What is more important, saving Netanyahu or Israel?

The political ground beneath Benjamin Netanyahu is shifting. Israel’s October 27 election delivered Likud the largest number of seats, but failed to preserve the parliamentary majority of his nationalist-religious coalition. Netanyahu’s political survival now appears increasingly uncertain. The election has exposed a deeper question: should Israel’s establishment protect one leader, or put the country’s interests above his ambitions?

Netanyahu’s longstanding allies are beginning to distance themselves. United Torah Judaism, a traditional coalition partner, declined to recommend any candidate to form the next government. Meanwhile, two Arab-led parties endorsed Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu’s rival, strengthening Eisenkot’s position in the presidential consultations.

The numbers remain complicated. Likud won 27 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53—short of the 61 required for a majority. Eisenkot’s alliance of Jewish-led parties won 48 seats, with Arab parties holding 19. Whether Eisenkot can assemble 61 lawmakers remains uncertain. The momentum appears to be moving away from Netanyahu.

President Isaac Herzog faces a consequential decision. His responsibility is not to rescue a political heavyweight, but to identify the candidate most capable of forming a stable government. Israel’s security and diplomatic challenges, alongside its internal divisions, demand leadership that can restore public confidence.

Netanyahu has questioned the election’s integrity, alleging vote tampering and accusing Arab-led parties of stealing the vote. However, the Central Election Committee said the election was not compromised. Casting doubt on a legitimate result risks weakening the democratic institutions Israel claims to defend. The peaceful transfer of power is not a procedural inconvenience; it is a democratic foundation.

Since the US-Israel attack on Iran on February 28, I have argued that Washington appears to act as an Israeli proxy. Yet the rapid erosion of support for Netanyahu and Donald Trump suggests costs may be mounting.

If Eisenkot secures 61 seats and forms a government, Netanyahu’s political career could end—and legal accountability may follow, subject to due process and the presumption of innocence.

Israel must decide whether to save Netanyahu, or save its democracy, credibility and future. The country should come first.

Netanyahu’s ‘Godfathers’ Still Working to Keep Him in Power

Benjamin Netanyahu’s marginal lead in Israel’s parliamentary election has not secured his political future. With neither major bloc reaching the 61 seats required for a majority, Arab-led parties have emerged as potential kingmakers. Their 19 projected seats could prove decisive, although ideological differences and opposition leaders’ reluctance to cooperate with Arab representatives complicate the formation of an alternative government.

The coming days may witness intense political bargaining. Netanyahu and his supporters will have strong incentives to prevent the opposition from assembling a majority. Political promises, incentives and pressure could all feature in negotiations, although any claim of coercion or attempts to buy political loyalty would require evidence. Arab representatives, meanwhile, have an opportunity to demand meaningful commitments on equality, public services and civil rights.

Yet Netanyahu’s political survival cannot be examined in isolation from his regional ambitions. His government has pursued policies aligned with Israel’s nationalist and Zionist constituencies while seeking to expand diplomatic normalization through the Abraham Accords. The question is whether these ambitions are strengthening Israel’s regional position or creating new strategic liabilities.

The UAE illustrates this dilemma. It invested heavily in becoming a secure, technologically advanced and internationally connected business hub. The regional conflict and threats to critical infrastructure have exposed the vulnerability of even sophisticated Gulf economies. Any perception that Israel’s actions have undermined the UAE’s security and standing could encourage other Gulf monarchies to approach normalization with greater caution.

Saudi Arabia has additional reasons to reconsider its strategic calculations. The Kingdom has traditionally relied on its partnership with Washington for security assurances. If Saudi leaders conclude that the United States has failed to protect their strategic assets, whether through deliberate restraint or serious security shortcomings, confidence in that partnership could suffer.

Consequently, Saudi participation in the Abraham Accords should not be taken for granted. Riyadh would have to weigh the benefits of normalization against credible security guarantees, regional stability and progress towards Palestinian statehood.

Netanyahu’s ‘Godfathers’ may continue working to preserve his political position, but keeping him in office is not the same as securing Israel’s long-term strategic interests. The real test is whether political survival at home can be reconciled with diminishing confidence among neighbouring Arab states.

Israel to Seek US Help in Another Round of War with Iran

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travels to Mar-a-Lago to meet US President Donald Trump, reports suggest the visit is less about diplomacy and more about reigniting confrontation with Iran. Despite growing friction between Netanyahu and Trump’s advisers, the Israeli leader is expected to press Washington to support, or directly participate in, another round of military escalation.

