the brink of shifting from a war against Israel’s enemies to a civil war,” Gantz told the Israeli Channel 12, as cited by the Al Mayadeen news channel on Monday.
He added, “We did not fight a war for survival only to return to internal division,” and warned, “If you continue on this path, the next disaster will only be a matter of time.”
Gantz’s remarks came as senior coalition partners of Israeli PM Netanyahu convened on Sunday to deliberate on advancing a contentious proposal to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. https://t.co/aX1rQ9RIzM
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 15, 2024
On Sunday, Liberman lashed out at Netanyahu in a post on X, saying his government “chooses to ignite a civil war.”
“Did Netanyahu and (Justice Minister) Levin decide to start a civil war?” he asked, adding that it was “impossible to fight simultaneously against Iran, the Supreme Court, and the Attorney General.”
Judicial Reform Scheme
His accusation came as the ruling coalition discussed plans to advance a controversial judicial reform scheme and dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, the Anadolu news agency reported.
Lieberman called for a halt to “Jewish infighting” and urged the government to focus on external threats.
האם נתניהו ולוין החליטו לפתוח במלחמת אזרחים?
אי אפשר להילחם בו זמנית גם נגד איראן, גם נגד בית המשפט העליון וגם נגד היועצת המשפטית לממשלה. חייבים לעצור את מלחמות היהודים ולהתמקד בסיום המלחמות מול אויבינו.
קידום חוק ההשתמטות, לצד הניסיון להשתלט על בית המשפט העליון ולהדיח את…
— אביגדור ליברמן (@AvigdorLiberman) December 15, 2024
“We must stop the Jewish wars and focus on ending the wars against our enemies,” he said.
“The promotion of the evasion law, alongside the attempt to take control of the Supreme Court and oust the Advocate General, is pushing Israeli society to the brink of collapse and unprecedented internal conflict,” Liberman continued.
Captives, West Bank
Liberman pointed to the captives “still in Hamas captivity” adding that “War is raging in Syria.”
In the occupied West Bank, he said, “Abbas’s rule is on the verge of collapse.”
Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant – Israel Submits Appeal
“The Iranians continue to enrich uranium, and yet this government chooses to ignite a civil war,” Liberman stated. “Netanyahu is sacrificing the country to preserve the coalition. We must stop the madness.”
Netanyahu claims the judicial reform plan aims to “balance the powers” between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, according to Anadolu. However, critics argue that it undermines Israel’s democracy and could lead to a dictatorship.
The reform sparked massive protests throughout Israel in 2023.
Ongoing Genocide
Meanwhile, the Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip continued with the death toll among starved and besieged Palestinian civilians rising daily.
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The Civil Defense in Gaza reported that the Israeli occupation forces targeted four schools sheltering displaced people in the last 24 hours.
Major Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense, confirmed to Al-Jazeera that four schools housing displaced Palestinians were… pic.twitter.com/Cd4SlQgZGv
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) December 16, 2024
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 45,028 Palestinians have been killed, and 106,962 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. However, Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
Women and Children
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern region.
(PC, Anadolu, Al Mayadeen)
