Israeli activists hold placards during a demonstration in Herzliya on October 29, 2026, (Photo by AFP)
Press TV
2026/11/02
Retired Israeli commander Itzhak Brik says Israel has become an international pariah, warning that its growing isolation is unsustainable.
Retired Israeli commander Itzhak Brik has warned that Israel is facing an “irreversible breakdown” across its military, economy, and institutions, saying it has lost international legitimacy and allies and could not endure prolonged isolation.
In an opinion article published by Israel’s Maariv daily on Sunday, Brik called the results of last Tuesday’s parliamentary elections “the official death certificate of the [regime] of Israel as we knew it,” criticizing television commentators for focusing on parliamentary seats and coalition negotiations while ignoring the regime’s mounting structural problems.
He likened their coverage to “an orchestra playing aboard the Titanic in its final moments,” noting that the political debate was obscuring a far deeper crisis.
The regime is not in a “political crisis, it is in the process of a total, multi-system collapse, from which there is no way back,” he added.
Brik, a former commander of military colleges and former Ombudsman for Soldiers’ Complaints at the ministry of military affairs, said Israel had become an international pariah, warning that its growing isolation was unsustainable.
“We have lost legitimacy and allies,” he wrote, adding that Israel could not remain completely isolated for an extended period.
He also warned of a structural collapse within Israel’s ground forces, citing deteriorating morale and an inability to adequately defend the occupying entity against simultaneous threats from within and beyond its borders.
According to Brik, an exhausted army would be unable to stop large-scale incursions or protect civilians in a broader regional war.
The former military commander further pointed to the economic consequences of prolonged warfare, saying Israel’s national debt had reached 1.4 trillion shekels ($445 billion).
He pointed out that economic sanctions, restrictions on arms supplies and increasing financial isolation were placing additional pressure on the Israeli economy.
Brik dismissed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to use cryptocurrencies to circumvent potential European sanctions as “naive and absurd,” warning that further economic deterioration could put Israelis’ savings at risk.
Turning to Israel’s internal divisions, Brik said the occupying entity was experiencing a “silent civil war,” rather than merely political polarization.
He warned that the departure of doctors, scientists, technology entrepreneurs, and other highly skilled professionals was draining decades of accumulated expertise and weakening the regime’s institutional and economic foundations.
Brik also slammed Israel’s political leadership for undermining the rule of law and public institutions, arguing that political loyalty and appointments had increasingly taken precedence over competence and integrity.
The October 27 parliamentary election left Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 48 seats for the opposition bloc led by Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot and 19 seats for Arab parties.
Neither of the two main blocs secured the 61 seats required to form a parliamentary majority.
