The government intends to appoint a new Shin Bet head despite a directive by Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, based on a High Court ruling earlier on Wednesday, that the prime minister was in a conflict-of-interest and was legally barred from doing so, due to the ongoing investigation by the Shin Bet into ties between his close aids and Qatar.
The prime minister, who gave a rare live press conference, ridiculed the speed in which the attorney-general’s directive came following the ruling, and claimed that she herself was in a conflict on interest due to ties to outgoing Shin Bet head Ronen Bar and with a former Mossad operative who is also a prosecution witness in his ongoing criminal trial.
Netanyahu called the high court ruling and the A-G’s directive “one big show,” but stopped short from saying that he would disobey a High Court order. However, he accused the High Court of “harming national security” by delaying the appointment of the next Shin Bet head.
Earlier in the press conference, Netanyahu criticized Democrats chairman Yair Golan for comments on Tuesday that “sane countries do not kill children as a pastime.” The prime minister said that Golan and other “has beens” who supported him of “pouring gasoline on the fire of antisemitism.” According to Netanyahu, they and others were willing to do anything to remove him from power, including losing the war to Hamas.
The prime minister said that the goal of the current “Operation Gideon’s Chariots” was to take complete security control of the Gaza Strip, and defeat Hamas by blocking its access to humanitarian aid, which it has used to continue funding its operations. The prime minister laid out the government’s plan, listing three phases: the first is to provide “basic” provisions in order to prevent a humanitarian disaster and “enable the continuation of the war”; the second phase is to form distribution points secured by the IDF but managed by American private operators; and the third phase is to create a “sterile zone” in southern Gaza, to which humanitarian aid will be distributed freely.
Netanyahu added that the war would only end with the exile of Hamas leaders, disarmament of its military wing, and the release of all hostages. The prime minister added that Israel fully supported what he called the “Trump Plan,” which he described as enabling Gazans who wish to do so to leave the Strip and settle in other countries.
Netanyahu also said that if the US reached an agreement with Iran that would prevent enrichment of uranium, he would support it.
Lapid: ‘Meaning of Netanyahu’s words…Gaza occupation for many years’
Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid said in a video statement in response, “The meaning of Netanyahu’s words is the occupation of Gaza for many years. Our children will roam the streets of Khan Yunis and Rafah in the coming years, and every morning we will wake up to the words ‘cleared for publication’ [announcement of casualties].”
“The Israeli taxpayer, the Israeli middle class, will have to pay for education, healthcare, and garbage collection in Gaza for years to come. Our international standing will collapse. Our economy will suffer severe damage.”
“Netanyahu lied tonight when he said he has full coordination with the American administration. He does not have such coordination. He has lost Trump’s favor and his attention,” Lapid said.
“Contrary to what Netanyahu said, ‘not enriching uranium’ is not Israel’s only condition. What about dismantling the centrifuges? What about oversight? What about dismantling the ballistic missile program?”
Lapid concluded, “Regarding his remarks about Yair Golan: the person who brought the convicted criminal and terror supporter Itamar Ben Gvir into the security cabinet should not lecture us or give us lessons on extremism.”
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