At the top of Benjamin Netanyahu's agenda: self-preservation

Like many Israelis, Galon blames Netanyahu for not preventing the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, which left more than 1,200 dead and resulted in the capture of more than 250 hostages. Israel responded with a ferocious military campaign in Gaza that has killed upward of 35,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Egyptian and Qatari mediators, prodded by CIA director William Burns, have tried for weeks to cajole both Hamas and Israel into accepting a truce along with a prisoner and hostage swap. The Palestinian militant group has held firm on a permanent ceasefire with an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, something Netanyahu has said is totally out of the question.

Those talks appear to be in stasis, and Galon questions Netanyahu's motivation.

Top among Netanyahu's personal interests is avoiding a criminal trial on a series of charges including breach of trust and accepting bribes, which could proceed full steam ahead were he to lose the prime minister's job.