When Netanyahu sacrifices IDF soldiers to cling to power, and Gantz offers him a lifeline under the guise of fake statesmanship, the result is a government that abandons national security, the hostages, and the Israeli public. Anyone who enables this neglect becomes a partner in the disaster. Every extra day this government remains in power is a direct threat to the lives of our soldiers, the hostages, and the country’s future.

After 643 days of fighting and with 50 hostages still wasting away in Hamas tunnels, any reasonable person must ask: Are Netanyahu and his government making decisions based on security, or politics? And what happens when those two clash? This question is especially urgent when viewed alongside the courage of IDF soldiers and the pain of grieving families.

Anyone paying attention to recent political events has heard Netanyahu answer this question himself. In a recorded conversation with Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Hirsch – widely reported in the media – Netanyahu admitted he didn’t fire former Defence Minister Gallant or former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi because of any failure tied to the 7 October massacre. He dismissed them because they opposed the draft exemption law.

Just a few days ago, the IDF released a statement outlining how it plans to crack down on draft evaders. The first to publicly push back? A Likud spokesperson, who brazenly declared: “I can promise that we will not let this happen under any circumstances.” That response wasn’t just political posturing—it was a direct challenge to the military’s authority.

Every citizen should be asking: How does Likud’s support for the draft exemption law square with the IDF’s urgent need for around 12,000 regular soldiers,........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)