From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Gantz slams PM’s war management, says ‘everything will be revealed’ in future inquiry
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"
Former war cabinet minister Benny Gantz pans Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, accusing him of hesitating and delaying necessary operations in Gaza.
Addressing Netanyahu in a tweet after the premier defended his wartime leadership during a heated Knesset debate by declaring that Israel is “on the way to absolute victory,” Gantz says that Netanyahu was “afraid” to maneuver in Gaza, having “delayed entering Khan Younis” and “hesitated to enter Rafah.”
“You talked about the city of Rafah for a campaign, when we insisted on the need to first seize the Philadelphi Corridor and prevent a renewed strengthening of Hamas,” he continues, speaking of the time before Gantz left the wartime government, citing the premier’s conduct.
“Everything will be revealed when the protocols and testimonies are heard by the state commission of inquiry, which will have to ask the questions — why did you delay the entry of Rafah and Khan Younis? Why did you fear, delay and hesitate? And what are the prices we paid and are still paying for it?”
Such a commission hasn’t yet been formed, and Netanyahu is reportedly seeking to change the way it could eventually be formed to be more amenable to him.
