Israeli writer: Israel's war of extermination on Gaza has "secular military" motives

In an article published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Israeli analyst Yigal Levy believes that the main motives for the war waged by Israel on Gaza and Lebanon are not religious, as some might think, but rather go back to secular military roots that have permeated Israeli political culture for decades.

Levy said in his article that the increasing talk about the control of the Israeli government by extremist right-wing groups with religious tendencies is a “superficial analysis” of the war. He believes that the forces driving this war are not driven by religious efforts as is being promoted, but rather by military institutions and secular groups seeking to achieve strategic goals without regard to the political consequences.

One of the most prominent points Levy made to justify his downplaying of the importance of religious movements, which greatly influence Israeli government policies, was his statement that “the military leadership that oversees air and intelligence operations, including advanced technological projects, are secular leaderships and are not charged with religious motives or loyalties to the Netanyahu government.”

"These leaders belong mostly to the secular center and left in Israel, but they were nevertheless responsible for the intensive bombing in Gaza during the first weeks of the war, which caused thousands of Palestinian civilian casualties," he added.

Hamas revenge

The Israeli analyst strongly criticized what he described as the “enthusiasm for revenge” among some members of these groups, saying: “This desire for revenge is not limited to religious or extreme right-wing groups, but also extends to include secular sectors,” and this reflects, according to him, “a mixture of nationalism and military tendencies that penetrate all spectrums of Israeli society, including intellectuals and political leaders in the center and left.”

Levy pointed out that the slogan "eliminating Hamas" adopted by many political circles, including left-wing intellectuals, is what pushed the government to adopt politically unrealistic goals.

He added that "everyone is silent" about these goals, even those who previously opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when the army insists on implementing its military plans.

Media Responsibility

Levy's criticism is not limited to military or political institutions, but extends to the Israeli media, which he described as having "blindly followed the war agenda and largely ignored the damage and destruction inflicted on civilians in Gaza."

This media coverage, according to him, “is not the result of religious dominance or far-right tendencies, but rather part of a military culture that prioritizes military and technological capabilities over moral and humanitarian considerations.”

Regarding the northern front, Levy said that “the escalation with Lebanon was not driven by pressure from far-right ministers in the government, but rather came as a result of the traditional military logic that separates military and political goals,” noting that “the Israeli army, excited by its technological and military superiority, went ahead with these operations without stopping to think about the long-term political consequences.”

Levy stressed that the war of extermination on Gaza is not just a tool in Netanyahu's hands to serve his political goals, but rather stems from "a secular Israeli political culture that has deepened and become rooted over the years."

The writer stated that the secular class, especially the “white segment,” is now trying to “disavow responsibility for the disastrous results of the war on the moral and strategic levels, but in reality it bears a large part of this responsibility.”

Levy concluded his article with a clear warning: “This group must face itself and bear responsibility for the blood that has been shed and that will be shed,” noting that “self-exoneration will not mitigate the consequences of the war on Israel or on the entire region.”

Source: Haaretz