Nightmares plague soldiers, economy in collapse, warns former Israeli Defense Minister

Former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday that Israeli soldiers are having nightmares, the economy is collapsing and diplomacy is eroding.

“Nine months have passed since the deadly surprise attack by Hamas on the state of Israel and its people, and it seems as though nothing has changed within the Israeli leadership,” Lieberman wrote in an article published on the Israeli news site Walla.

“Children and adults, soldiers, and reservists are suffering from nightmares about what has happened and what might happen. The Israeli economy is collapsing, and Israeli diplomacy is eroding,” the leader of the right-wing opposition Yisrael Beiteinu Party said.

Lieberman also addressed tensions between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, saying: “The north is desolate and scorched; Iran continues to arm itself; and while all this is happening, the corrupt government continues as if nothing has happened.”

“Negotiations for the release of hostages should take place away from the cameras, allowing the professional team led by Nitzan Alon (responsible for the missing persons file in the Israeli army) to lead the process with full support,” Liberman said.

Meanwhile, he said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will dissolve the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) in November.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu will dissolve the Knesset in November,” he was quoted as saying at an economic conference in Tel Aviv by Israeli daily Maariv.

“I hope we can disperse the Knesset before then. We want a broad wall-to-wall Zionist coalition, without that it is impossible to fix anything,” he added.

Israel’s opposition is pushing for a new vote, despite Netanyahu’s repeated refusal to call early elections because of the ongoing war in Gaza.

The current government was formed following general elections at the end of 2022 and is legally expected to remain in office for four years unless early elections are called.

Israel has killed over 38,700 Palestinians in Gaza since the cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, which killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.

Moreover, Israel’s actions triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and an ongoing genocide trial at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Discussions for a permanent ceasefire and the release of prisoners are ongoing but have not yet succeeded.