Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to sign an order for a large-scale ground operation in the Gaza Strip for fear of losing the trust of the people if it failed..
This was reported by the American edition of The New York Times, citing Israeli government sources.
Why Netanyahu did not sign the order for the operation in Gaza
According to two sources present at emergency cabinet meetings, the prime minister angered senior officers with his refusal to sign off on the operation plan.
The publication’s interlocutors note that the Israeli prime minister’s refusal is partly due to his desire to obtain unanimous approval of the operation from members of the emergency government, which was formed together with the opposition after the October 7 attacks.
According to the publication, Netanyahu’s decision indicates disagreements in the cabinet, some of which insist on a less ambitious plan for the invasion of Gaza, which would involve conducting several operations in a small part of the enclave instead of one large-scale one.
According to analysts, the head of the Israeli government is in no hurry to independently approve the operation plan for fear of losing public trust if it fails.
On October 25, the American portal Axios, citing US officials, reported that the Israeli Prime Minister was skeptical of the military’s plans and intended to postpone the ground operation in Gaza.
According to the portal’s sources, Netanyahu needs time to listen to different points of view and give more opportunities to negotiators to free the hostages while the IDF prepares the operation.
The Israeli edition of The Times of Israel reported on October 24 that the ground operation in Gaza could be postponed for a long time or even canceled.
At the same time, the Israeli Defense Forces declare full readiness for the operation.
The American television channel CNN reported that the United States put pressure on Israel, calling for a postponement of the operation and the release of the hostages. However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Israel must make its own decision, and Washington can only advise.
