An Israeli cabinet minister accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition of "failing miserably" amid the Gaza war on Wednesday, prompting a rebuke from Netanyahu's Likud party as political divisions deepen.
Israeli cabinet minister and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, Reuters/Dylan Martinez
An Israeli cabinet minister accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition of "failing miserably" amid the Gaza war on Wednesday, prompting a rebuke from Netanyahu's Likud party as political divisions deepen.
Knesset member Gadi Eisenkot, an observer in the war cabinet, said Netanyahu had failed on security and the economy and called for elections by year's end.
Speaking at a conference, the former military chief, whose youngest son was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip in December, said Netanyahu was misleading citizens with slogans of "total victory" against Hamas instead of being truthful about the complexity of the Gaza war, now in its eight month.
"Anyone who says that we'll disband a few battalions in Rafah and then return the hostages is sowing a false illusion," he said. "It will take three to five years to stabilize [Gaza] and then many more years to build an alternative to Hamas."
He said Netanyahu had failed to meet his top 2022 campaign promises, including stopping Iran's nuclear program, formalising diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia and strengthening the economy.
Israel launched an air and ground offensive in Gaza last October vowing to destroy the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas. However, experts have doubted whether that is possible.
In a statement on Telegram, the Likud party said Eisenkot and Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz, Netanyahu's main challenger, were looking for excuses to quit the coalition at the height the war.
"Instead of pursuing victory, they are engaging in petty politics," Likud said.
Wednesday's exchange was the latest spat in the coalition, raising questions about how long Israel's wartime government could survive as Netanyahu straddles conflicting demands from coalition members and faces global scrutiny over Israel's war conduct, including from top ally the United States.
The war began after Hamas-led fighter attacked southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, calling for an end to Israel's occupation, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Around 120 hostages remain in Gaza.
Reporting by Henriette Chacar
The body of Hashem Safieddine, who was slated to replace slain Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and was targeted in an Israeli attack on the Dahieh earlier this month, was found.
Lebanon's Hezbollah movement said on Tuesday there would be no negotiations while fighting continued with Israel and it claimed sole responsibility for a drone attack on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home.
Concerns over a wider conflict in the Middle East have prompted international airlines to suspend flights to the region or to avoid affected air space.
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