Fired Up: A storm of disagreement is brewing within Israel’s war cabinet over the handling of the looming threat from Hezbollah, the militant group based in Lebanon. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi now diverge from the approach adopted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, causing huge tension over what exactly will happen next to Israel.
The two are pushing for a more cautious approach. They argue that an invasion on the ground against Hezbollah may be premature, and disaster may befall at the same time. They base their argument on the prognosis that some room may remain for diplomacy, with international channels perhaps being the means to diffuse the situation. Gallant, in a second direct move against Netanyahu, had been leading calls to delay military action with a demand for more time for diplomatic negotiations to yield fruits before war.
The central point of disagreement seems to be the question of whether or not the IDF should invade Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Lebanon, a move that is said to have all the potential of spilling into the larger regional conflict. Hezbollah symbolizes a militia whose military infrastructure runs very deep and is well-equipped with rockets and missiles that would prove amply threatening to the northern borders of Israel. Any further provocation may ultimately attract involvement by neighboring nations and further destabilize this already volatile region.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Netanyahu supports the opinion of Northern Command Chief that Israel should move fast and conclusively. Netanyahu believes that delay in offensive may give Hezbollah time to better prepare, which may put the risk factor to Israeli forces at a higher level. According to Netanyahu, preemption is the only way for Israel’s security. He advocates for a swift strike to down Hezbollah’s capabilities before they would go on to cause damage for Israel.
It has also renewed an old controversy between Netanyahu and Gallant. This year in April, Netanyahu was involved in controversy for trying to fire Gallant after a public spat regarding internal policy issues. However, he had to eat his words following robust opposition from public and political circles. However, as reported in the media, Netanyahu has again decided to sack Gallant. The frustration of Netanyahu over Gallant’s failure in suppressing Hezbollah might once again allow the juggling of defense ministers in Israel.
At the heart of this inner battle is that of time and the cost of war. For Netanyahu, it was a window of opportunity to hit Hezbollah at the time when the threat to Israel’s military domination was the most vulnerable. Gallant and Halevi, on the other hand, were careful of a long-term war which would cause a lot of losses in life as well as resources.
Under international observation, the threat of Hezbollah has tested Israel’s leadership and divided it on how to act. Whether it is calls for diplomacy by Gallant or the push for immediate military action by Netanyahu, this decision will seal the fate of the northern front for Israel and the stability of the region in general.
