Netanyahu wants to rebrand Israel-Hamas conflict as 'War of Revival'; Lapid slams PM's 'government of guilt'
Benjamin Netanyahu, Yair Lapid
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed renaming his country's ongoing conflicts against Hamas and Iran's proxies as the "War of Revival," during a special cabinet meeting marking the first anniversary of the war. The conflict which completed one year on Oct 7 has hitherto been known by its military campaign name, the "Swords of Iron".
Why change the name of the Israel war?
The Israeli Prime Minister, as per reports, believes the new name better reflects the nature of the conflict, which began on October 7, 2023.
"This is the war of our existence — the 'War of Revival,' said Netanyahu, according to a statement from his office.
"This is what I would like to officially call the war," he added.
'Government of guilt'
The suggestion was not well-received. According to the Times of Israel, cabinet ministers objected to the name. While Gideon Sa’ar and Amichai Chikli said it was too similar to the Hebrew name for the 1948 War of Independence, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said there "will be no revival until all the abducted and displaced people return to their homes".
"You can change as many names as you want; you will not change the fact that on your watch the most terrible disaster since the establishment of the country happened to the people of Israel," he wrote in a post on X.
"This government is not the government of revival, it is the government of guilt," he added.
The ongoing conflict began with a devastating attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which left 1,200 people dead, even as over 250 people were taken hostage. In retaliation, Israel launched a military campaign to defeat Hamas, dismantle its rule in Gaza, and prevent future threats to Israeli security. Israeli military's ongoing retaliatory campaign, as per the latest figures by Gaza's health ministry, controlled by Hamas, has led to over 41,870 Palestinian deaths, mostly civilians. The UN has confirmed the reliability of these figures.
(With inputs from agencies)