According to NBC News, Netanyahu plans to argue that Iran’s expanding ballistic missile program presents an urgent threat requiring swift action. He is expected to present Trump with options for US involvement in potential military operations. Analysts, however, view this shift in emphasis with skepticism. Sina Toossi of the Center for International Policy notes that Netanyahu’s focus on missiles appears to be an attempt to manufacture a new casus belli after the collapse of the nuclear argument.

This inconsistency has drawn criticism even within Israel. Yair Golan, leader of Israel’s center-left Democrats party, questioned how Netanyahu could declare a “historic victory” last June—claiming Iran’s nuclear threat and missile capabilities had been neutralized—only to return months later seeking US approval to strike Iran again.

Iran will not be the only issue on the agenda. Israeli officials indicate Netanyahu will also push Trump to harden his stance on Gaza, demanding Hamas’s disarmament before any further Israeli troop withdrawals under the second phase of Trump’s peace plan. This comes amid mounting US frustration over Israel’s repeated violations of the October ceasefire.

While Trump has sought to cultivate a peacemaker image, Israel’s actions on the ground have complicated that narrative. Near-daily Israeli strikes have reportedly killed over 400 Palestinians, while a sustained blockade has left hundreds of thousands displaced, exposed to winter conditions, and deprived of adequate food, fuel, and medicine.

Trump’s advisers, according to Axios, increasingly fear Netanyahu is deliberately undermining the peace process to keep the conflict alive. Beyond Gaza, Netanyahu is also expected to seek continued US backing for Israel’s territorial expansion in Syria and renewed latitude to escalate against Hezbollah in Lebanon—both areas where Israeli actions have already strained US policy objectives.

As Toossi argues, Netanyahu’s visit reflects not a strategy to resolve crises but to defer accountability. The meeting’s outcome will test whether Washington continues to underwrite open-ended escalation—or begins to draw clearer limits around Israel’s regional ambitions.

Trump-Netanyahu Peace Plan: Ceasefire or Trap

The Trump–Netanyahu meeting in New York was staged as a diplomatic triumph. Cameras clicked, statements flowed, and a so-called historic deal was announced. Israel has formally endorsed Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, but beneath the fanfare lies a script written as much for domestic politics as for genuine peace.

At the heart of the plan are four pillars: 1) an immediate ceasefire if accepted, 2) release of hostages within 72 hours, 3) a phased Israeli withdrawal, and 4) disarmament of Hamas. On paper, this sounds like a path out of a devastating war. In reality, it looks more like an ultimatum dressed as diplomacy.

The governance structure proposed is even more telling. Gaza would not return to the Palestinians in any meaningful sense but be handed over to a technocratic committee under international oversight. A “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump—flanked by international figures like Tony Blair—would supervise the transition. Hamas, the very power broker in Gaza, is not only excluded but delegitimized entirely. This is less a peace plan than a regime-change blueprint.

The Trump–Netanyahu warning was clear, Hamas must accept the plan “the easy way,” or Israel—with full American backing—will impose “the hard way.” This is not mediation; it is coercion.

For Netanyahu, who faces political vulnerability at home, US cover for renewed aggression is a golden ticket. For Trump, the deal enhances his image as a global dealmaker ahead of a bruising election cycle.

Yet the glaring omission remains Palestinian statehood. By skirting this fundamental issue, the plan buys short-term tactical gains but undermines any sustainable settlement.

Arab capitals, from Cairo to Doha, understand that without Hamas’ consent, the blueprint collapses under its own weight. No technocratic committee or international board can govern Gaza in defiance of its most powerful actor.

Trump and Netanyahu call this peace. In truth, it is a gamble - either Hamas yields, or Gaza is marched toward another round of bloodshed under international applause.

Far from solving the conflict, the deal risks deepening it. A plan that sidelines one side while empowering the other is not peace—it is merely the pause before the storm.

Houthis threat to kill Netanyahu

The Houthis (Ansar Allah) are primarily a Yemeni movement with their base of power in northern part of the country. More recently, its main conflict has been with the United States and its allies, particularly because of Red Sea shipping disruptions.

After the killing of the prime minister of Yemen's Houthi-run government and several other ministers, Houthis have expressed their intentions to kill Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Can this be taken as a real threat to the life of Netanyahu?

In all the probability, the Houthis do not have the capability to directly target Netanyahu inside Israel. Their missile and drone reach has extended toward Israel during the Gaza war (some were intercepted by Israel, US, and allied forces), but striking the Israeli Prime Minister personally is far beyond their operational reach.

However, they can increase pressure on Israel by: 1) targeting Israeli linked ships and shipping lanes in the Red Sea, 2) launching long-range missiles or drones toward Israeli territory, and 3) deepening Israel’s regional isolation by linking the Gaza conflict with Yemen.

