Heated debate at Israel's Security Cabinet meeting: Fisticuffs directed at Ben-Gvir

Tensions reached a breaking point at the Security Cabinet meeting held in Israel yesterday. According to a report by the Israeli news site Walla, War Cabinet member and former Chief of General Staff Gadi Eisenkot accused the government of "failing to make strategic decisions" regarding the ongoing attacks on Gaza.

Ben-Gvir interrupted Eisenkot as he was offering suggestions on the necessary steps the government should take, saying, "We have listened to you enough, General."

FISTICUFFS

Eisenkot, who reacted to Ben-Gvir by saying, "Stop interrupting me," also quoted the Torah by saying, "Take off your sandals," warning Ben-Gvir not to "cross his boundaries."

It was also reported that during the meeting, Eisenkot called Ben-Gvir, who did not perform mandatory military service, a "draft dodger" and threw a punch at him.

GALLANT AND NETANYAHU HAD ALSO CLASHED

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated at a press conference in Tel Aviv on May 15 that they had long been saying it was necessary to work toward finding an alternative administration to Hamas in Gaza, but that they had received no response.

Gallant said, "The army's plan was not brought up for discussion, and worse, no alternative was put in its place. A military-civilian regime in Gaza is a bad and dangerous alternative for Israel."

Stating that he would not accept the establishment of a military administration in Gaza, Gallant had called on Netanyahu to make a decision on the matter, to declare that Israel would not have a civil-military regime in the Gaza Strip, and to encourage an alternative administration to Hamas.

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded to Gallant's criticisms in a video he shared on the social media platform X, stating, "As long as Hamas exists, no other actor will be able to govern Gaza, certainly not the Palestinian Authority."

Arguing that "day after" discussions are "meaningless" until Hamas is defeated, Netanyahu claimed, "Until it becomes clear that Hamas is not governing Gaza militarily, no actor will be ready to accept the civil administration of Gaza alone for fear of their own safety."

News Source: AA