Netanyahu's 'Private Army' Will Be Used to Crush Opposition, Critics Fear

Israel is one step closer to getting a controversial and as-yet undefined "national guard" force that might be controlled by a far-right minister crucial to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's beleaguered coalition government.

Ministers at the weekend gave their support for the 2,000-strong formation, which will be entrusted with the broad tasks of handling "nationalist crime," terrorism, and "restoring governance where needed," according to the text of the resolution covering its introduction. The government is planning cuts across all ministries to secure the $278 million that will fund the force.

Critics are warning that the new unit risks being used as a "private army" to suppress opponents of Netanyahu's ruling coalition, which is dependent on the support of far-right politicians urging a crackdown on liberal protestors, Israel's Arab minority and Palestinians.

The resolution proposes that the "national guard" would report directly to ultranationalist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has been widely vilified for his authoritarian and anti-Palestinian politics, but risen to become one of the most pivotal members of Netanyahu's shaky religious-nationalist coalition despite previous convictions, including for supporting a Zionist terrorist group.

It isn't yet clear when the force might come into being, though The Times of Israel reported its formation could take several months. A committee will now take up to 90 days to decide to whom the new force will report and the extent of its powers.

"I think there are more question marks than exclamation marks right now," Guy Lurie, a research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, told Newsweek. The funding decision, in particular, is "significant in terms of their intention of actually doing something," Lurie said. "But what that something is, is still really unclear."

"They've taken this decision and now the committee will see whether there is a need for a new body, what its functions will be, what its powers will be. It's the exact opposite of how you should look at public policymaking."

"It's a case of wait and see, but with a careful eye, because it does pose some risk, especially in the context of recent weeks and the policies of the National Security Minister."

'Army of Thugs'

Despite the ambiguity around the proposed guard, critics are sounding the alarm. Former police chief Moshe Karadi said Ben-Gvir could use the force to launch a "coup," while opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the government's direction as "ridiculous and despicable" and decried the ministerial decision to "finance a private army of thugs for the TikTok clown."

The controversy around the new "national guard" comes amid a crisis in Israeli democracy, which in recent weeks has prompted mass street protests against Netanyahu's proposed judicial overhaul. The plans would give Israeli lawmakers sweeping new powers to dictate the makeup and work of the Supreme Court, at a time when Netanyahu is on trial for alleged fraud and abuse of power.

Netanyahu is also heading the country's most right-wing government coalition in history, on the foundation of Israel's decades-long shift towards more nationalist, religious, and ethnocentric politics that critics say is entrenching what they call an apartheid system against Palestinians.

Tensions are high after a recent surge in violence and rioting centered on Arab communities in Israel and in the Palestinian West Bank, where Israeli settlements—considered illegal by the United Nations—are still expanding despite protests from abroad, including in the U.S.

Ben-Gvir has said his new force would focus on Arab communities, prompting an outcry from Arab lawmakers. Politician Ayman Odeh, for example, tweeted: "Why does the state of Israel—which has an army, police, military intelligence, the Shin Bet, Mossad, National Security Council, prisons service, riot police, a Swat team—need another national guard?"

Other critics fear Ben-Gvir and his coalition colleagues will use the new force to crack down on anti-government protesters infuriated by the proposed judicial reforms, as well as those who have long been organizing against Netanyahu over his alleged crimes. Ben-Gvir has already said that police have been too lenient on protesters, reportedly ousting a Tel Aviv police chief who didn't obey his order to crack down on demonstrators.

"We have seen in the past few weeks that the Ministry of National Security has already been trying to interfere with law enforcement decisions on the ground," Lurie said. "In that context, it is that this new national guard—if it is indeed established—will bring forward more political interference in law enforcement, and particularly against the Arab minority [...] This could be very worrying indeed."

'Balkanization of Israel'

It remains unclear how the proposed new force will interact with other law enforcement and national security services. Already, the massive protests have stoked tensions between Netanyahu's government, law enforcement and members of the Israel Defense Forces.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant last week warned Netanyahu that his judicial reforms were endangering national security, a protest for which Gallant was initially fired by the prime minister, though Netanyahu later said he would delay Gallant's removal.

The proposed addition of another force—and one inherently politicized—is unlikely to soothe unsettled national security and law enforcement officials. Israel Police chief Kobi Shabtai has already warned the new proposal "is an unnecessary move that will have a very heavy price, to the point of harming the personal security of citizens."

Indeed, in June of last year, the then-government already said it was intending to establish a new national guard operating under the border guard. It's unclear how this might fit with Ben-Gvir's proposed force, let alone the country's other structures.

"Will there be two police forces, essentially, acting with the same type of authority in the same geographic area?" Lurie asked. "This could be potentially very problematic. And indeed, in regard to delineating authorities between this new national guard and the IDF, that's also something that needs to be very carefully thought of."

"There are a lot of potential risks here that weren't addressed by the government and its initial decision."

Yossi Mekelberg, an associate fellow at the U.K.'s Chatham House think tank, told Newsweek the new policy threatens the "Balkanization of Israel."

Conversations about internal security are necessary, Mekelberg said, especially given recent communal violence and civil unrest. "What should immediately worry everyone is when you do it on the hoof, as a promise to someone that was convicted in supporting a terrorist group and now is the Minister of National Security," he added.

"We have a prime minister that's lost touch with reality," Mekelberg said. "This is the level of chaos in government, and because Netanyahu is losing his grip and the thing that really is of interest to him is his corruption trial."

"No want wants to go to prison [...] but when it affects the running of a country with good governance, with accountability, with the security of the country, I think the country is reaching a point which is really dangerous."

Newsweek has contacted the prime minister's office and the Ministry of National Security by email to request comment.