Israeli military faces unprecedented internal divisions and growing dissent within ranks.

Israel’s Military Crisis: How Netanyahu’s Politics Are Eroding National Unity

Key Points:

1. Sacred No More: The Politicization of the IDF
   • The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), long seen as a unifying national institution, is now caught in Netanyahu’s political crossfire.
   • Desperate to cling to power and avoid jail, Netanyahu and allies are sowing division within the military, even amid war.
2. Moral Erosion from Occupation & War
   • 57 years of occupation have turned the IDF into an oppressive force in Palestinian territories, degrading its moral standing.
   • The Gaza war has exposed operational indiscipline, including targeted killings of medics (e.g., 15 Palestinian paramedics executed at close range).
   • Soldiers in some units openly dehumanize Gazans, reflecting a broader ethical collapse.
3. Growing Resistance Within the Ranks
   • 140,000+ Israelis, including 11,179 military figures, have signed petitions demanding hostage deals over prolonged war.
   • Elite reservists & pilots—once loyal—are increasingly refusing call-ups, disillusioned with Netanyahu’s leadership.
   • Letters from ex-Mossad agents and commanders warn that the war is now more about saving Netanyahu than Israel.
4. Netanyahu’s Dangerous Response: Divide & Deflect
   • Instead of addressing concerns, Netanyahu dismisses critics as “anarchist pensioners” and accuses them of aiding the enemy.
   • His rhetoric fuels a false narrative of a leader battling “elites” rather than prioritizing national security.
5. The Real Threat: A Fractured Military
   • An army divided by politics and distrusted by its own soldiers risks long-term decline.
   • The IDF’s strength—its citizen-soldier model—is now a vulnerability, as reservists bring polarized views into combat.

Why This Matters:

• For Israel: The IDF’s eroding cohesion threatens its ability to defend the nation, especially amid rising regional threats.
• For Gaza: Moral degradation enables atrocities, worsening global isolation and prolonging the conflict.
• For Netanyahu: His survival tactics are alienating the very institution that has long shielded Israel.

What’s Next?

• If reservist refusals grow, Israel’s military capacity could weaken, forcing political change.
• More atrocities exposed may further isolate Israel internationally.
• Netanyahu’s gamble—sacrificing military unity for power—could backfire, hastening his downfall.

Netanyahu’s short-term political maneuvering is undermining Israel’s most vital institution. The IDF, once a symbol of unity, is now a battleground for democracy itself. Without course correction, Israel risks not just military decline, but a societal rupture with lasting consequences.