Dim Amor

Classified recordings published by Channel 13 reveal that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly admitted that he effectively dismissed Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with the aim of advancing a law for draft evasion. In a conversation with a senior rabbi from the Lithuanian-Haredi community, Netanyahu said in his own voice: "When they're against you, you can't move forward. Now you can. The military obstacle has been removed".

The conversation took place with Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, a member of the Council of Torah Sages of Degel HaTorah and a leader in the Lithuanian-Haredi community. In it, Netanyahu is heard laying out before him the complete picture of his motives for replacing the security leadership. "We need to save not only the State of Israel but also the Torah world, and that's what I believe in", said the Prime Minister. "God willing, that's also what we'll do. To do this, we need time to pass the law properly so that it cannot be challenged".

Netanyahu continued and detailed the obstacles he faced: "We had enormous obstacles that we removed. You know, when the Defense Minister is against you and the Chief of Staff is against you, you can't move forward. Now we can move forward". He told the rabbi that he spoke personally about 20 times with Yuli Edelstein, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and asked him to hold additional discussions on the matter.

"There are people trying to undermine us", Netanyahu added in the recording. "The army is doing exactly what we asked it to do now. They're creating pathways, creating the ability to absorb Haredim and maintain a Haredi lifestyle in the army. It's amazing what's being done. So that people enter as Haredim and leave as Haredim. We don't want them to enter as Haredim and leave as secular".

The Prime Minister continued and detailed the difference between the previous situation and the current situation: "Actually, because we replaced the Chief of Staff, because we replaced the Defense Minister, who blocked this effectively throughout this entire long period, now we can move forward more confidently and more professionally." He promised the rabbi: "We can save the Torah world, and get rid of this heavy burden they placed on us. This is definitely possible, with your help".

Netanyahu also addressed the timeline for advancing the legislation and said: "Setting too quick a deadline will delay the process. Rosh Hashanah is an appropriate time. We can't do this at breakneck speed because we're giving our opponents a gift on a silver platter. Why give them that?". He explained that legislative processes in the Knesset are subject to public scrutiny, "unfortunately" in his words.

"They can bring us down only by saying 'you rushed this too much, you didn't hold enough meetings about it, you didn't conduct enough discussions'", Netanyahu explained the importance of caution. "So we want to remove all these obstacles. So we're actually doing it now. Because you know – the Chief of Staff was replaced, the military obstacle, and in many ways also the legislative obstacle was removed. But for too long they delayed us. They delayed us for almost a year and a half".

In the recording, Netanyahu harshly attacked the opposition: "The rivals, those on the left, are only trying to bring down the government and harm the Torah world. What you'll get is a leftist government that will destroy the Torah world, and that's what they want. These people are against the Torah world, they're completely anti, completely anti". He urged the rabbi to assist with his help: "I'm saying, honored Rabbi – I need your help. I rely on your help and I want you to rely on me. If we work together, we'll finish this thing once and for all".

The Prime Minister's Office response was not long in coming. In an official message it was stated: "As clearly heard in the recordings – without the distorted interpretation of Channel 13's 'commentators' – the Prime Minister notes that it was the previous Chief of Staff and Defense Minister who prevented the establishment of dedicated units for Haredi service. In contrast, the current Defense Minister and Chief of Staff are advancing the matter quickly and professionally – and we are proud of that". Netanyahu himself called the publication a "distorted interpretation".

However, Netanyahu's claim encounters a clear factual contradiction. The previous Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi was the one who actually approved the establishment of the Hasmonean Brigade, the Haredi brigade in the IDF, contrary to the Prime Minister's claims in the recordings.

An angry response to the leak came from Rabbi Hirsch's household: "We were shocked to hear about the leak of a conversation that took place between our master the head of the yeshiva and Prime Minister Netanyahu. The conversation was personal and its leak to the media is a serious act by people who, for political gain, act irresponsibly and spare no means".

Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant alluded to the recordings on X and wrote: "I am proud that I stood by the principle that everyone must take part in the mission of defending the country. In order to maintain the State of Israel, we need a strong and determined army. The need to recruit every young man of military age to the IDF is vital to maintaining Israel's security – everyone must be drafted: secular, religious and Haredi, everyone".

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid responded sharply: "Netanyahu sends tens of thousands of reserve duty orders – while simultaneously crawling toward mass Haredi evasion. He will forever be remembered as one who sent to the battlefield only those politically convenient to him, and preserved only the lives of the children of his coalition partners".

Chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, Avigdor Lieberman, added: "Netanyahu himself admits that he dismissed Herzi Halevi and Gallant not because they failed like him in defending the state on 7/10, but to advance the evasion law. Again he abandons the fighters and mobilizes only for the evaders. This government must go home".

The "Free in Our Land" struggle headquarters stated: "The exposure by Lior Kenan on Channel 13 should shake the State of Israel. The Prime Minister of Israel is acting against IDF fighters. Against military recruitment. He's willing to do everything, including harming state security and our beloved soldiers, as long as he stays in power. Netanyahu – the State of Israel is not the sacrifice you can offer on the altar for the continuation of your career of failures".

Parallel to the public storm created by the recordings, it was revealed that Netanyahu is examining "a way to bridge the gaps" for legislation of a military service exemption law. According to involved sources, the Prime Minister probed with the Haredi factions whether they would agree to commit not to dissolve the Knesset until the end of the current Knesset in exchange for dismissing Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein. However, they clarified to him in response: "The dismissal won't help us".

A Haredi minister, whose name was not published, believes that the meetings were mainly aimed at dismissing Edelstein from his position and not solving the real crisis. "This is Netanyahu's method – when they threatened to bring down the confined benefits law, Bibi fired Gallant. When they're now threatening to dissolve the Knesset, he'll probably dismiss Edelstein", said the minister, but emphasized that there would be no change of direction. "The problem will remain. Netanyahu didn't want and doesn't want to solve the issue of the status of Torah scholars. Therefore, the only solution is dissolving the Knesset".

The recordings present a clear picture of a prime minister who admits that he replaced the security leadership not for professional reasons or due to failures in office, but to remove obstacles to controversial political legislation. The words were said in a private conversation with a senior rabbi, without knowledge that the conversation was being recorded, which gives them particular weight. Now, with the publication of the recordings, Netanyahu is required to deal with the public and political reverberations of what he said, while trying to minimize the damage and deny the clear interpretation of his words.

Photo: IDF Spokesperson