Prominent Israeli Figures Demand Removal of Netanyahu for ‘Existential’ Threat to Country
In a bold move, more than 40 senior former Israeli national security officials, celebrated scientists, and prominent business leaders have united to demand the removal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from office. They argue that Netanyahu poses an “existential” threat to the country and have sent a letter to Israel’s president and speaker of parliament urging immediate action.
The signatories of the letter include four former directors of Israel’s foreign and domestic security services, two former heads of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and three Nobel Prize winners. Their collective voice carries significant weight and highlights the seriousness of their concerns.
The letter strongly criticizes the coalition Netanyahu assembled to form the most right-wing government in Israel’s history. It also condemns his controversial efforts to overhaul Israel’s judiciary, which the signatories claim have led to security lapses and ultimately resulted in the deadliest day in Israel’s history, the October 7 attacks.
“We believe that Netanyahu bears primary responsibility for creating the circumstances leading to the brutal massacre of over 1,200 Israelis and others, the injury of over 4,500, and the kidnapping of more than 230 individuals, of whom over 130 are still held in Hamas captivity,” the letter reads. “The victim’s blood is on Netanyahu’s hands.”
The letter was sent to Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, emphasizing the urgency and gravity of their demand. Netanyahu’s popularity has plummeted since starting his sixth term as prime minister just over a year ago. Critics have vehemently opposed his judicial reform efforts, which have triggered a constitutional crisis and divided the country, leading to months of massive demonstrations.
The signatories argue that leaders of Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas openly praised Netanyahu’s destabilizing and erosive process that threatened Israel’s stability. They seized the opportunity to harm Israel’s security, further exacerbating the concerns raised by the senior officials.
Among the 43 signatories are former IDF chiefs Moshe Ya’alon and Dan Halutz, Tamir Pardo and Danny Yatom, who ran the Mossad intelligence agency, and Nadav Argaman and Yaakov Peri, who were directors of the domestic security service, Shin Bet. The letter also bears the names of former CEOs, ambassadors, government officials, and three Nobel laureates for chemistry – Aaron Ciechanover, Avram Hershko, and Dan Shechtman.
The growing discontent with Netanyahu is evident in recent polls. A survey conducted by Israel’s Channel 13 reveals that if elections were held today, Netanyahu’s political party, Likud, would come in a distant second. The frontrunner in the poll was the National Unity party led by former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz, who is currently a member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet.
While the next elections are not scheduled until late 2026, there have been widespread protests and calls for early elections. One of Israel’s main opposition leaders, Yair Lapid, has also voiced his support for early elections. Haim Tomer, a retired longtime Mossad officer who headed the agency’s intelligence division and signed the letter demanding Netanyahu’s removal, believes that the situation warrants immediate action.
“The situations that brought Israel to elections beforehand are almost nothing in comparison to what Israel is going through now,” Tomer stated. “Everybody understands that Netanyahu is incompetent to lead Israel.”
The demand for Netanyahu’s removal from office by such prominent figures in Israeli society underscores the deep concerns about his leadership and the need for change. As the political landscape continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how this collective voice will shape the future of Israeli politics.