In reality, Netanyahu faces greater personal risk from inside Israel (domestic unrest, Palestinian militant groups) or from major regional actors (Hezbollah or Iran) rather than from the Houthis themselves.

While, it may be concluded that the Houthis are not a direct threat to Netanyahu, but they contribute to the overall regional security pressure on Israel that indirectly undermines his political standing and safety.

External threats to Netanyahu

Let us examine the structured hierarchy of external threats to Netanyahu’s life and political survival, ranked from most serious to least:

Hezbollah – Highest Direct Threat

The group has the capability, being the largest, most experienced armed group on Israel’s borders. It has tens of thousands of rockets, advanced drones, precision missiles. Its biggest advantage is proximity, right on Israel’s northern border. It may be said that the threat level to Netanyahu is very high – Hezbollah could, in theory, target Israeli leadership.

Iran – Indirect Threat

Iran enjoys capability, being the regional power with ballistic missiles, drones, cyber operations. While Iran may not directly target Netanyahu, it can facilitate proxies (Hezbollah, militias in Iraq/ Syria, and Houthis).

Palestinian Militants

Hamas, PIJ, and West Bank groups have the capability, having short-to-medium range rockets, cross-border raids, suicide missions. On top of all they enjoy proximity. Most of the resistance group consider Netanyahu directly responsible for Gaza destruction. Analysts believe it is difficult for them to reach him personally due to Israel’s heavy security.

Houthis (Yemen)

Houthis enjoy certain advantages like long-range drones and ballistic missiles, some have reached Israel’s southern airspace, others intercepted. Houthis position themselves as part of “Axis of Resistance” with Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Target Israel-linked shipping and occasionally Israel itself. Their threat level is low, as they cannot realistically strike Netanyahu personally, but can harass Israel economically and militarily.

Other Regional Militias

Groups based in Iraq and Syria enjoy certain capabilities, rockets and drones, but usually confined to US or Israeli targets in Syria/ Iraq. Therefore, the real threat level to Netanyahu’s life may be low to moderate, but nuisance attacks are possible, though unlikely to reach Israeli leadership.

Netanyahu says decision made for full occupation of Gaza

According to media reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that a decision has been made for the full occupation of the Gaza Strip, including military operations in areas where hostages are believed to be held.

"We're committing to free Gaza from the tyranny of these terrorists," Netanyahu said in a video address posted on X. "Many Gazans come to us and they say 'Help us be free. Help us be free of Hamas.' and that's what we will do."

The Prime Minister's Office also said in a message to the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, "If this does not suit you, then you should resign."

Netanyahu and Zamir have been at odds with the way the war in Gaza is being fought, with those tensions "having reached their peak" on Monday, according to a report on Israeli Army Radio.

Netanyahu's announcement comes after months of faltering talks in Qatar between Israel and Hamas as mediators scramble to overcome hurdles from both sides and reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal as the humanitarian situation in the Strip deteriorates.

That proposal, in the form of a 32-page academic paper titled "Gaza Security and Recovery Program, How Should The Day After Look Like," was authored by the Israel Defence and Security Forum, a group of over 35,000 Israeli security force reservists and the think tank Jerusalem Centre for Security and Foreign Affairs.

The study was presented to the Israeli government at an unknown date and represents one of the future options currently under consideration by Israel for the Gaza Strip.

The proposal entails economic reconstruction, building infrastructure and, as the authors of the study say, "uprooting a murderous ideology," also labelled as a process of "de-Nazification."

"In order to prepare for the new state of affairs, even though the results of the military operation have not yet been achieved, it is necessary to prepare an orderly plan for the control of the Gaza Strip after the fall of Hamas," the document reads.

The plan explicitly excludes the sovereignty of Palestine, or more specifically the Palestinian Authority (PA), or the presence of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as a source for humanitarian aid.

"No less serious is the foolhardy idea of establishing a Palestinian state in Gaza," the document reads.

However, it is not said in the document whether Israel intends to annex the Strip, although it is clearly stated that Israeli military (IDF) wants to have a greater say in the overall administration of Gaza's affairs.

Netanyahu's comments on Monday contradict those of Israel's Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa'ar, who told Euronews last month that Israel doesn’t have "any intention" of controlling Gaza long term.

"We don't have any intention to do so," Sa’ar said. "With regard to the Gaza Strip, we have only security concerns."

"We will implement President Trump's plan, it is a good plan and makes a difference, and it means something very simple, that the residents of Gaza who want to leave can leave," Netanyahu said, referring to a proposal floated by Trump of resettling all of Gaza's population in other countries.

