Israeli right exchanges barbs as contacts with Hamas progress
The negotiations between Israel and Hamas are an important diplomatic step and sparking a fierce political debate among the Israeli right.
A controversy is escalating in Israel after recent publications suggested that a long-term arrangement between Israel and Hamas could soon be signed. And while Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman defends this approach, he is also making a point to clarify his stance on Hamas.
In a particularly long and detailed Facebook post on Aug. 19, Liberman laid out his strategy for Gaza. Liberman explained that Israel’s endgame is toppling the Hamas regime and that there are two ways to achieve it. The first is reconquering and destroying Gaza in a devastating military assault, which would come with a steep cost in Israeli troops. The second approach, which Liberman prefers, is “creating conditions in which the average resident of Gaza will take steps to replace the Hamas regime with a more pragmatic government.”
Liberman ended his post with, “We are operating and will continue to operate with force, but also with wisdom. … This is intended for everyone who claims that the defense establishment is operating without any policy and without any strategy.”
This comment was aimed at HaBayit HaYehudi's chairman, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who is also a member of the Security Cabinet. He has been waging a vicious campaign against Liberman with negotiations over an arrangement in Gaza in the background. Bennett accuses Liberman of surrendering to terrorism and claims that his policies will only lead to war. This clash between Liberman and Bennett, in the highest echelons of the right, may be politically motivated, but it also reflects a significant political and security debate.
