Lieberman Accuses Netanyahu of Prolonging Gaza War to Appease Far-Right
Internal divisions deepen in Israeli leadership as military signals war objectives are met, while ceasefire talks continue in Doha
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party and former Israeli security minister, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday of intentionally prolonging the war in Gaza to satisfy hardline ministers in his government.
Lieberman claimed that Netanyahu is maintaining the military aggression to appease Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, despite an emerging military consensus that the war’s strategic objectives have already been fulfilled.
“As long as the Chief of Staff says the operation in Gaza has fulfilled its objectives, what are we still doing there?” Lieberman asked.
Military Signals Readiness to Shift, but Cabinet Tensions Rise
Lieberman’s remarks came in the wake of statements by IOF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who acknowledged that the objectives in Gaza have been exhausted, potentially suggesting a change in military posture.
The widening rift between political and military leadership is placing additional pressure on the war cabinet, where far-right influence remains dominant despite internal opposition.
Tensions further escalated after IOF Chief Herzi Halevi warned that continued military escalation could endanger the lives of Israeli captives still held in Gaza. His warning was met with harsh backlash from extremist ministers like Ben Gvir and Smotrich, who consistently oppose limitations on military operations.
Israeli Withdrawal Issue Stalls Doha Negotiations
A senior Palestinian official told Al Mayadeen that Israel’s refusal to commit to a withdrawal from key areas continues to block progress in the Doha-mediated ceasefire talks.
“The withdrawal point is still unresolved, and it is directly linked to the aid mechanism, and vice versa,” said the official.
According to the source, the Israeli military refuses to pull out from several strategic zones, including Rafah, eastern Khan Younis, eastern Gaza City, and Tal al-Zaatar in northern Gaza. In addition, Israel insists on retaining control over the aid entry points it established during the war—a mechanism flatly rejected by the Palestinian Resistance.
On the diplomatic front, US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff held a three-hour closed-door meeting with the Qatari delegation at the White House to push forward the ceasefire efforts. The session followed two high-level meetings within 24 hours between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Hamas Delivers Unified Ceasefire Response Backed by All Factions
On Saturday, Hamas announced that it had finalized broad consultations with Palestinian factions and submitted a unified response to mediators regarding the proposed ceasefire framework.
In a statement from its National Relations Office, Hamas said it engaged in “an extensive series of contacts” with national and Islamic factions to coordinate a single, consolidated position on the terms and implementation of the ceasefire proposal.
Describing the discussions as “serious and practical,” Hamas affirmed that a national consensus had been achieved in support of the Palestinian Resistance’s stance.
“All factions welcomed this unified reply,” the statement read, noting that the response had been delivered to mediators “in a positive spirit and with full unanimity.” (PW)
Source: Al-Mayadeen