Jerusalem / Munjed Jadou / Al Ahram Weekly
A series of public petitions signed by Israeli officers, pilots, soldiers, physicians, and, most recently, Mossad leaders and officers has revealed a growing rift between Israel’s military leadership and the far-right political establishment led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The divide, once confined to quiet dissent, has escalated into open confrontation, with signs that the political leadership is ready to suppress dissent within Israeli society using aggressive tactics.
The latest sign of the shift emerged with a letter signed by nearly 1,000 current and retired Israeli Air Force personnel demanding an end to the ongoing war on Gaza, which has continued for over a year and a half, in exchange for the return of hostages held in the Strip.
The petition received wide support across various security sectors. Over 200 military doctors, 150 naval officers, and 250 Mossad operatives, including three former senior Mossad officials, echoed similar sentiments. Their messages, along with statements from academics and other former security officials, reflect an unprecedented wave of opposition to Netanyahu’s policies.
Among the signatories was former Israeli chief of staff Dan Halutz. The petition calls for an immediate return of the hostages and declares the continuation of the war to be politically motivated.
“We, the reserve and retired aircrew combatants, demand the immediate return of the abducted, even at the cost of a ceasefire,” the letter states. “At this stage, the war primarily serves political and personal interests, not national security.”
The signatories warn that the war’s continuation “will not achieve any of its declared objectives and will result in the deaths of hostages, IOF [Israel Occupation Forces] soldiers, and innocent civilians, as well as the exhaustion of reserve forces.”
In comments to Al-Ahram Weekly, Israeli affairs analyst Firas Hassan said the involvement of military doctors and senior figures from the Mossad and Shin Bet, including three Mossad chiefs, marks a serious turning point. These figures assert that the war is no longer serving Israel’s strategic interests but is instead advancing Netanyahu’s political survival.
Hassan predicted that this wave of opposition would expand, increasing pressure on Israeli decision-makers and reaching other sectors of society. “Israeli commentators suggest that Netanyahu’s recent language, labelling critics as ‘delusional cowards’ funded by foreign organisations, will only deepen the crisis and provoke stronger resistance,” he said.
Critics argue that Netanyahu is jeopardising Israel’s reputation and military credibility by prolonging the war for political gain, potentially destroying the very institutions he claims to protect.
Tomer Meheger, a well-known anti-conscription activist during the Second Intifada and now a social media campaigner, published videos of former Israeli objectors explaining their choices. He noted a clear shift in the Israeli public mood.
“At first, [the Hamas attacks on] October 7 created a ‘we’re all in this together’ spirit. But that has since faded,” he said. “Three fighter jets are enough to strike Gaza, but conscientious objection continues to draw red lines. It forces the system to reckon with the limits of its own power.”
According to Ishai Menuchin from the refusal movement Yesh Gvul (“There is a Limit”), his group has been in contact with more than 150 ideological objectors since October 2023. Another organisation, New Profile, which supports those resisting conscription in Israel, has documented hundreds of similar cases.
While young people who refuse compulsory military service on ideological grounds often face several months in prison, Menuchin noted that only one reservist was recently punished, and even then, he received a suspended two-week sentence.
“They’re afraid that jailing refusers might dismantle the ‘people’s army’ narrative,” he said. “The government understands this. That’s why they’ve opted for quietly discharging reservists, hoping it will solve the problem.”
Former Knesset member Sami Abu Shehadeh commented on the developments inside Israel, saying that the harsh reactions from Netanyahu and his allies, including dismissals and threats of punishment, stem from fear.
“The far-right government is terrified that its false narrative will be exposed,” he said, “because that narrative is what keeps them in power.”
Abu Shehadeh emphasised that the very soldiers and officers carrying out military operations in Gaza are now confronting Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, telling them that their justification for the war is a lie.
“This war is driven by personal and political motives, not national security,” he said. “It serves the interests of Netanyahu and his far-right Coalition, not the people of Israel.”
He added that Netanyahu is attempting to present the war as existential. “But the soldiers’ letters make it clear: this is a war for Netanyahu’s narrow, personal survival and for his fascist government.”
“That’s why Netanyahu and the military leadership are desperately trying to suppress this growing wave of dissent, because it challenges the official story and is shifting public opinion. We are already seeing this in recent polls, which show a sharp decline in support for Netanyahu and the right.”
Palestinian analyst Firas Yaghi told Al-Ahram Weekly that the growing number of petitions indicates a lack of consensus both within the military and among the broader public in Israel.
“The top priority for most Israelis is the return of hostages held in Gaza, even if it means ending the war,” he said. “There are no longer any meaningful military objectives left in Gaza, and it no longer poses the kind of security threat Netanyahu claims. The military knows that this war is Netanyahu’s means of clinging to power.”
Yaghi added that Netanyahu and his allies are framing the war as Israel’s “second war of independence,” stressing the need for “absolute victory” and the elimination of Hamas.
“This rhetoric is about survival, not of the nation, but of the ruling Coalition,” he said. “Netanyahu is using this war to secure ongoing US military support, hide his failures, and avoid accountability.”
According to Yaghi, Israel’s near-collapse on 7 October exposed its vulnerabilities, and it was American backing that kept the country afloat.
“The letters from military units, including the Air Force, Artillery, Intelligence, and Mossad, are building public pressure on Netanyahu. They reflect growing opposition from elite segments of society and the military,” he said.
“Netanyahu is now trying to manipulate public opinion with promises of a hostage deal to buy time, but the momentum is against him.”
According to multiple experts and commentators interviewed by the Weekly, there is growing agreement that the recent wave of petitions from reservists across the Israeli military marks a turning point. The once-solid domestic consensus on the war in Gaza is fracturing.
What began as a national rallying cry has evolved into a deep debate over its purpose, leadership, and cost. The Israeli public is increasingly questioning whether the war serves national interests or merely the political survival of one man.
