Benjamin Netanyahu (on/off prime minister of Israel since 1996) is being squeezed as never before, because of his apparent desire to erase Israel's "Palestinian problem" and fight off internal dissenters, whilst hoping the USA doesn't turn into a "frenemy", as it seems to be doing, for Israel's period of grace may now be coming to an end as USA President Biden steps aside having already officially censured Israel. Meanwhile, South Africa has cited Israel for Genocide in Gaza and the USA is fast losing diplomatic patience with their "errant child" as he steps out onto very thin ice. Biden decided strong words are not enough and refused to use its veto for a UN Security Council resolution that an immediate ceasefire in Gaza be agreed as Israeli forces continue to destroy humanitarian infrastructure, emphasised by vice president Kamala Harris (now effectively running the show until the next election), who met with and told Netanyahu, the Gaza war has to end. The UK seems to be falling in with this sentiment now as they officially withdrew their opposition to the International Criminal Court's desire to issue an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, and have suspended arms sales to Israel, an act that Netanyahu said was "shameful" (which seems a bit rich to me).
By rejecting strong signals from the USA (and others), to get his house in order and stabilise their seemingly never-ending Palestinian "problems", the hubris of Benjamin Netanyahu will be his downfall, for if these two fall-out Israel would indeed look like a little country; Iran would become bolder and Israel would "have to" execute an "overwhelming" response, as is their want. Netanyahu's 4th visit to the US senate neatly underscored the poor state of their relationship, for whilst he said to the US, "our war is your war" (which it is not), dozens of influential people did not bother to attend. Is the USA beginning to step back from Israel?
The USA put a shot across his bow by reiterating that supplied arms must be used legally and within international law, yet the Israeli's have "gone over the top" against Palestinians and Hamas in Gaza, causing the Dutch to refuse F-35 parts and many other suppliers to question their role in this, including the UK. The USA has also started to sanction Israeli individuals as a cease and desist policy, though this is proving ineffective.
He's had his warnings and the USA will no longer stomach his wanton destruction of Gazan citizens, for they are overflying Gaza for drops of aid and have constructed a huge floating pier, thereby defying what this apparent despot wants. Having said that the US still offered Israel a $1 billion carrot, no doubt to hold back a domestic stink by powerful and assertive supporters of Israel in the USA.
There is no doubting Netanyahu is a survivor, but his problems are really stacking up as Israel continues to sorely vex it's biggest ally, that has refused to help with retaliatory attacks on Iran because they want Israel to come to its main sponsor's heel; indeed a lever of funding received by Israel has been pulled for an ultra orthodox unit of the Israeli defence forces, ostensibly for human rights violations. Netanyahu is rejecting these cuts, which is ironic as they are not his by right and he must now keep control of ultra reactionary Zealots under his command, as many are being reported by whistle-blowers for treating detainees very badly.
The USA may wish to tie his hands in order to keep theirs clean and if Trump comes back into power Israel may be tossed to the "dogs"!
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Benjamin Netanyahu
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Netanyahu, for so long the strongman of Israeli politics, is now being pressured from within Israel as the Gaza war edges beyond conflict into a genocide. His prior attempts at fiddling with their constitution (courts) remains unresolved and very unpopular, with many seeing him as flawed by despotic tendencies, though he may just be espousing his fanatical Zionist political backers. (Do you believe this?) He is maybe coming to the end of his reign of influence for rejecting the USA is not going to be good for him, regional stability, nor Israel. Internal dissent is being made public, with "his own people" willing to undermine his political standing; some now calling him a danger to Israel as seniors begin to disengage from this every more serious mess. Even those in the Israeli war cabinet are extraditing themselves from Netanyahu's legacy of rampant vengeance.
His enduring problem now is that he has put himself between a rock and a very hard place: his rock is his stated and expected commitment to eradicating Hamas (and its sponsorship), whilst his very hard place is that where much of his strategy in Gaza is deemed by many to be a genocide. His apparent "Kill 'em all" approach is the very thing that undermines his global standing, yet any deal with Hamas is not wanted by the influential hard right who are damaging his tenure at the top in Israel, for the survival of Hamas amounts to his own defeat, as would a total breakdown of support from the USA who are currently restricting themselves to words of advice and aid for Palestinians trapped in Gaza. The International Court Of Justice ordered Israel to cease yet there are no signs that Israel is listening, for Netanyahu says there will be no Gaza ceasefire, nor let-up of actions against Lebanon until Israel's uncertain war aims are achieved, even as the United Nations adds Israel and Hamas to the list countries committing violation of children.
Side Note: Ultra orthodox Jews living in Israel are now deemed eligible for conscription into the Israeli army and as the war in Gaza grinds on their indignation in obvious in their selfish collective protestations. Their religious exemption has been removed and funding for their seminaries suspended, but at last they will be able to "fight" those that their fellow right-wing political brethren seemingly want eradicating. I hope their sincere beliefs will protect them from PTSD and the carnage they are now expected to embark upon, and that battle-hardened troops will greet them into their world without any resentment toward their orthodoxy. If lucky enough to hold dual nationality many could possibly scuttle back to their productive studies in another country?
For readers who need a short recap of why Israel started stripping away its good-standing in the world, read this, or for a broader understanding try this.
Final Note: This is where the war is, but I no-longer feel a need to express further thoughts regarding Benjamin Netanyahu, as his policies and this war will rumble on and spread as such things do when all parties (Israel, Palestinians, Hamas and more recently Lebanon) and Hezbollah and Houthis are intransigent. (What is Hezbollah?) US President Biden wants (global) peace but he's got no chance whilst these parties merely want to kill each other (with the malevolent assistance of Iran); Hamas infuriated Israel so much that Netanyahu has grossly over-reacted in order to sell his "saviour of Israel" mantra, when in fact many in Israel have wanted to see the back of him from before the war, with an enduring "peace" for Israel. His actions must be manna from heaven for Iran's aspirations in the region and I genuinely believe Israel will allow his post-war trial for genocide in order to clean their political slate and keep the USA "onside". Finally I condemn not Jews, nor Jewish individuals anywhere for what is going on in Gaza, for that judgement is reserved for the Israeli state politicians and their principle "driver(s)". Thanks for reading.
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