Former War Cabinet member Eisenkot blasts Netanyahu’s war conduct, claims PM appeasing far-right

Former member of Israel's War Cabinet and former IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his decision-making in the Gaza War.

During an interview on Friday, Eisenkot, a senior member of the opposition National Unity party, accused Netanyahu’s conduct during the current ongoing war of being driven by political considerations, allegedly concealing these motives through what he described as “near-criminal behavior.”

“I have seen how the Prime Minister’s Office works. So beyond the built-in weakness of the team surrounding the prime minister, in my eyes this is near-criminal behavior that can be observed between the lines,” Eisenkot said.

“I am not surprised that there are such cases – this is an environment and these are people who act in an inappropriate, manipulative way,” he added.

Eisenkot also claimed that Netanyahu was spreading false leaks to the media.

“I would sit in a meeting and know exactly what I, Gallant, Gantz and Netanyahu had said, and the next day we would hear the complete opposite in some media outlets.”

Eisenkot argued that Netanyahu’s recent firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant demonstrated a continuation of Netanyahu’s politicized war decisions.

The former IDF chief also accused the Israeli leader of prolonging the war in Gaza in order to appease far-right members of the coalition government. Such conduct allegedly prompted Eisenkot and his party colleague Benny Gantz to leave the coalition government in June.

Eisenkot also said Netanyahu’s aides avoided recording what was initially discussed during a top-level discussion last October 2023, when Israel reportedly considered launching a major attack on the Iranian-backed terrorist militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“I have taken part in hundreds of discussions at the Prime Minister’s Office and I can’t remember a discussion of this level of importance where the first hour is without a recording and without a stenographer. This testifies to something,” he assessed, adding that “someone didn’t want us to know” what was discussed.

Eisenkot also accused Netanyahu of failing to secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.

“We saw deep problems in [Netanyahu’s] decision-making and ulterior motives that have caused a complete and deep failure, in that tonight there are [still] 101 hostages in the Gaza Strip – a terrible abandonment with his name on it as prime minister.”

Netanyahu’s decision-making places personal political interests above national security considerations, Eisenkot contended.

“What I can say is that the decisions I saw throughout the time [I served in the government] didn’t stem from fulfilling Israel’s national interests. The heavy weight of the personal and political considerations was a central component in his decision making, within several weeks of the start of the war.”

The Prime Minister’s Office responded to the interview by accusing Eisenkot of spreading “lies” about Netanyahu.

“Near-criminality is to tell the public lies and hide behind [parliamentary] immunity. We call on Eisenkot to give up his immunity,” the PMO stated.

Eisenkot has paid a high personal price for the ongoing war in Gaza.

In December 2023, the former IDF chief's son was killed during a battle against Hamas terrorists in Gaza. A few days later, Eisenkot’s nephew died in battle.

In January, Eisenkot became increasingly vocal in his criticism of Netanyahu and questioned the government’s war goal of destroying Hamas.

“Whoever speaks of absolute defeat is not speaking the truth," Eisenkot told the media. “That is why we should not tell stories…Today, the situation already in the Gaza Strip is such that the goals of the war have not yet been achieved.”

The Israeli government’s stated war goals in the Gaza Strip have been to destroy Hamas as a military and political power, return the remaining hostages safely to Israel and secure the nation's borders.

While some 101 hostages are still held in Gaza, the IDF has assessed that Hamas is largely dismantled as an organized military power.

The Israeli military has eliminated some 15,000 Hamas terrorists as well as most of its leadership including Hamas top leader Yahya Sinwar and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, who are both believed to have masterminded the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack in southern Israel that led to the deaths of 1,200.