Israeli Ministers Ben-Gvir, Eisenkot quarrel in cabinet: Israeli media
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Israeli cabinet member Gadi Eisenkot told Itamar Ben-Gvir to stop interrupting him during the cabinet meeting on May 16.
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Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir attends the weekly cabinet meeting in al-Quds, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023. (AP)
The Israeli news website Walla! said that an argument broke out between Israeli Ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Gadi Eisenkot during the cabinet meeting on May 16.
According to the Israeli website, the argument broke out after Israeli war cabinet member Gadi Eisenkot told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his government has ignored taking any strategic decisions in its war against Gaza for months now.
Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir interrupted saying “We’ve heard enough from you generals," adding that Eisenkot's policies are the reason behind October 7.
Eiseknot slammed him back by saying "Stop interrupting me," then added, "Remove your sandals," referencing a verse from the book of Exodus which ends with "...for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
Internal rift grows as Gallant challenged Netanyahu on post-war plans
Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant on May 15 sparked controversy by publicly voicing his opposition to Prime Minister Netanyahu's post-war strategy of establishing an Israeli military occupation in the Gaza Strip.
The comments came shortly after Netanyahu posted a video online in which he declared that any discussion of post-war Gaza is meaningless unless the Palestinian Resistance is defeated. "Until it becomes clear that Hamas doesn't rule Gaza militarily, no actor will be ready to accept upon himself the civil rule of Gaza out of fear for his own safety," Netanyahu said.
During a press conference, Gallant told reporters that when the war on Gaza broke out, he attempted to promote a blueprint for an alternative Gaza administration "solely made up of Palestinians". But these efforts "got no response," he said, adding that such plans for a permanent Israeli presence are a "negative and dangerous option for Israel, from a strategic, military and security point of view."
"I will not accept the establishment of an Israeli military presence in Gaza," he said. "Israel must not exercise civilian control in Gaza."
"I call on the prime minister to announce that Israel will not rule over Gaza militarily," Gallant added. "An alternative to Hamas governance should be established ... Indecision will erode the military gains (of the war)."
Several key extremist figures within Netanyahu's regime expressed outrage over the matter, with some likening his stance to being supportive of Palestinian statehood.
Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, on his part, called on removing Gallant from his position.
"According to Gallant, there is no difference whether the IDF soldiers will rule in Gaza or whether Hamas murderers will rule there. This is the essence of the security minister's concept, which failed on October 7 and continues to fail now. Such a security minister must be replaced in order to achieve the goals of the war," Ben-Gvir wrote in a tweet.
