Netanyahu is a survivor, but his problems are stacking up

The piece in Haaretz followed a report that held the Israeli prime minister personally responsible for failures over a stampede that led to the death of 45 people in 2021. The newspaper, which is frequently critical of the prime minister, pointed out that Mr Netanyahu did not respond directly to the report. Commentators across the political divide saw a parallel between the Mount Meron disaster and the 7 October attacks by Hamas. Fewer than 4% of Israelis trusted Mr Netanyahu’s decision-making over the war in Gaza.

While confidence in Mr Netanyahu is low, most Israelis have consistently supported the war. The lack of progress in releasing the remaining hostages is also a source of criticism. The IDI’s Tamar Herman sees no contradiction in the suggestion that while most Israelis support the conflict and are less supportive of a future Palestinian state. He spearheaded unpopular judicial reforms before the Hamas attacks, and then lost his security credentials after 7 October.

Netanyahu’s decision to not send a delegation to ceasefire talks in Cairo was met with derision in parts of the Israeli media. He reiterated that troops would eventually launch an assault on the southern city of Rafah, where an estimated 1. 4 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. More than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Mr Netanyahu was said to be livid this week when Benny Gantz, his arch-political rival and member of the unity war cabinet, set off on an unannounced and unsanctioned trip. If an election were to be held today, polls suggest Mr Gantz would secure enough votes in the 120-seat Knesset to form a coalition government. The openness with which he was received by senior US and UK officials was widely interpreted back home in Israel as a snub to Mr Netanyahu. Far-right groups insist on financial concessions in return for support.

Orthodox Jews who are religious students are exempt from military service. Military service has always been a contentious issue in Israel. But with Israeli soldiers being killed on active duty in Gaza, it is under increasing pressure. It is known to be actively seeking to overturn the policy.

When the war ends, there will be an inquiry into the events of 7 October, and who knew what, when. Mr Netanyahu will come under intense scrutiny over what warnings his government was given and his subsequent response. If any findings are highly critical of his role, he may not be able to dismiss them as easily as he dealt with this week’s Mount Meron report. Biden treads carefully through Middle East minefield.

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