The plan was met with horror by regional countries and international humanitarian groups, who said the forced resettlement of the population would be a violation of international law.

Trump said he had plans to re-develop Gaza in the "Riviera of the Middle East" with upmarket resort hotels and shopping malls.

Netanyahu and Trump to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump appeared on Friday to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, both saying it had become clear that the Palestinian militants did not want a deal, reports Reuters.

Netanyahu said Israel was now mulling "alternative" options to achieve its goals of bringing its hostages home from Gaza and ending Hamas rule in the enclave, where starvation is spreading and most of the population is homeless amid widespread ruin.

Trump said he believed Hamas leaders would now be "hunted down", telling reporters, "Hamas really didn't want to make a deal. I think they want to die. And it's very bad. And it got to be to a point where you're going to have to finish the job."

The remarks appeared to leave little to no room, at least in the short term, to resume negotiations for a break in the fighting, at a time when international concern is mounting over worsening hunger in war-shattered Gaza.

French President Emmanuel Macron, responding to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, announced that Paris would become the first major Western power to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

Britain and Germany said they were not yet ready to do so but later joined France in calling for an immediate ceasefire. British Prime Minister Keith Starmer said his government would recognize a Palestinian state only as part of a negotiated peace deal.

Trump dismissed Macron's move. "What he says doesn't matter," he said. "He's a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight."

Israel and the United States withdrew their delegations on Thursday from the ceasefire talks in Qatar, hours after Hamas submitted its response to a truce proposal.

Sources initially said on Thursday that the Israeli withdrawal was only for consultations and did not necessarily mean the talks had reached a crisis. But Netanyahu's remarks suggested Israel's position had hardened overnight.

US envoy Steve Witkoff said Hamas was to blame for the impasse, and Netanyahu said Witkoff had got it right.

Senior Hamas official Basem Naim said on Facebook that the talks had been constructive, and criticized Witkoff's remarks as aimed at exerting pressure on Israel's behalf.

"What we have presented - with full awareness and understanding of the complexity of the situation - we believe could lead to a deal if the enemy had the will to reach one," he said.

Mediators Qatar and Egypt said there had been some progress in the latest round of talks. They said suspensions were a normal part of the process and they were committed to continuing to try to reach a ceasefire in partnership with the US.

The proposed ceasefire would suspend fighting for 60 days, allow more aid into Gaza, and free some of the 50 remaining hostages held by militants in return for Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel.

It has been held up by disagreement over how far Israel should withdraw its troops and the future beyond the 60 days if no permanent agreement is reached.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right national security minister in Netanyahu's coalition, welcomed Netanyahu's step, calling for a total halt of aid to Gaza and complete conquest of the enclave, adding in a post on X, "Total annihilation of Hamas, encourage emigration, (Jewish) settlement."

Gaza ceasefire tests Trump-Netanyahu bond

US President Donald Trump's push for a ceasefire in Gaza is testing his bond with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That relationship was on full display this week during the Israeli leader’s third visit to Washington this year, reports The Hill.

Even when Trump and Netanyahu have diverged in private, they have usually remained publicly in lockstep — apart from Trump dropping a bomb last month during the shaky start of the Israel-Iran ceasefire.

As Trump turns his attention to ending the fighting in Gaza, Netanyahu risks drawing the president’s ire once again. 

“The president gets frustrated because he wants this victory of having brought peace,” said Elliott Abrams, US special representative for Iran during Trump’s first term. 

“I think when it comes to Gaza, he recognizes that the problem is Hamas. So, it’s frustrating to him that he can’t get the hostages out and get a ceasefire, but he’s not blaming Netanyahu.”

Trump and his top envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, say a deal is close. 

“There’s nothing definite about war, Gaza and all the other places, there’s a very good chance of a settlement, an agreement this week, maybe next week if not,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday when asked about the progress of his talks with Netanyahu. 

Witkoff said Tuesday the two sides were now in “proximity talks,” having whittled their disagreements down to one point.

A Palestinian source told the BBC that talks in Doha have stalled over disagreements on the delivery of humanitarian aid and Israeli military withdrawal.  

It’s not clear whether Trump will respect Netanyahu’s red lines — getting Hamas out of Gaza and Israel retaining freedom of military operation — or push the Israeli leader to accept a deal that would infuriate his right-wing allies and risk toppling his governing coalition.

Trump has repeatedly broken with Netanyahu’s desires in the Middle East, as demonstrated by his dropping sanctions on Syria’s new government and engaging in direct talks with Iran. Yet this week the president was notably deferential to his Israeli counterpart on questions about the future of Gaza. 

