From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
Ben Gvir calls Gallant and Deri leftists after they oppose his inclusion in war-management forum
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calls Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Shas chief Aryeh Deri leftists who are undermining national security, following their opposition to his inclusion in a proposed high-level decision-making body for the management of the war in Gaza.
Both Gallant and Deri are “left-wing” and represent a flawed security “conception” that believes in restraint in the north and waffling in the south, Ben Gvir tweets, accusing the pair of “striving for a reckless deal and the end of the war.”
“This is the reason why this duo opposes my joining the limited forum: because my perception is that decisive results should be sought in both the south and the north, and the hostages should be brought back, but not through surrender — through military pressure and decisive actions.”
Earlier today, Gallant accused Ben Gvir of being “a pyromaniac who is trying to set fire to the Middle East” and said that he “oppose[s] any negotiations to put him in the war cabinet.”
According to the Ynet news site, Deri has “vetoed” Ben Gvir’s participation in such a forum.
