In a recent incident, Israeli soldiers and police clashed with far-right nationalist protesters at the Beit Lid army base in Kfar Yona, Israel. The confrontation occurred after protesters broke into the base over the detention of military reservists suspected of abusing a Palestinian detainee. Israeli Channel 14 reported on statements made by Israeli opposition leader and Knesset member Benny Gantz, who expressed concerns about a potential civil war in Israel during a public ceremony commemorating the so-called “destruction of the Temple.
Gantz warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not “sacrifice his government to protect Israelis,” or do what is necessary to prevent civil war. He criticized raids on military bases and the “trampling on the dignity of captives’ families.” Gantz emphasized that if Israelis “do not come to our senses, there will be a civil war here. It is forbidden to hide the truth.
These statements come in conjunction with the public rift between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Security Minister Yoav Gallant. Israeli Channel 12 reported that high-ranking security officials warned last month that the personal and political conflict between Netanyahu and Gallant is damaging the management of ongoing military operations.
In a recent analysis, Foreign Affairs magazine painted a grim picture of Israel’s future in the wake of the war on Gaza, predicting a potential “demise of Israel” and a “dark future” marked by internal instability and increasing global isolation. The magazine argues that Operation al-Aqsa Flood by the Palestinian resistance struck Israel at a moment of profound internal turmoil, highlighting deep divisions within Israeli society exacerbated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push for controversial judicial reforms aimed at significantly curtailing the Supreme Court’s authority over government actions.
The ongoing conflict with Gaza has only served to “intensify political divisions within Israel,” setting the occupation on a “dangerous and unsustainable trajectory” that could lead to capital flight, brain drain, and escalating internal tensions. While a full-blown civil war has not yet materialized, Foreign Affairs cautions that the Israeli current path will likely result in prolonged instability and economic collapse, potentially leading to its failure.