“Trump is the only US president who in his first 6 months has both sidelined Israel and made it central to his successes and policies,” Aaron David Miller, a veteran Middle East negotiator and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote Monday on the social platform X.

“The Trump-Netanyahu bromance will last until it doesn’t.” 

 

 

Bezalel Smotrich Blood Thirsty Beast

According to Reuters, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sharply criticized on Sunday a cabinet decision to allow some aid into Gaza as a "grave mistake" that he said would benefit the militant Palestinian group Hamas.

Smotrich also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to ensure that Israel's military is following government directives in prosecuting the war against Hamas in Gaza. He said he was considering his "next steps" but stopped short of explicitly threatening to quit the coalition.

Smotrich's comments come a day before Netanyahu is due to hold talks in Washington with President Donald Trump on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day Gaza ceasefire.

The Israeli government has not announced any changes to its aid policy in Gaza. Israeli media reported that the government had voted to allow additional aid to enter northern Gaza.

Israel accuses Hamas of stealing aid for its own fighters or to sell to finance its operations, an accusation Hamas denies. Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe, with conditions threatening to push nearly a half a million people into famine within months, according to UN estimates.

Israel in May partially lifted a nearly three-month blockade on aid. Two Israeli officials said on June 27 the government had temporarily stopped aid from entering north Gaza.

Public pressure in Israel is mounting on Netanyahu to secure a permanent ceasefire, a move opposed by some hardline members of his right-wing coalition. An Israeli team left for Qatar on Sunday for talks on a possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.

Smotrich, who in January threatened to withdraw his Religious Zionism party from the government if Israel agreed to a complete end to the war before having achieved its objectives, did not mention the ceasefire in his criticism of Netanyahu.

The right-wing coalition holds a slim parliamentary majority, although some opposition lawmakers have offered to support the government from collapsing if a ceasefire is agreed.

Most of Gaza’s population has been displaced by the war, a humanitarian crisis has unfolded, and much of the territory lies in ruins.

 

Pressure on Netanyahu to dissolve parliament

A member of Israel's right-wing coalition threatened to quit the cabinet on Wednesday and support an opposition motion to dissolve parliament tabled for next week, piling pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reports Reuters.

Netanyahu's coalition of secular right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties holds an 8-seat majority in parliament. United Torah Judaism has 7 seats while its ally, Shas, the other ultra-Orthodox party, has 11.

Latest opinion polls suggest that Netanyahu's coalition would lose power if an election was held today, with many voters unhappy over the continued war in Gaza since October 2023.

United Torah Judaism, one of two ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition, said it would withdraw from the government unless it secured last-minute concessions formalizing an exemption for ultra-Orthodox men from military service.

The opposition party Yesh Atid, led by former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, put forward a parliamentary vote for next week to topple the government, even as the Israeli army continues battling Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It would require the support of 61 out of the 120 members of the parliament to succeed.

"This Knesset (parliament) is finished. It has nowhere to go," Lapid said.

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has remained silent on the looming crisis.

A spokesperson for United Torah Judaism leader Yitzhak Goldknopf told Reuters the party would vote in favour of dissolving parliament unless exemption legislation was passed.

With a week until the vote, Netanyahu and his allies still have time to negotiate over an issue that has dogged the coalition for months.

 

Israeli reservists speak out against Gaza war

In recent weeks, thousands of Israeli reservists – from all branches of the military – have signed letters demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government stop the fighting and concentrate instead on reaching a deal to bring back the remaining 59 hostages being held by Hamas, reports BBC.

Eighteen months ago, few Israelis doubted the war's logic, to defeat Hamas and return the hostages.

For many, the January ceasefire and subsequent return of more than 30 hostages raised hopes that the war might soon end. But after Israel broke the ceasefire and returned to war in mid-March, those hopes were dashed.

"We came to the conclusion that Israel is going to a very bad place," Danny Yatom, a former head of the spy agency Mossad said.

"We understand that what mainly bothers Netanyahu is his own interests. And in the list of priorities, his interests and the interests of having the government stable are the first ones, and not the hostages."

Many of those signing recent letters are, like Yatom, long time critics of the prime minister. Some were involved in the antigovernmental protests that preceded the outbreak of war on 07 October 2023 following Hamas's attack on Israel. Yatom said that's not why he decided to speak out.

"I signed my name and I am participating in the demonstrations not because of any political reason, but because of a national reason," he said. "I am highly concerned that my country is going to lose its way."

The first open letter to be published, in early April, was signed by 1,000 air force reservists and retirees.

"The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals," they wrote, "and will lead to the death of the hostages".

