An “unprecedented conflict” unfolded in recent days and on the eve of the elections in Israel between Benjamin Netanyahu, and the chief of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Eyal Zamir, regarding the prime minister’s order for military action, which, according to defense officials, could trigger an immediate conflict with Iran.
According to anonymous sources cited by Israel’s Channel 12, Zamir reportedly strongly opposed carrying out this specific military order, while requesting further consultations, as well as signed documents from Netanyahu regarding the legal authorization for the operation.
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The issue came to a head over the weekend, with a military source cited by the television network stating that “this is an action that could lead to a flare-up with Iran at a sensitive and critical moment, creating the risk of such a miscalculation.”
The report also cites sources familiar with the matter who express concerns that political leaders may be attempting “to use the Iran issue for political gain.”
Netanyahu: “Nonsense, there was no conflict”
When asked about this during an interview on Channel 14, Netanyahu dismissed the report as “nonsense,” maintaining that “there was no conflict” with Zamir.
Earlier in the same interview, the Israeli prime minister had stated that he recently “ordered the army and the Mossad to overthrow the Iranian regime,” though it does not appear that this statement is linked to the specific order issued in recent days, as reported by Channel 12.
According to available information, the tension and hostile atmosphere between Netanyahu and Zamir were evident during a meeting held on Sunday at the Palmachim Air Base, where the atmosphere was described as “extremely tense.”
Channel 12 also cited a senior security source, who stated that “History will not forget the role Zamir played in recent days,” without providing further explanation.
A few days earlier, on Thursday, Channel 13 had reported that Zamir, in a recent private meeting, had expressed the view that there is no operational need to attack Iran before the elections. “We see no indication that a strike against Iran is necessary before the elections. If we determine that an attack on Iran is necessary, we will carry it out,” he reportedly said.
Recently, as the election campaign was drawing to a close, reports had intensified suggesting that Netanyahu might be seeking a new conflict with Iran, either to boost his electoral prospects or possibly to postpone the election.
The Israeli prime minister has denied having such intentions.
Outrage among the opposition: “He has lost control”
The reactions from opposition parties have been particularly strong, with Netanyahu’s political rivals arguing that the prime minister poses a threat to the country’s security.
Gadi Eizenkot, who is seen as the opposition’s leading candidate, wrote on X: “Netanyahu, I’m watching you,” adding that the prime minister “refuses to understand that Israel’s security is not a tool in a political game, that the lives of Israeli civilians and soldiers are not expendable, and that the State of Israel is not his personal property.”
Eizenkot expressed his support for Zamir, stating that he would not allow “the Israeli army to be turned into a tool for Netanyahu’s political survival campaign.”
Speaking at a campaign rally shortly before Channel 12’s report aired, the leader of the Yashar party had argued that Netanyahu would do anything to remain in power.
“I see the polls, I know the data, and I know Netanyahu,” he said. “He will stop at nothing—neither lies nor extreme measures—to remain in power.”
Opposition leader Yair Lapid, second-in-command of the opposition party B’Yachad, wrote that Netanyahu “wants to provoke an escalation and a conflict with Iran solely to postpone the elections.” “The man has lost control. We must send him home,” he added.
For his part, Yair Golan, chairman of the left-wing Democratic Party and former deputy chief of staff of the Israeli army, also expressed his support for Zamir. “We must not allow any military action that lacks a clear national security rationale, a strategic objective, and responsible operational planning,” he emphasized, adding: “When Israeli citizens go to the polls on Tuesday, they must remember that Netanyahu is a threat to Israel’s security. He will not hesitate to sacrifice the lives of our children for his own political survival on the eve of the election. This is what the army is trying to prevent.”
Even harsher was the statement by Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the right-wing Yisrael Beytenu party.
“I have no doubt that Bibi is trying to forcibly drag Israel into a military operation in order to prevent the elections. This behavior amounts to treason against the state and its security,” he wrote, and also called on Zamir to protect the army and its soldiers and not to “put them in danger because of the prime minister’s fear that he is going to lose the election.”
New Threats from Netanyahu to Iran: “Don’t Test Us”
At the same time, both Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have escalated their harsh rhetoric toward Iran.
The Israeli prime minister warned again on Sunday that Iran or one of its allies might launch an attack in the coming days, calling on Tehran not to “test” Israel.
Speaking in front of a battery of the Arrow missile defense system at the Palmachim Air Base, Netanyahu stated that the military is prepared for any eventuality, both defensively and offensively.
“We have intelligence from our agencies indicating that Iran and its allies may provoke us with attacks in order to disrupt the elections,” he said, without providing further details.
Netanyahu has issued several similar warnings in recent weeks, prompting reactions from his electoral rivals, who accuse him of fostering a climate of fear and seeking to reignite the war with Iran, in order to influence or postpone the October 27 election.
“I warn them,” he said on Sunday, addressing Tehran. “Don’t test us. You will face strikes of disproportionate force. We are much stronger than you think. Don’t underestimate us. Don’t test us,” he added.
Source: Protothema.gr
