🇮🇱 KATZ-BLUTH DISPUTE, ELECTION CAMPAIGN AND KETZIOT CROCODILE PLAN
🕑 Published: August 5, 2026 · 12:41 AM Israel time
🔹 KATZ REJECTS CLAIM THAT BLUTH DECISION FOLLOWED MEDIA PRESSURE: Defense Minister Israel Katz said that during yesterday’s interview, when a participant called for “the general to be dismissed,” he immediately responded: “No.”
Katz said the exchange was recorded on video and documented. He added that the Chief of Staff’s recommendation had been made months before the interview, approved by him and already placed into the appointment process.
He argued that claims connecting the decision to the interview did not match the chronology and described the controversy as a media-driven attempt to divert attention from a broader political and security question.
Katz said the central concern was what could happen if Yair Golan, who has threatened to dismiss Maj. Gen. David Zini, became defense minister in a government led by Gadi Eisenkot. He warned that officials associated with the pre-October 7 “conceptzia” could again be appointed, potentially harming Israeli communities and national security.
Katz said this had not occurred during his tenure and would not occur under his leadership.
Amid the Katz-Bluth controversy, the IDF Chief of Staff said he would make no new major-general appointments until after the elections.
Katz later told heads of local councils in Judea and Samaria that Bluth was performing his duties well and that there were no plans to remove him.
🗳️ OTZMA YEHUDIT LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN; NETANYAHU REITERATES HAREDI DRAFT POSITION: Itamar Ben-Gvir and Otzma Yehudit launched their election campaign today under the slogan: “Those who believe are not afraid.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that anyone who does not study Torah will be drafted into the military and could otherwise face prison. He told Gadi Taub that this could be implemented even without rabbinical approval.
⚖️ COURT BLOCKS KETZIOT CROCODILE PLAN, SILMAN ORDERS PREPARATIONS TO CONTINUE: An Israeli court temporarily blocked National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s plan to surround Ketziot Prison with crocodiles after an animal-rights organization challenged the proposal, according to i24 News.
Despite the order, Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman instructed the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to continue preparing the required conditions.
“Set the conditions for keeping the crocodiles at the Israel Prison Service, which intends to begin the pilot program around the terrorist prisoners’ facility at Ketziot Prison in the coming days,” Silman said.
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