The signatories urged Israelis to follow their lead before time ran out on the estimated 24 hostages still thought to be alive in Gaza.

"Every day that passes is further risking their lives. Every moment of hesitation is a crying shame."

In the weeks since, similar letters have appeared from almost every branch of the military, including elite fighting and intelligence units, along with a number of decorated commanders.

After 07 October, hundreds of thousands of Israeli reservists answered the call, eager to serve. But now, more and more are refusing, with reports suggesting that reserve attendance has dropped to as little as 50-60%.

For a military that depends heavily on reservists to fight its wars, it's a looming crisis on a scale not seen since Israel's first Lebanon war in 1982.

The government's determination to keep fighting Hamas, while hostages risk death in the tunnels of Gaza was misplaced.

"We are very strong and we can beat Hamas, but it's not about beating Hamas," he said. "It's about losing our country."

But the longer the war goes on, critics say, the harder it is for Israel to claim, as government officials often do, that its military is the most moral army in the world.

In a recent column in the left of center newspaper Haaretz, the retired general Amiram Levin said it was time for soldiers – starting with senior commanders - to think about disobeying orders.

"The risk of being dragged into war crimes and suffering a fatal blow to the Israel Defense Forces and our social ethos," he wrote, "make it impossible to stand idly by".

Some of Israel's critics, including those who have brought cases before the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, argue that such lines have already been crossed.

Netanyahu has lashed out at the protesters, dismissing their concerns as "propaganda lies", spread by "a small handful of fringe elements – loud, anarchist and disconnected pensioners, most of whom haven't served in years".

But polls suggest the protest letters reflect a growing public conviction: that the release of the remaining hostages should come before everything.

In Tel Aviv, where noisy anti-war demonstrations have been held for well over a year, images of the hostages are held aloft, while other protestors sit on the road, cradling pictures of Palestinian children killed during the war.

Amid the row generated by the letters, such emotive displays appear to have rattled the authorities.

On 20 April, the police briefly told protesters that "pictures of children or babies from Gaza" would not be permitted, along with posters displaying the words "genocide" or "ethnic cleansing".

Following expressions of outrage from the organizers, the police quickly backed down.

Meanwhile, the prime minister continues to speak of his determination to defeat Hamas.

Military pressure, Netanyahu continues to insist, is the only way to bring the hostages home.

Israel using food as a weapon against Gazans

Israel has imposed a block on all aid entering the Gaza Strip following the end of the first phase of the January 19 ceasefire deal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement on Sunday confirming that Israel had blocked the entry of all goods into Gaza, Middle East Eye reported.

The move, which coincides with the fasting month of Ramadan for Muslims, came after Hamas refused to accept the extension of the first phase of the ceasefire deal.

Though, Israel has stopped, possibly temporarily, dropping bombs on Gazans, its recent moves openly confirm that it was starving the Gazans during the nearly 16-month war to make the resistance fighters surrender.

The statement by Netanyahu’s office added, “Israel will not allow a ceasefire without the release of our hostages. If Hamas continues its refusal, there will be further consequences."

There are certain reasons for setting such a condition. Most importantly, Israel feels humiliated that despite its nearly 16-month cruel war on Gaza, it failed to defeat resistance fighters.

It is an open secret that Israel was starving Gazans, and the UN officially were constantly warning about this act. His then so-called defense minister Yoav Gallant said, "I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed. We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly."

Israel is notoriously famous for breaking promises, agreements, and international laws. Now, contrary to the terms of the ceasefire agreement, Netanyahu is seeking to extend the initial exchange phase to secure the release of as many Israeli captives as possible without offering anything in return or fulfilling the military and humanitarian obligations of the agreement.

In addition to feeling humiliated to defeat the resistance fighters, Netanyahu is using aid as a weapon to force Hamas officials to give in to his demands, which are contrary to what has been agreed in ceasefire agreement, to find a pretext to resume the war as it has been openly implied in the Sunday statement, and finally force the people to leave their homes in line with the proposed Trump plan for Gaza and the greater project of ethnically cleansing Palestinians from their motherland.   

 

Germany: Merz to host war criminal Netanyahu

Friedrich Merz, expected to be Germany’s next chancellor, told reporters on Monday that he would make sure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can visit Germany despite an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.

By inviting Netanyahu to Germany, Merz is emboldening the Israeli war criminals, violating the ICC statute, and presenting himself as subservient to the butcher of Gaza.

“In the event that he [Netanyahu] plans to visit Germany, I have promised myself that we will find a way to ensure that he can visit Germany and leave again without being arrested,” Merz said from Berlin.

