DAY 283 OF THE WAR: Netanyahu in Danger?? Protest by Israeli Journalists, Hostage Negotiations, Shortage of Tanks

Tel Aviv Diary, July 15, 2024

Although there has been no official announcement, there's growing confidence within the defense establishment that the attempt to eliminate Muhammad Deif last Saturday was a success. Hamas has not acknowledged this and will likely do whatever they can to conceal any information to keep the myth of the legendary arch-terrorist alive. Nonetheless, the prevailing belief is that the attack succeeded. US Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, noted this evening that US intelligence suggests that the assassination was successful. Interestingly, there have not been any rocket attacks from the South since the incident. Although there have been sporadic rocket barrages launched from Gaza over the last couple of weeks, none have occurred in the last few days — hopefully reflecting a significant reduction in Hamas’s ability to fire rockets.

PROTECTION FOR NETANYAHU

Yesterday, the weekly cabinet meeting did not focus on the war or how to help the residents of the South or the North (who have been evacuated from their homes for the better part of a year) but rather on the physical threats to Prime Minister Netanyahu. This discussion was a cynical waste of time, given that Netanyahu is likely better protected than the President of the United States. In a country where almost all political violence has come from the right-wing, Netanyahu appears to be using the attempted assassination of Trump to undermine the legitimacy of the protest movement here. The situation would be almost comical if not for the fact that the ministers were compelled to sit in a two-hour meeting reciting reasons they think Netanyahu is threatened.

HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS

There have been no updates on the hostage negotiations. Finance Minister Smotrich made two statements today: the first questioning the urgency of reaching an agreement on the hostages and the second opposing the release of security prisoners in exchange for hostages. It’s unclear when significant talks will occur. Criticism continues regarding Netanyahu's public statements, which are believed to be detrimental to the negotiation process.

THE UNION OF ISRAELI JOURNALISTS

Yesterday, I attended an interesting yet troubling meeting. It was an emergency gathering of the Union of Israeli Journalists, triggered by recent developments at Israel’s Channel 13. The meeting was initially convened to support efforts to challenge and overturn the appointment of a Likud-affiliated politician as head of 13’s News division. The urgency increased when it was announced last week that Raviv Drucker’s news panel show, the most popular program on the channel, was being removed from the broadcast schedule. Drucker is known for his extensive investigative journalism that often criticizes the government, which has made him unpopular with many government members. The decision to remove his program is perceived as a move to align with government preferences

Raviv Drucker

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Nearly all the correspondents from Channel 13 attended the emergency meeting, along with editors from Haaretz, Yediot Achronot, leadership from the Public Broadcasting Corporation, and representatives from Channel 12. Anat Saragusti, responsible for freedom of expression in the association, remarked on the rare solidarity among journalists in response to the crisis at Channel 13, noting that they typically compete for exclusive stories and interviews. All speakers emphasized the need to resist the government's concerted attempt to control the media. There was broad support for the channel's correspondents. Speaking last, Drucker expressed optimism that journalists, if united, could successfully counter the government's attacks.

AN ASIDE — RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA SPREADS

I generally refrain from discussing American politics in these updates. However, one issue I feel strongly about is the need for continued support for Ukraine. Last night and this afternoon, I had two almost identical discussions. Last night, I appeared on i24News broadcasts in Hebrew, English, and Arabic to discuss the state of affairs in American politics after the assassination attempt on President Trump. The discussions in both Hebrew and English involved straightforward analysis; in Hebrew, I participated in a larger panel, while in English, I was the sole guest.

The Arabic broadcast differed slightly, featuring two Arab-Americans via Zoom—one a Democratic activist and the other a strong Trump supporter. Most of the show focused on discussing current events. Toward the end, the Trump supporter asserted that Biden's refusal to address Putin’s concerns brought on the war in Ukraine and that Trump, being a friend of Putin, could end the war. I was compelled to set the facts straight: Putin attacked Ukraine with the intent to make it part of Russia, and any other narrative is merely Russian propaganda.

Today, we had a similar discussion during my weekly radio show with Bob Harden—a host I’ve been collaborating with for 16 years. Although we typically agree on foreign affairs, today, Bob praised Viktor Orban’s visit to Trump and suggested that Trump could broker a deal with Putin. I countered by drawing parallels to Chamberlain's appeasement in Munich, describing Putin as this generation's Hitler, though without the antisemitic agenda. Bob said the killing needs to stop, to which I responded that this sentiment mirrors Chamberlain's infamous “Peace in Our Time” sentiment.

From left to right: Neville Chamberlain, Édouard Daladier, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Galeazzo Ciano pictured before signing the Munich Agreement (1938) Just before the Munich Agreement was signed Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-R69173 / CC-BY-SA 3.0

You can listen to the radio show below.

AN INTERESTING READ …

If you haven't read this New York Times article yet, I highly recommend it:

How Hamas is Fighting in Gaza Tunnel, Traps and Ambushes,

by Patrick Kingsley, Natan Odenheimer, Aaron Boxerman, Adam Sella and Iyad Abuheweila.

GAZA

Fighting continues in Gaza, particularly in the Rafah area. Here’s the IDF Spokesman’s report on today's engagements:

During the last 24 hours, Nahal Brigade fighters eliminated a terrorist cell armed with RPGs in a face-to-face battle. Combat team fighters from the 8th Brigade eliminated several terrorists in the center of the Gaza Strip. In one of the operations, a terrorist was identified while planting explosives and was eliminated by tank fire.

Air Force fighter jets and aircraft attacked dozens of terrorist targets throughout the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours. In one of the strikes, fighter jets eliminated terrorists who were spotted observing IDF forces and posed a threat to the force.

Navy forces continue to attack terrorist targets across the Gaza Strip while assisting forces operating in the area. During the last 24 hours, terrorist infrastructure in the southern Gaza Strip was attacked.

ISRAEL HAS A SHORTAGE OF TANKS

In response to a Supreme Court case regarding the integration of women into the tank corps, the Army stated that many tanks were damaged during the war, requiring time for repairs or replacements. Consequently, there are no available tanks to assign to women this year. This situation underscores another apparent reason why engaging in war in the North is impractical at the juncture: we currently lack sufficient tanks.

ANOTHER INTERESTING TWEET…

Posted by Palestinian-American Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib

One of the most challenging and extraordinarily impossible topics to talk about without infuriating Israelis and Palestinians alike regarding the October 7 attack is the issue of sexual assaults that took place during the tragic event. I’ve never