Golan wrote on the X platform: "I call on my friend (Chief of Staff) Eyal Zamir: Do not resign, and stand up to the political leadership that is dragging us into an eternal war in the Gaza Strip."
For his part, Lieberman told the official broadcasting authority: "Zamir is the only rational voice in the security cabinet of delusional and irresponsible people, so he must not resign." He added: "The chief of staff's duty is not limited to presenting his professional position, but also to fight for his professional position with all his might, and to stand up to the consequences of the decisions that the ministers are trying to impose on him."
In response to a question about the identity of the ministers he was referring to, Lieberman explained: "I'm mainly talking about the prime minister, who clearly makes only political decisions." He continued: "Netanyahu doesn't care about the kidnapped [Israeli prisoners in Gaza] or the soldiers, and wants to prolong the war solely out of a lust for power."
Zamir opposes the option of occupying the Gaza Strip due to the heavy military challenges it poses to the occupying army, which has become "exhausted" after 22 months of a large-scale genocidal war.
On Sunday, Zamir warned that any large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip could endanger the lives of Israeli prisoners, according to Channel 13.
On Monday, Israeli officials said Netanyahu had decided to "completely occupy" the Gaza Strip and expand military action, with a green light from the United States, against Hamas in areas where the prisoners are believed to be held.
The officials explained that "if the Chief of Staff opposes this step, he must resign," according to what the private Israeli Channel 12 reported, citing unnamed officials in Netanyahu's office. They said that "the decision has been made: Israel will occupy the Gaza Strip."
The Broadcasting Authority also quoted ministers who spoke with Netanyahu as saying that the latter "decided to expand the scope of the military operation in Gaza, despite differences of opinion with the security establishment."
For its part, the Israeli left-wing non-governmental movement Breaking the Silence, which includes soldiers who previously served in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, said: "Netanyahu is moving toward occupying the Strip."
She explained: "The immediate meaning of this is a death sentence for the kidnapped, as the army plans to operate in the areas where they are being held, for the soldiers who are sent into a pointless battle, and of course for the countless Gazans who will be killed and labeled as collateral damage."
In a statement posted on its Facebook account, the movement stressed, "We cannot agree, remain silent, or allow this to happen. This madness must stop," referring to the Israeli military's expansion of its military operations in Gaza.
In this context, Ayelet Seidov-Hacohen, founder of the Mothers on the Front, an organization that advocates for equality in conscription, said: "Our children are being drained and dying because of this cursed war," according to the Broadcasting Authority.
She added: "(Finance Minister Bezalel) Smotrich took his son out of combat, and (National Security Minister Itamar) Ben-Gvir's son has been in training for a year and a half, and none of the sons of those calling for the occupation of the Strip are currently in Gaza."
The Broadcasting Authority also quoted Israeli government ministers on Monday as saying, "If the plan to occupy the entire Gaza Strip is implemented, the Chief of Staff may resign from his position."
Netanyahu is scheduled to hold a security meeting later Tuesday to "discuss how to continue the military operation and the possibility of expanding it to include areas where kidnapped individuals are feared," according to the same source.
The commission explained that "the Israeli security establishment opposes military maneuvers in these areas, fearing harm to the kidnapped individuals."
On July 29, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed that Netanyahu had presented the cabinet with a "US-approved" plan to occupy parts of the Gaza Strip.
The idea of "occupying Gaza" came after controversial statements by US President Donald Trump, in which he said that "Israel's decision to abandon Gaza twenty years ago was unwise," referring to former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005.
In a related development, Zamir canceled his planned trip to Washington on Monday, following the collapse of talks with Hamas and reports of Netanyahu's intention to occupy the Gaza Strip, according to the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
Hamas has repeatedly declared its willingness to release Israeli prisoners "in one batch" in exchange for an end to the war of annihilation, the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners. But Netanyahu, who is wanted by international justice, has evaded the offer by proposing new conditions, including the disarmament of Palestinian factions. He is currently insisting on reoccupying Gaza.
Tel Aviv estimates there are 50 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, 20 of whom are still alive. Meanwhile, more than 10,800 Palestinians are languishing in its prisons, suffering torture, starvation, and medical neglect, many of whom have died, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights and media reports.
With American support, since October 7, 2023, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza, leaving more than 211,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 9,000 missing, in addition to hundreds of thousands of displaced persons and a famine that has claimed the lives of many.
