Can a Caretaker Netanyahu Still Order an Iran Strike?

Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Gadi Eisenkot’s election-night appeal to Israel’s security chiefs was “an undemocratic and detached statement”. Eisenkot, the former army chief who leads the main opposition list, had told them that Benjamin Netanyahu is “a caretaker prime minister, without a mandate and without the public’s confidence.”

Channel 12 reported on Sunday that Netanyahu and the chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, had clashed over a possible strike on Iran before the vote. Katz called the report false. Haaretz’s live count shows neither side at 61 seats.

Eisenkot told the security chiefs to stand firm against pressure. Katz answered that Eisenkot’s appeal was undemocratic. Or Asher of the Tachlith Institute told the Times of Israel that a caretaker prime minister can legally take Israel to war. Haaretz’s count at 85 percent had Netanyahu’s bloc on 53 seats.

On election night, Tuesday 27 October, Eisenkot addressed the security chiefs. Reports of the speech quote him telling officials to “stand firm against any attempt to pressure you” and adding, “You have my full backing.” He also urged them to reject any use of Israel’s security for political ends.

Katz replied in a post on X on Wednesday. According to the Tribune’s account, he called the speech embarrassing, said Eisenkot and his allies had run a “false campaign” about clashes with the army over Iran, and wrote that the army was “a full partner” in the gains against Iran. The Times of Israel reported that he added the army “will carry out any decision that is necessary.” JFeed reported that second line as a paraphrase, not a direct quotation.

The reports behind the “false campaign” line came earlier. Channel 12 said on Sunday night that Netanyahu and Zamir had clashed over possible action against Iran. According to the Tribune’s account, Katz called the reports “completely baseless and false” on Monday and said Israel had no intention of attacking before the election. Netanyahu told Channel 14 the allegations were “nonsense.” He had earlier said he instructed the army and Mossad to work toward toppling Iran’s regime.

Zamir’s own words came from a private meeting, as the Times of Israel reported and Open magazine relayed. “We do not see any indications of a need to strike Iran before the election,” he said. “If we determine that a strike on Iran is necessary, we will carry it out.” The army said publicly that it “is focused on its missions.”

Haaretz’s live count showed Netanyahu’s bloc on 53 seats and the opposition on 67, with 19 of those going to Arab parties. Haaretz said the Central Elections Committee estimated 430,000 to 480,000 absentee ballots still to count. Likud said the election was “stolen by Arab parties” and offered no evidence. The committee said it would examine the complaint in its routine review.

In the Tribune’s account Katz said on Monday that Israel had no intention of attacking “before the election.” His Wednesday post, as the Times of Israel reported it, did not address Eisenkot’s charge that Netanyahu has no mandate.

Daniel Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Israel, wrote for the Atlantic Council on Wednesday that the election “solved very little.” His colleague Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley wrote that “Bibi has not been thoroughly repudiated.”

Our exit-poll report recorded Eisenkot’s bloc on 52 or 53 seats against 50 for Netanyahu’s. Our pre-vote piece recorded Netanyahu’s order to work toward toppling Iran’s regime. Since then, Haaretz reports, the committee has opened a review of Likud’s complaint about Arab parties, and Haaretz’s count stands at 53 seats against 67.

The Central Elections Committee’s final count, once 430,000 to 480,000 absentee ballots are in, fixes the gap between the blocs. The president then names who gets the first chance to form a government. A statement from Zamir beyond the army’s line that it “is focused on its missions” would show where the chiefs stand. The next Iran order will test the argument between Eisenkot and Israel Katz over whom the army answers to.