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Civil–Military Relations in

Retired Generals in Israeli Politics: Concerning Backstep or Status Quo?

Ian Westerman

Concern over the political rise of former IDF Chief of Staff is misplaced. The military’s role in Israeli politics has always served to reinforce democratic values, not erode them.

efore Israeli Prime Minister Ya’alon, the latter a previous defense well-respected left-leaning journalists finally minister in Netanyahu’s government. privately articulated the view that called his oft-heralded general Soon afterwards, polls suggested that the situation constituted ‘a setback in election last December, Gantz was being taken seriously by Israeli politics’, and expressed ‘great Bthe possibility that there might be a the public, and that Netanyahu might personal dismay’ at this turn of events. realistic challenger to his long-running actually lose the election and be out In her view, the appearance of Gantz hold on power in Israel seemed remote. of power for the first time in nearly and his fellow retired generals onto Traditional left-wing opposition a decade. In the end, the result of the political stage is a serious backstep, parties have been in disarray for some the 9 April poll was more or less a potentially heralding the re-emergence time, and whenever a genuine rival stalemate. Despite failed attempts to of the days when security dominated has arisen from within Netanyahu’s gain sufficient cross-party support to every dispute and the military were seen coalition of right-wing and religious form a new government, Netanyahu as the only ones trusted with Israel’s parties, he has systematically and took unprecedented measures to affairs. In her view, a relatively brief effectively neutralised them the ensure that, rather than Gantz being period of political normality, since the moment they appeared threatening. offered the chance to form a working end of the and the end His announcement that the election coalition himself (admittedly an of ’s premiership in 2006, would be called seven months unlikely possibility), Israel would be could be coming to an untimely end – a earlier than required by law came forced to return to the ballot box in period where issues such as economics about ostensibly because of the September. This extraordinary set of and education, rather than defence coalition’s failure to reconcile serious events is something unique even in and security, were at the forefront of disagreements over a number of Israel’s turbulent political history. debates in the Israeli parliament. But is issues, the most high-profile being this really the case? the law requiring ultra-orthodox Jews In the past, Israeli politics was often to take part in compulsory military The first significant dominated by retired generals – two of service. However, with Netanyahu the country’s most well-known prime at that time easily heading the polls, appearance by retired ministers, and Ehud most commentators saw the move as a generals onto the Israeli Barak, had previously held the position cynical attempt to avert his imminent political scene in the late of chief of staff, and another, one of indictment by the Supreme Court on the country’s most colourful leaders, charges of corruption. 1960s was brought about Sharon, had also held a very prominent But, as is often the case in Israeli by a fear that the civilian position in the IDF. Even more notably, politics, things did not turn out quite government would be the role of defense minister, the most as expected. The day after the election powerful cabinet post aside from prime was called, ex- weak on security minister, has historically been populated (IDF) Chief of Staff Benny Gantz by ex-generals, the charismatic Moshe announced that he was launching Dayan being both the first and perhaps a new centre party – Resilience On the face of it, this sudden the most well-known. for Israel – with the intention of appearance of a credible opposition However, it is interesting to note directly confronting Netanyahu to Netanyahu should have been – and that prior to the hurried insertion of and his party. Two months may yet prove to be – the political Dayan into the defense portfolio just further on, Gantz then merged his centre’s big moment. At last they have days before the start of the Six Day new party with ’s centrist a genuine possibility of breaking the War in June 1967, no professional party, and also drew in extended dominance of Netanyahu’s military officer had ever held any of two other former chiefs of staff, Likud-led coalition governments. the three positions of real power in the and Moshe (Bogie) Yet, one of Israel’s most senior and government: prime minister, defense

August 2019, Vol. 39, No. 7 1 RUSI Newsbrief Israeli troops on the east bank of the Suez Canal across from Ismailia, , June 1967. The Six Day War, fought between Israel and its Arab neighbours Egypt, Jordan and , marked a turning point in military personnel’s involvement in government. Courtesy of Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0

minister and minister of foreign affairs. than would be considered acceptable in 1963 that things began to change. For almost the first 20 years of the in most established liberal democratic The IDF general staff, led by Rabin, state’s existence, the military actually states; nevertheless, neither they nor the believed that the new regime would not exerted very little direct control over retired military community were directly be prepared to make a timely enough the government, not even in the areas involved in critical decision-making in commitment to initiate conflict if and of defence and security decision- the government prior to the 1967 war. when the moment came. On the eve of making. The Israeli general staff, the It was when , a civilian with war, as it became clear that their fears supreme command of the IDF, has virtually no practical military experience, were justified, Eshkol was finally forced always exercised a much greater degree took over from David Ben-Gurion as to stand aside as defence minister, and of indirect influence over the cabinet prime minister and defense minister to permit Dayan to take over. From

