Is Baby Netanyahu trying to start a "greater Middle East conflict” in order to stay in office and prevent his corruption trial?
Last Updated: 02.07.2025 00:43
That is, he is certainly trying to stay in office and evade conviction at all costs. But I don’t think he has specific aims other than that. That is, I don’t think he’s trying to start a wider conflict. At this point, just prolonging the current conflict will keep him in power for the time being.
Of course, an end to the conflict is not just up to Netanyahu or Israel, and we don’t see signs that our enemies are in any hurry to end it. But it is Netanyahu who has stalled with respect to ceasefire negotiations, and kept adding new conditions, even though all the military and intelligence authorities were in favor of the current offer and said that Israel could afford to agree. And it is Netanyahu who chose exactly this timing for the assassination of Haniyya (out of over a decade of opportunities and many certain to appear in future). It is Netanyahu who decided to do this right now when a ceasefire and hostage release seemed actually to be in the offing, thus successfully postponing any serious possibility for ending war, which could involve the breakup of his extremist coalition.
No.