President Herzog slams political infighting during wartime, says enemy ‘celebrating’

In a primetime address, President Isaac Herzog laments the growing military death toll as part of the ongoing ground offensive in Gaza, and lambastes political infighting that serves Israel’s enemies.

“The enemy is waiting to see chasms among us, for us to start fighting with one another. It sees the confrontations, the ego battles and the political headbutting,” Herzog says, appearing to refer to proliferating verbal attacks by politicians against other politicians and military officials. “It celebrates every time disagreement drives us apart.”

“We must not return to the discourse of October 6, of us and them,” Herzog says, referring to the deep societal divisions that raged earlier this year over the hardline government’s judicial overhaul, before Hamas’s October 7 massacres temporarily drove Israelis to unite.

“We must not return to toxic discourse online. Anyone who returns us to the discourse of October 6 harms the war effort and citizens’ security,” he adds.

“I am directly addressing the leadership and anyone acting in the public and political spheres, and demanding that you stop. Show responsibility, restrain yourselves and wait a little longer with the political campaigns and messages.”