Could Israel’s coming election see an end to Netanyahu’s political career?
Upcoming elections in Israel will likely decide the legacy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces mounting pressure over his handling of wars in the
Upcoming elections in Israel will likely decide the legacy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces mounting pressure over his handling of wars in the region and corruption charges. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is regarded as the ultimate survivor in Israeli politics. But with the upcoming general election, slated for October, he is now confronted with his biggest challenge yet that could see his nearly four-decade political career come to an acrimonious end. In the background is a torrent of political events, after Netanyahu reportedly convinced United States President Donald Trump to join him in a war on Iran on February 28, causing Tehran to launch its own strikes on Israel, the Gulf states and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel is embroiled in another war with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah to the north. This has seen Netanyahu trapped between US pressure to halt the military offensive in Lebanon and an Israeli public eager to continue the fight against Iran and its regional proxies. Meanwhile, Netanyahu also faces widespread public anger over his failure to hold an independent public inquiry into his government’s failings before and after the Hamas-led attacks into southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Following its subsequent genocidal war in Gaza, Israel has faced growing international scrutiny over its actions, sliding into pariah status with some countries and more vocal criticism within the US political establishment. All the while, Netanyahu still faces multiple corruption charges dating back to 2019, and if found guilty of these, he could potentially end up behind bars. Ultimately, the Israeli election comes at one of the most critical moments for Netanyahu and the country.
“It looks like [Netanyahu] might be in real trouble,” political analyst Nimrod Flaschenberg told Al Jazeera. “The US agreement with Iran hasn’t been well received, and to the public, it’s really not clear what’s happening in Lebanon. “Nobody knows if it’s a ceasefire, a retreat or whatever, and the press here are very suspicious. Lastly, there’s the issue of the US. Israelis have long liked to think they can operate autonomously, but recent events have really shown that to be a fiction.” Rock or hard place The Israeli public is acutely aware of the importance of US backing for their country’s security. Now, Israel and the US appear to find themselves with very different opinions on the future of the war in Lebanon, with Trump eager to scale back the fighting so peace with Iran holds and shipping can return to normal in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has ensured that Lebanon is part of the agreement to end the war with the US, so any new Israeli assaults in southern Lebanon threaten the stability of the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington. Netanyahu is being blamed by both doves and hawks in Israel for the military campaign in Lebanon, with right-wingers urging him to continue the war and defeat Hezbollah, a difficult task given the resistance provided by the armed group and US pressure. Others are aware that defying Trump’s wishes will put further pressure on US-Israeli relations. Israel still illegally occupies around a fifth of Lebanon, and a framework agreement signed with Beirut in Washington on Friday makes its future military presence in the country uncertain.
The BriefWire