UPDATE - Former Israeli defense minister says soldiers plagued by nightmares, economy in collapse

UPDATES WITH DEATILS, EDITS THROUGH

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli soldiers are plagued by nightmares, the economy is collapsing, and diplomacy eroding, former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday.

“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 added.

Referring to tensions between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, Lieberman said: “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, Lieberman 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.

Despite Netanyahu's repeated refusal to hold early elections amid the ongoing war in Gaza, the Israeli opposition has been pushing for a new vote.

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

Israel has killed nearly 38,700 Palestinians in Gaza since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas that claimed 1,200 lives and took another 250 as hostages. Israeli actions have triggered a humanitarian disaster and an ongoing trial over genocide at the International Court of Justice. Negotiations for a permanent cease-fire and release of captives continue but have not succeeded yet.

* Writing by Mohammad Sio