Restructuring the Israeli Power: The Military at the Heart of an Internal Conflict within Likud

The Israeli political arena is experiencing one of its most exposing moments in years, as the dispute between Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of Staff Eyal Zameer has evolved into an open confrontation that threatens the cohesion of the government and reveals deep fractures within Likud itself. In just one day, the conflict escalated from skirmishes over military appointments to discussions about a total government overhaul that could oust Katz from the Ministry of Defense and redistribute centers of power around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This scene reflects that Israel is undergoing a phase of reshuffling power between the military establishment and the political system following a long war and a widening array of failures that no one wants to take responsibility for.

Zameer’s rise to the forefront of the confrontation was not mere coincidence. He has been portrayed in the Israeli media as an independent officer trying to rebuild the military after the failures of October 7, leading internal investigations that have resulted in the dismissal of senior officers and directed critical leadership notices to officials and officers previously considered untouchable within the military establishment. Over the past few days, it has become clear that Zameer is no longer willing to coexist with attempts to impose political dictates on him. The statement issued by the military spokesperson, which estimates suggest was drafted by Zameer himself, carried an unprecedented tone in criticizing the Defense Minister, openly accusing him of politicizing the military establishment and using the file of internal investigations as an electoral tool within Likud. This statement represented a breaking point in tradition and a breach of a red line that had been maintained for decades: the military does not publicly attack the Defense Minister; however, Zameer opted for direct confrontation, driven by an internal feeling that the military's independence was at risk.

In contrast, Israel Katz, against a backdrop of highly sensitive right-wing sentiments towards the military, appears as a politician fighting for his survival. Katz now views his conflict with Zameer as an opportunity to solidify his position within Likud amid rising competitors such as Amir Ohana, Tali Gottlieb, Moshe Saada, and Boaz Bismuth. As the party's primary elections approach, every decision and statement becomes part of an internal battle aimed at demonstrating strength and making a statement before a right-wing audience that sees the military as an institution that needs regulation and retraining. Consequently, Katz resorted to freezing military appointments, reopening investigations that had previously been closed, and imposing new reviews related to the "Jericho Wall" plan, in a move perceived by the military as a clear attempt to extort the military establishment and usurp the powers of the Chief of Staff.

The most dangerous development was Netanyahu’s intervention, not as a mediator between Katz and Zameer but as a third party seeking to regain control over the Ministry of Defense after it has become a focal point of tension that threatens his position. During closed meetings, Netanyahu sharply criticized both parties but was notably tougher on Zameer, whom close associates of the Prime Minister accused of acting "with excessive independence" and implementing what he promised "in the opposite way." With conflicting accounts regarding the deliberations within the Prime Minister's office, leaks emerged about Netanyahu's intention to conduct a cabinet reshuffle that would include the dismissal of Katz and the appointment of Gideon Sa'ar as Defense Minister, transferring Eli Cohen to the Foreign Ministry, and returning Katz to the Ministry of Energy. Despite a quick denial from Netanyahu's office, the mere suggestion of this scenario reveals the depth of the crisis and the intensity of the conflict within Likud, where each party now doubts the loyalty of the other.

In this context, Gadi Eisenkot's statements added another layer of complexity. Eisenkot accused Netanyahu and his associates of wanting a weak and tamed Chief of Staff, just as they want the Hamas movement, and accused Katz of being preoccupied with "trivialities" and undermining confidence in the military at a moment when Israel needs at least a minimum of stability to control the northern borders and overcome the failures in the south. This rhetoric reignited the debate within both the opposition and the coalition regarding the future of the military establishment and the state’s ability to learn lessons from the recent war given these internal battles.

The current crisis transcends the conflict between Zameer and Katz. It is a confrontation between three forces trying to reshape the future of Israel: the military, which seeks to restore its professionalism and independence; the party right, which sees the military as an institution that must be subordinated to its political will; and Netanyahu, who is trying to maintain control amid the gradual collapse of the loyalty system on which he built his rule. While Zameer seeks to implement deep military reforms aimed at rebuilding the army’s readiness, Katz insists on obstructing any step that could be credited to the Chief of Staff as an achievement. The military has begun to hint that targeting Zameer is an attack on the very structure of the military establishment and that the continuation of the crisis will paralyze the process of drawing conclusions and make the military more fragile against upcoming challenges.

In this way, the dispute shifts from a functional disagreement to a battle over the shape of the political system post-war and over who has decision-making authority in Israel. If Zameer has managed to score points against the Defense Minister, the coming days may bring greater escalation, whether from within Likud or from the Prime Minister's office. The Israeli scene is heading toward a phase of broad reshuffling, which may lead to a cabinet reshuffle, an open confrontation between the military and the government, or even a reorganization of the entire internal structure of Likud. In any case, what is unfolding reveals that Israel is experiencing a deep leadership crisis, and that the military has become at the heart of a political battle that could redefine the future of power for an entire decade.