August 2019, Vol. 39, No. 7 2 RUSI Newsbrief Civil–Military Relations in Israel

that point on, the era of the ex-military demands for specific military action, and towards the sweeter smell of men in Israeli politics began in earnest. including two calls to attack Iran’s honesty and integrity. Dayan remained in his highly influential nuclear facilities and, more recently, post as defense minister until his poor an increase in the tempo of activity performance in the against Hamas in Gaza. This latter The Israeli general staff of 1973 brought about his downfall the power struggle led directly to the following year, along with that of Prime resignation of as has always exercised a Minister . Immediately, defense minister in 2018. That these much greater degree of another hero of the Six Day War who events occurred is undeniable, but indirect influence over the was untainted by the near-disaster of the question remains as to whether 1973 and who had now moved into they constitute a significant change cabinet than would be politics, Rabin, stepped straight into the in the nature of Israel’s civil–military considered acceptable in prime minister’s office and the military relations. most established liberal procession continued. The question is: To an extent, the answer depends on when, if at all, did it come to end? how one views the place of the military democratic states in politics generally. The conventional stance suggests the healthiest approach Two of the country’s is to ensure that the military are totally For this reason, Israel’s resurgent isolated from politics – what Eliot interest in the possibility of having most well-known prime Cohen in his book Supreme Command another ex-general in the prime minister’s ministers, Yitzhak Rabin has described as the ‘normal theory of office should not offer any great anxiety and , had civil-military relations’. If that is true to those concerned that the country might then, yes, this increasing involvement be taking a lurch towards militarism. On previously held the of the military in Israeli politics must the contrary, it demonstrates the Israeli position of chief of staff be seen a backwards step. However, public’s desire to see the democratic taking the less absolutist view that principle of accountability maintained. military involvement in politics is The first significant appearance by retired At the 35th Conference of the neither intrinsically sinister in every generals onto the Israeli political scene in Association for Israel Studies in circumstance, nor is it something that the late 1960s was brought about by a June 2019, the distinguished Israeli must inevitably damage the democratic fear that the civilian government would civil–military relations commentator nature of the state, then the answer be weak on security – that is not the Yoram Peri took the opportunity to may be no. case with Netanyahu who has taken on highlight a growing trend. In his view, As a democracy, Israel is, in a the mantle of ‘Mr Security’ for his own. Gantz’s step into the political arena, in great many respects, a singular case. Rather, the current re-emergence of the which he has openly used his military One aspect of this is apparent in the military can be seen as a call to those service as an electoral rallying cry, was way that, throughout its existence, the who have traditionally been regarded as just the latest in a series of efforts by military has been seen as the champions the ultimate guardians of the country’s the military to increase their influence of the Israeli societal identity. This is democratic nature and the natural choice on Israel’s political process. For Peri, not because of their robust nationalist to turn to when this is perceived as being this trend has its beginning in ‘Israel’s attitudes or their indomitable military under threat. Whether or not the current democratic putsch’: running up to the strengths – the average Israeli surely has situation is in fact dire enough to warrant 1999 election, more than two years no interest in seeing an authoritarian, such a recall from arms into politics of acrimonious disputes between military-style government running for the country’s generals or, even if it the IDF’s senior officers and Prime the country. Rather, what commends is, if they are capable of delivering the Minister Netanyahu came to a climax these retired warriors to their fellow salvation demanded of them, remains when a number of high-ranking Israelis is that they are perceived as to be seen. What is more certain is that retired and reserve officers entered the being honest and trustworthy, leaders Israel’s strangest election year to date is political arena and actively campaigned who can be relied upon to always not yet done, and there are very likely to against the prime minister. The victory put the best interest of the country be further, and even more unexpected, of the ’s Ehud before their own and who act in a twists and turns to come. Barak was certainly assisted by their proper and morally upright fashion. highly vocal and public opposition. Whether such confidence is justified Ian Westerman Among the other key indicators or not is immaterial; the fact is that Ian is a retired British Army officer of the rise of military involvement in the electorate believe it is so. Those and a doctoral researcher at Cranfield politics that Peri identifies are a series who support Gantz and his party of University. of events involving not only retired ex-generals have not turned from civil but also serving IDF generals. He to military as such, but as they see it, The views expressed in this article are the cites several occasions when the IDF from self-serving to self-sacrificing, author’s, and do not represent the views of effectively vetoed the government’s away from the stench of corruption RUSI or any other institution.

August 2019, Vol. 39, No. 7 3 RUSI Newsbrief