For the First Time Ever, I Couldn’t Believe My Eyes

Ma’ariv, Israel, March 31

For the past three months, we have been witness to a seemingly endless cycle of excitement, anger and updates from the Knesset plenum that have not been able to produce any meaningful change. We have seen laws being passed with no clear purpose, decisions that have only served to widen the divide in our nation, and demonstrations that have had no visible impact.  This week, as I was waiting in line at the supermarket, I read with disbelief the news that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who had been his right-hand man for years. Gallant had been appointed to the position after a long and distinguished career in the military. Despite Gallant’s extensive knowledge and experience in the security establishment, his dismissal happened as an afterthought. All this for daring to express his views on legal reform while Netanyahu was abroad, and for stressing the need to stop the legislation, which was at odds with the opinion of many Likud party members. It is as if his concerns were brushed aside and hidden away like the traditional Passover afikoman. “Defense Minister fired.” I looked at these words on the TV screen and a chilling apprehension came over me – an apprehension of terror. I finally understood what many have understood for a long time – even security is not important enough for Netanyahu when it comes to his political survival. Thankfully, Gallant’s dismissal didn’t go unnoticed. A few hours later, hundreds of thousands of Israelis spontaneously took to the streets in a demonstration on a scale unseen in months of protests. They marched and shouted in a clear voice: Enough! Suddenly, Gallant’s dismissal became the watershed moment, when even many right-wing supporters felt that they were being fed lies. I was filled with distress that night and the following day. On the one hand, the government was taking steps to impose Nazi-like laws that should not be seen in any democracy, and, on the other hand, there was hatred and intolerance. Protesters were being arrested and there was violence from both sides, including the police. It felt as if our country was slipping away from us. In response to the protests, Netanyahu ultimately announced the postponement of the legislation until the Knesset’s summer session. He also approved the formation of a National Guard that would receive orders from Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, likely in an attempt to avoid a no-confidence vote or dissolution of the government. It remains to be seen whether the Knesset will actually make it to the summer session. Although members of the Likud, such as Danny Danon, David Bitan, Yuli Edelstein, Nir Barkat, and Israel Katz have yet to take a stance on the issue, Passover may be the time for a resolution. Yesterday, just before I reflected on this week’s events, something interesting happened: Due to pressure from political parties here and in the US, it appears that Minister Gallant may remain in the Ministry of Defense if he apologizes to Netanyahu. I find myself asking: What is he apologizing for? Is it for expressing the opinion of the security apparatus he oversees? Or the desire not to prevent Israelis from arriving at the Passover Seder dinner polarized as they’ve ever been? Netanyahu’s U-turn shows that the reins are somewhere else, far from his office. As for Gallant, he has proven himself an excellent minister of defense and must once again stand up against ludicrous behavior that threatens Israel’s security. However, this type of apology reinforces the silence among Likud members. It is a silence that presents a great danger to our country. – Michal Kadosh (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)