Gallant Calls Netanyahu’s Goal of ‘Total Victory’ in Gaza ‘Nonsense’

Netanyahu hit back at Gallant, saying he's adopting an 'anti-Israel narrative'

On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s calls for “total victory” in Gaza “nonsense,” prompting a rebuke from Netanyahu.

Gallant made the comments at a hearing of the Israeli Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee when asked why Israel hasn’t invaded Lebanon.

“I hear the heroes beating the drums [of war], the ‘total victory’ and nonsense,” Gallant said, according to Haaretz. “I’ve seen this courage when it comes up for discussion. The conditions for war in Lebanon that exist today are the opposite of what they were at the beginning of the war.”

Gallant said that he wanted to take action against Hezbollah at the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza and that he wanted a preemptive strike, but he was denied. “There was a chance to attack the hive then, and now the terrorists are now swarming like bees,” he said.

In response to Gallant’s comments, Netanyahu’s office accused the defense minister of adopting an “anti-Israel narrative.” The office said in a statement that Hamas was to blame for the lack of a ceasefire deal in Gaza despite widespread acknowledgment that Netanyahu has been sabotaging the chances of an agreement.

“When Gallant adopts the anti-Israeli narrative, he harms the chances of reaching a deal for the release of the hostages,” Netanyahu’s office said. “He should have criticized [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar, who refuses to send a delegation for negotiations and remains the only obstacle to a hostage deal.”

Gallant and other top Israeli military and security officials favor a ceasefire deal in Gaza, but only a temporary one. Israeli media recently reported that the US is willing to give Israel a guarantee that it could restart its genocidal campaign in Gaza after the first phase of any deal with Hamas.

One reason why Israeli generals want a hostage deal with Hamas is to give the Israeli military rest to prepare for a full-blown war in Lebanon. Gallant has previously said that a ceasefire in Gaza would mean escalation against Hezbollah.

Netanyahu and Gallant has been at odds for the past ten months, and US officials are said to prefer dealing with the defense minister over the prime minister. “In contrast with the prime minister, the defense minister enjoys the trust of the American administration and is considered ‘the voice of reason’ against Netanyahu, who is seen as someone who makes decisions that are meant to support his personal survival,” a senior Israeli official told Haaretz.

While considered more reasonable than Netanyahu, Gallant has been itching for war in Lebanon, and comments from him referring to Palestinians have been some of the most cited when people have argued Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. In the wake of October 7, Gallant announced a “complete siege” and said the Israeli military was fighting “human animals” in Gaza, which is populated by about one million children.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.