Netanyahu is fighting for his political life as “Master.” Palestine never

A large section of the population had lost confidence in the prime minister long before the Hamas attack: for months, Israelis had taken to the streets in large numbers to demonstrate against the legal reforms that the Netanyahu government wanted to implement. He feared they would destroy democracy.

Anger escalated after the October 7 Hamas attack, during which its fighters killed 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 200 others to Gaza. Netanyahu, who always loves himselfMr. protectionShe clearly failed to keep her people safe. According to critics, he seriously underestimated the danger of Hamas and was too preoccupied with his own political agenda.

Netanyahu is on trial for corruption at home and many people believe controversial legal reforms will ultimately keep him out of the picture. The only parties willing to participate in this plan were the far-right parties in his coalition – and no one else was willing to govern with Netanyahu.

The supporters of these right-wing parties consisted of settlers who wanted to celebrate Sukkot in and around their settlements in the occupied West Bank during that fateful weekend. One of the reasons there were not so many soldiers in Gaza was because they had to protect the settlers.

Doubts about the government’s options

While the security services and the army apologized for the grave mistakes committed after October 7, Netanyahu remained silent. To be sure, there was room for rhetoric: that Hamas fighters were “monsters” and would be expelled from Gaza forever. But what angered citizens was that the Prime Minister did not bear any responsibility for the events.

However, the country was at war, and this was not the time to give up your leadership. After the defeat of Hamas, the consensus seemed to be that Israel would investigate all violations and those responsible would be held accountable.

Many citizens were also reassured by the formation of a war government. The current government includes people with no experience and enthusiastic positions, who cannot wait to establish settlements in Gaza again. The fact that opposition leader and former army chief Benny Gantz is now leading as well has given people a lot of confidence.

However, from the beginning there were doubts about the government’s choices, especially among the hostages’ families. Shouldn’t military action in Gaza wait until everyone returns safely to their homes? The desperation of these families led to demonstrations that quickly turned into protests against Netanyahu, a leader who does not pay enough attention to their suffering. This feeling was reinforced this weekend when three hostages were killed by friendly fire.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s popularity is declining rapidly. If elections were held now, according to a recent poll, Benny Gantz’s party would win 37 seats, while Netanyahu’s party would win only 18 seats (it now has 32 seats). Research conducted by the Jewish People Policy Institute last month also showed that 55% of people trust Gantz, while only 32% trust the prime minister.

Netanyahu also faces setbacks on other fronts. The trial in which he is being tried on corruption charges resumed two weeks ago. This does not mean that the Prime Minister should be in court every day, but it certainly distracts attention from the war he is waging.

Moreover, its most important ally, the United States, is running out of patience. US President Biden warned last week that the international community’s support was collapsing due to the many deaths in Gaza (nearly nineteen thousand according to Hamas).

Biden called Netanyahu a “good friend,” but for Biden, the far-right part of the Israeli government will be repatriated as quickly as possible. According to Biden, they will hinder talks on a two-state solution, which the US president himself would like to start after the dust settles in Gaza.

There is no interest in the peace process

It is true now that these extremist political parties will agree to sit at the table with the Palestinians, but Netanyahu made clear this week that this applies to him as well. “I will not allow Israel to make the same mistake it made in Oslo,” he said, referring to the Oslo peace agreement signed in the 1990s. “Gaza will not be like that Two enthusiasms or Fatehistan“.

Netanyahu was never interested in the peace process. His entire premiership was aimed at keeping Fatah, the party that controls the occupied West Bank, small. He also constantly tried to turn the occupation into a “security problem” for Israel.

However, analysts interpret Netanyahu’s current position as “election rhetoric”: he hopes to keep right-wing voters on his side by showing that he is the only one who wants to keep the Palestinians out, and he is willing to defend this even against Biden.

“He failed like Mr. protection And it failed as well Mr. America“,” commentator Nahum Barnea wrote in the Al-Wasat newspaper last week Yedioth Ahronoth. “He’s trying to stay upright now as Mr. Never Palestine.