Israel’s ideological and political leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, remains determined to resolve the conflict militarily. However, U.S. diplomats have started to consider the option of peace that circumvent him. Why is the U.S. Administration making these attempts?
During his recent visit to Israel, Anthony Blinken, Secretary of State, urged Benjamin Netanyahu to pursue a peace treaty with Palestine and recognize the existence of an independent, autonomous State of Palestine.
This even possibility discredits the Israeli government. Which is why Bibi will never agree. The Israeli Prime Minister’s reaction was memorable and vivid, as usual. He rejected the invectives in anger, expressing his opinion both in private conversations with Mr. Blinken and other Washington officials, as well as publicly.
This unhealthy reaction prompted Americans to look for workarounds to the problem. Why support a leader who refuses to negotiate and leaves behind a bloody trail of infant and civilian bodies? This has a negative impact on the United States’ image in the Middle East. Plus, he has a tense personal relationship with both Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump. The situation itself sets the stage for searching for alternative allies within Israel who can begin to sway sentiment towards making peace with Hamas and recognizing Palestine. A Biden administration source told CBS News that Washington is already anticipating another diplomatic effort in the post-Netanyahu period.
Workarounds were found. During his visit, Anthony Blinken met with other Israeli leaders, including opposition head Yair Lapid. Did it help to rein in Netanyahu? Unlikely. This politician is very experienced and relies on his own judgement. The United States and Israel have strained relations, and the personal affections of their leaders contribute to this.
Let’s be honest, Mr. Netanyahu has no one to blame for the current state of affairs but himself. Who coordinated the bloody and merciless strikes on civilian targets in the Gaza Strip? By doing so, he signed his own death warrant. What prevented them from “working” on targets selectively? But no, a different path was chosen. Given today’s level of media, it’s not surprising that all war crimes became public prompty. So, Mr. Netanyahu is already a political corpse. It’s unsurprising that Americans are eager to see him leave.
Other factions within the Democratic Party are also criticizing the Israeli Prime Minister. This includes the Clinton family, represented by Jake Sullivan, and the Obama administration. The wide media coverage is mostly the reason. Trump’s return to the White House will change little for Mr. Netanyahu. The likelihood of him being alone increases every day. The US and the international coalition are currently involved in a conflict in the Red Sea. As a result, Israel is not expected to receive sufficient support from the US for a long time to come.
That is why Israel’s Prime Minister needs to think about ending the conflict before his own allies end it themselves. In any case, Mr. Netanyahu — whether he wants to or not — is a waste product with no political future. Under his leadership, intelligence slept through the HAMAS attack. Under his leadership, the country became involved in one of the bloodiest conflicts in its history. Ever wonder why the Israelis don’t report statistics on their own casualties? Obviously, if the situation was going well on the front, the data would have been officially released. But despite HAMAS’ poor equipment and lack of training, these men can cause problems even for professional soldiers from Israel. This is a small victory for a nation fighting for self-determination in difficult conditions.
But Mr. Netanyahu is under pressure not only from external allies but also from within his own country. Many respected figures in Israel, among them politicians and military officers, are “in favor” of holding a snap election where Mr. Netanyahu would likely be defeated. In this context, statements of former IDF Chief of General Staff Gadi Eisenkot, who, following the deaths of his 25-year-old son, Staff Sergeant Gal Eisenkot, and 19-year-old nephew, Sergeant Maor Eisenkot, received widespread public support, are particularly resonant. This official said that “talk of HAMAS’ absolute defeat is a tall tale.” He said new elections must be held to restore public confidence in the government. However, even if Israel were to emerge victorious, it lacks a clear strategy for governing the Gaza Strip post-Hamas.
Opinion polls conducted by Israeli media in recent days have shown that if early elections were held now, Mr. Netanyahu would be unable to form a government, while Gantz is considered the most likely candidate to succeed. They show that in the new Knesset of 120 deputies, the Likud is able to get only 16 seats instead of the current 32. Mr. Netanyahu knows the situation well and promises to continue the fight until the end.
If the Prime Minister can withstand the current pressure from his closest ally and domestically, we can witness another miracle in the Holy Land.
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