Benjamin Netanyahu has spent much of his political life cultivating an image of himself as indispensable to Israel’s survival. He has presented himself as the man who understands the existential threats confronting the country, the one statesman capable of navigating its enemies, and the one politician whose removal from office would supposedly leave Israel at the mercy of its adversaries. It is an impressive sales pitch, particularly when delivered from a podium with a suitably grave expression and a map of the Middle East behind him. But even the most elaborate political theatre cannot indefinitely conceal the increasingly uncomfortable question. Who, precisely, is protecting Israel from Benjamin Netanyahu?

The October 27 election results have dealt a serious blow to his political ambitions. Likud remains the largest party, with 27 seats, but the broader religious nationalist bloc has secured only 53 in the 120-member Knesset, well short of the 61 required for a majority. The opposition grouping led by Gadi Eisenkot has 48, while the Arab parties have secured a remarkable 19 seats. The arithmetic is complicated, but the political message is much simpler. Netanyahu has lost the majority that sustained his government, and the prospect of his departure is no longer confined to his opponents' wishful thinking. President Isaac Herzog has begun consultations on government formation, while an ultra-Orthodox ally's withdrawal of support has further weakened Netanyahu’s position.

Yet the most consequential development may not be taking place in the Knesset. It concerns the reported confrontation between Netanyahu and the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, over a proposed military action connected with Iran in the days immediately preceding the election. According to reports from sources familiar with the discussions, Zamir resisted an instruction from the political leadership, sought further deliberation, and reportedly demanded written documentation of the legal authorisation for the proposed action. Netanyahu dismissed the account as nonsense, while Defence Minister Israel Katz denied any serious disagreement. The allegations remain contested, and the precise nature of the proposed operation has not been publicly established. But the very possibility of such a confrontation should trouble any democracy in which civilian authority over the military is supposed to operate........

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