Germany says it has been a strong backer of the ICC. After the ICC’s decision against Netanyahu and his war minister Yoav Gallant in November, a German government spokesperson said, “The federal government was involved in the drafting of the ICC statute and is one of the ICC’s biggest supporters. This position is also a result of German history.”

To the shock of the international community, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government was the biggest supporter of the Netanyahu regime in its 16-month barbaric acts in Gaza. Germany has also been the second biggest supplier of deadly arms to Israel after the United States. However, it seems that Merz, still not forming a government, wants to present himself as a stronger supporter of Israel.

As a member state of the court, Germany is required to detain suspects facing arrest warrants if they set foot on their soil, but the incoming Marz government is sending signals that it is joining certain countries, including the United States, which are defying international order.

Viktor Orban was the first European leader who invited Netanyahu to visit Hungary in a show of disdain for the ICC ruling. Now, Merz is following in the footsteps of Orban, whose policies are not in conformity with the European Union.

Merz said, “I think it’s a really absurd idea that an Israeli prime minister can’t visit the Federal Republic of Germany. He will be able to visit Germany.”

Contrary to Merz’s claim, it is absurd to invite a war criminal to Germany as the most important member of the EU and as a country rightly or wrongly considered the most law-abiding nation.

Netanyahu is already buoyed that he has been invited to make a trip to Germany. His office said in a statement that Merz had invited the prime minister to make an official visit to Germany, in overt defiance of the scandalous International Criminal Court decision to label the Prime Minister a war criminal.

Before Merz welcomed Netanyahu’s possible future visit to Germany, the Biden administration and hawks in the American Congress had demonized the ICC to the extent that Senator Tom Cotton had threatened military action against the ICC and insulted its chief prosecutor Karim Khan.

Cotton said, “The ICC is a kangaroo court and Karim Khan is a deranged fanatic.”

The statement by Merz has even irritated the ICC, saying that states have a legal obligation to enforce its decisions. It said, “It is not for states to unilaterally determine the soundness of the court’s legal decisions.”

Merz either has been too busy to notice what degree of crimes Netanyahu and lieutenants have been doing in Gaza or he does not care about the tragedies that the Gazans have gone through.

It is not necessary to mention the horrific crimes that Israel committed in Gaza. They are obvious to the world. It is just enough to notice that thousands of Palestinians, mostly women and children, are still missing under the rubble.

In its November ruling, the ICC said there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Gallant and Netanyahu “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”

Naturally, Merz like other Germans must repent what Germany did against Jews during World War II which is famous as the Holocaust.

Merz must be reminded that Israel committed another Holocaust against the Palestinians in the third decade of the 21st century.

 

Netanyahu eyes Iran, his arch foe

According to Reuters, 2025 will be a year of reckoning for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He is set to cement his strategic goals: tightening his military control over Gaza, thwarting Iran's nuclear ambitions and capitalizing on the dismantling of Tehran's allies - Palestinian Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and the removal of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

Assad's collapse, the elimination of the top leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah and the destruction of their military structure mark a succession of monumental wins for Netanyahu.

Without Syria, the alliances Tehran has nurtured for decades have unraveled. As Iran's influence weakens, Israel is emerging as the dominant power in the region.

Netanyahu is poised to zero in on Iran's nuclear ambitions and missile program, applying an unyielding focus to dismantling and neutralizing these strategic threats to Israel.

Iran, Middle East observers say, faces a stark choice: Either continue its nuclear enrichment program or scale back its atomic activities and agree to negotiations.

"Iran is very vulnerable to an Israeli attack, particularly against its nuclear program," said Joost R. Hiltermann, Middle East and North Africa Program Director of the International Crisis Group. "I wouldn't be surprised if Israel did it, but that doesn't get rid of Iran."

"If they (Iranians) do not back down, Trump and Netanyahu might strike, as nothing now prevents them," said Palestinian analyst Ghassan al-Khatib, referring to President-elect Donald Trump. Khatib argued that the Iranian leadership, having demonstrated pragmatism in the past, may be willing to compromise to avert a military confrontation.

Trump, who withdrew from a 2015 agreement between Iran and six world powers aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear goals, is likely to step up sanctions on Iran's oil industry, despite calls to return to negotiations from critics who see diplomacy as a more effective long-term policy.

Amid the turmoil of Iran and Gaza, Netanyahu's long-running corruption trial, which resumed in December, will also play a defining role in shaping his legacy. For the first time since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023, Netanyahu took the stand in proceedings that have bitterly divided Israelis.

With 2024 coming to an end, the Israeli prime minister will likely agree to sign a ceasefire accord with Hamas to halt the 14-month-old Gaza war and free Israeli hostages held in the enclave, according to sources close to the negotiations.

