Israeli opposition leader says Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir drove internal security to ‘historic low’

Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had driven the country’s internal security to a “historic low.”

Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party, made the remarks on the US social media platform X after residents of the Givot Bar settlement in the northern Negev reported hearing heavy gunfire Saturday.

He said the incident revived fears associated with the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas and reflected another failure of the Netanyahu government.

“Under Netanyahu’s failed leadership and the failed minister Ben-Gvir, Israel’s internal security has reached a historic low,” Eisenkot said.

He accused the government of failing to enforce the law, saying criminal organizations were operating across the Negev while authorities had failed to restore state control.

Eisenkot also accused Ben-Gvir of focusing on “cheap populism” and headlines instead of effective policing and enforcement.

He said Yashar’s internal security plan calls for a cabinet-level body to combat organized crime, stronger police and intelligence capabilities, and additional resources to dismantle criminal organizations and tackle extortion in southern Israel.

Israel is scheduled to hold its Knesset election on Oct. 27.