Netanyahu is now the problem — for the region and the world
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had always seen himself as a man on a historic mission: to bury Palestinian ambitions of a state of their own and extend Israel's boundaries beyond historical Palestine. His rise to the helm in the late 1990s came in the wake of the Oslo Accords, which he considered a betrayal of ultra-nationalist Zionism as preached by Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the Russian-born Zionist activist and poet.
As a firebrand politician, Netanyahu galvanized both ultra-nationalist and ultra-religious Israelis, who until then played a minor role in Israeli politics. But he was able to charm the right and far right because of his ability to convince all that his maximalist designs, seen then as improbable, were possible.
His ability to paint his radical policies as mainstream won him the unofficial title of 'King of Israel,' and eventually made him the longest-serving premier in the country's history. Until Oct. 7, 2023, Netanyahu rarely presented himself as a religious as well as a political leader. But since the notorious Hamas attack, Bibi, as he is often called, referred to the Torah several times to portray Israel's Palestinian enemies and the Hebrew state's modern wars. The purpose was always to whip up support among the extremists.
The war on Gaza came as a personal relief for Netanyahu. Before the Hamas attack, his coalition was facing nationwide protests against his attempt to subjugate the judiciary and remove the corruption charges against him. His government was on the verge of collapse, but then came the war.
There is a consensus in Israel today that almost two years of war in Gaza have failed to deliver its stated objectives. Even the Israeli military is now admitting that it has run out of targets. Gaza is in ruins. Hamas' military capabilities have been destroyed. Its leadership structure was decimated. Those who fight are isolated cells that can never be completely wiped out.
On the other hand, Israeli society is tired. Hostages remain in the hands of their captors. The cost of the war has been enormous even with the help of American taxpayers whose government has supplied Israel with tens of billions in munitions. And to top it all, the entire world is now against the conflict, and against Israel and its genocidal practices in Gaza. Western governments are openly denouncing Israeli violations in Gaza — the starvation, killing of children, dehumanization of Palestinians, ethnic cleansing, and multiple war crimes.
Only one man wants the war to go on and on: Netanyahu. His survival depends on keeping the war machine running. But there is more. He now sees himself on a spiritual mission to fulfill the ambition of a 'Greater Israel.' His recent statements have shocked Israel's neighbors, especially those with which Israel had signed peace treaties. What does 'Greater Israel' mean?
Only one man wants the war to go on and on.
Osama Al-Sharif
For years, Netanyahu had warned of Iran's proxies in the region as an existential threat. He warned of Tehran's nuclear ambitions and convinced US President Donald Trump that Iran was only months away from building a nuclear bomb. He had already managed to thwart the Obama nuclear deal. Now he convinced Trump to strike Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
The 12-day war between Israel and Iran was the culmination of a series of regional blows that Israel was able to deal to its enemies: Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Assad regime in Syria, the Houthis in Yemen, and the nuclear program of Iran. No one could have imagined such geopolitical fallout in less than two years.
Netanyahu has become intoxicated with power. Why not: Oct. 7, 2023 has changed everything and made the improbable possible. Netanyahu is now the only Israeli leader whose military flies, uncontested, over Lebanon, most of Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and parts of Iran. Why would he not speak of himself as a man on a historic mission with a connection to 'Greater Israel'?
But such triumph did not come without a hefty price. Yes, Israel has emerged as a regional behemoth, one that wants to change the map of the region, destabilize its neighbors, and carry out nefarious projects. But its image across the globe has been tarnished beyond repair. Most of its Western allies are now denouncing its policies in Gaza and the West Bank.
Netanyahu is also breaking Israel's steadfast ties to its most important ally, the US, without which his country cannot survive. Israel has become a pariah state in the eyes of a majority of Americans from both main political parties. The dynamics of the US-Israel relationship are changing, and while the outcome may not appear soon, it will show at some point.
The Israeli leader will find ways to keep the genocidal war going. He will push Trump to recognize the annexation of the West Bank. His far-right partners will force him to defund the Palestinian Authority and partition what remains of the West Bank, while planning the forced displacement of Palestinians.
Netanyahu's narcissistic view of himself as a man on a mission has already damaged Israel from within. It has discredited the message of the Abraham Accords and the prospects of peace in the region. For many Israelis, Netanyahu had failed to deliver victory in Gaza because of his selfish reasons, while sacrificing the hostages. And when many influential countries announce their recognition of a Palestinian state, come September, Netanyahu will retaliate and make things worse for Israel, the Palestinians, and the entire region.
Trump is wrong to assume that the occupation of Gaza City will destroy Hamas and end the war. On Sunday, almost a million Israelis took to the streets to express their rejection of Netanyahu's latest gambit.
As one European official put it: 'Netanyahu himself is now the problem.' This is the shared sentiment of leaders across the world as well as a majority of Israelis. Netanyahu may think of himself as a man on a mission, but that is not how the world sees him. A man who sanctioned the killing of over 60,000 Palestinians, and threatens to kill and displace even more, is a criminal who should face justice.
• Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman.
X: @plato010
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