A high-ranking Israeli official responded strongly to a recent US intelligence report, which cautioned that Israel will continue to face challenges from Hamas for the foreseeable future.
The report also suggested that the viability of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government "may be in jeopardy" amid criticism over the management of the war.
"Those who elect the prime minister of Israel are the citizens of Israel and no one else," said the official in a statement issued to the media, interpreting the intelligence report as an effort to unseat Netanyahu.
"Israel is not a protectorate of the US but rather an independent and democratic country whose citizens are the ones who elect the government. We expect our friends to work to bring down the terror regime of Hamas and not the elected government in Israel," The Times of Israel reported.
Opening its most-watched nightly news broadcast, Israel's Channel 12 revealed that the statement originated from "the most senior Israeli political source you can imagine."
The US assessment stated: "Distrust of Netanyahu's ability to rule has deepened and broadened across the public from its already high levels before the war, and we expect large protests demanding his resignation and new elections. A different, more moderate government is a possibility."
