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Netanyahu vs The Generals: The Battle for Israel's Future
Benjamin Netanyahu has carefully cultivated a self-image as Israel's 'Mr. Security' during his decades of political activity. His reputation as a security-minded leader has resonated with large swathes of the Israeli public, enabling him to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister. Yet the Israeli security community has long questioned Netanyahu's approach to national security. The Netanyahu era has seen unprecedented civil-military tensions, while retired generals and former heads of the Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence agencies, some of whom were appointed by Netanyahu, have publicly rejected both his leadership and his policies. Drawing on interviews with dozens of senior veterans of the Israeli security establishment, this book addresses this intriguing paradox. It sets out to explain the mutual distrust and intense disagreements between Netanyahu and the security community, as well as the underlying reasons behind the Israeli public's inattention to the collective judgment of hundreds of ex-generals and former spymasters.
266 pages, Hardcover
Published January 18, 2024
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 5, 2025
This is a very interesting and important book.
I definitely think if these issues didn’t exist, it is not good to speculate with such serious matters, but maybe 7 October might not have happened?
The book tries to show that Israel’s Security Establishment are rationalists and also understand that a more human and negotiations approach was needed to try solve the Palestinian conflict.
Unfortunately the netanyahu regime were not open to that line of thinking.
If some decisive steps would have been taken during all the years of netanyahu’s power, might Israel’s security services have obtained more intelligence about 7 October?
And anyway, we have heard stories that Israel did have some intelligence, but did not think hamas capable.
But this book does show that there were always divisions in Israel between wise personnel in the security services on the one side, and right-wing or far-right politicians on the other.
I definitely think if these issues didn’t exist, it is not good to speculate with such serious matters, but maybe 7 October might not have happened?
The book tries to show that Israel’s Security Establishment are rationalists and also understand that a more human and negotiations approach was needed to try solve the Palestinian conflict.
Unfortunately the netanyahu regime were not open to that line of thinking.
If some decisive steps would have been taken during all the years of netanyahu’s power, might Israel’s security services have obtained more intelligence about 7 October?
And anyway, we have heard stories that Israel did have some intelligence, but did not think hamas capable.
But this book does show that there were always divisions in Israel between wise personnel in the security services on the one side, and right-wing or far-right politicians on the other.
Displaying 1 of 1 review