But Gaza would stay under Israeli military control in the absence of a post-war US plan for Israel to cede power to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which Netanyahu rejects. Arab states have shown little inclination to press Israel to compromise or push the decaying PA to overhaul its leadership to take over.

"Israel will remain in Gaza militarily in the foreseeable future because any withdrawal carries the risk of Hamas reorganizing. Israel believes that the only way to maintain the military gains is to stay in Gaza," Khatib told Reuters.

For Netanyahu, such a result would mark a strategic victory, consolidating a status quo that aligns with his vision: Preventing Palestinian statehood while ensuring Israel's long-term control over Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem -- territories internationally recognised as integral to a future Palestinian state.

The Gaza war erupted when Hamas militants stormed into Israel on October 07, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel responded with an air and land offensive that has killed 45,000 people, health authorities there say, displaced 1.2 million and left much of the enclave in ruins.

While the ceasefire pact would bring an immediate end to the Gaza hostilities, it would not address the deeper, decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Arab and Western officials say.

On the ground, prospects for a Palestinian state, an option repeatedly ruled out by Netanyahu's government, have become increasingly unattainable, with Israeli settler leaders optimistic that Trump will align closely with their views.

A surge in settler violence and the increasing confidence of the settler movement - highway billboards in some West Bank areas bear the message in Arabic "No Future in Palestine" - reflect a growing squeeze on Palestinians.

Even if the Trump administration were to push for an end to the conflict, "any resolution would be on Israel’s terms," said Hiltermann of the Crisis Group.

"It's over when it comes to a Palestinian state, but the Palestinians are still there," he said.

In Trump's previous term, Netanyahu secured several diplomatic wins, including the “Deal of the Century,” a US-backed peace plan which Trump floated in 2020 to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The plan, if implemented, marks a dramatic shift in US policy and international agreements by overtly aligning with Israel and deviating sharply from a long-standing land for peace framework that has historically guided negotiations.

It would allow Israel to annex vast stretches of land in the occupied West Bank, including Israeli settlements and the Jordan Valley. It would also recognize Jerusalem as the "undivided capital of Israel" - effectively denying Palestinian claims to East Jerusalem as their capital, a central aspiration in their statehood goals and in accordance with UN resolutions.

SYRIA AT CRITICAL CROSSROADS

Across the border from Israel, Syria stands at a critical juncture following the overthrow of Assad by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel forces, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani.

Golani now faces the monumental task of consolidating control over a fractured Syria, where the military and police force have collapsed. HTS has to rebuild from scratch, securing borders and maintaining internal stability against threats from jihadists, remnants of the Assad regime, and other adversaries.

The greatest fear among Syrians and observers alike is whether HTS, once linked to al-Qaeda but now presenting itself as a Syrian nationalist force to gain legitimacy, reverts to a rigid Islamist ideology.

The group’s ability or failure to navigate this balance will shape the future of Syria, home to diverse communities of Sunnis, Shi'ites, Alawites, Kurds, Druze and Christians.

"If they succeed in that (Syrian nationalism) there's hope for Syria, but if they revert to their comfort zone of quite strongly ideologically-tainted Islamism, then it's going to be divisive in Syria," said Hiltermann.

"You could have chaos and a weak Syria for a long time, just like we saw in Libya and Iraq."

ICC decision: Any difference for Palestinians?

In an unprecedented move, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a decision that has sent shockwaves through the international community. The court's announcement, delivered on November 22, has sparked widespread discussion and debate about its implications and potential consequences. Does this really mean anything to the Palestinians? The answer is yes as well as no.

On one hand, further intensified pressure on Israel to end its war crimes in Gaza can be anticipated. This could yield short-term gains for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, including increased humanitarian aid to the Strip and even, from a very skeptical standpoint, a quicker end to the aggression than Israeli authorities have projected. In other words, in an ever-tightening world for the Israeli officials against the background of ICC’s warrant, continuing war on Gaza is a gamble with catastrophic international consequences for the government.

On the other hand, from a more realistic perspective, ICC’s arrest warrant for the two top Israeli figures is merely the beginning of a “Plan B” for Israel. This strategy, employed since the war’s outset alongside the initially stated objectives, aims to enable Israel to withstand an internal collapse.

Plan B, is not a twist in the story of Israel’s plot to expand territory and remove adversaries, but the predesigned next stage should the plan to achieve those objectives fail, the political life of an individual in exchange for the life of an entire, albeit unlawful, state.

In simple words, Netanyahu’s government was greenlighted to “do whatever it takes” to fulfill the purpose of this war since its outset and was warned that he would end up politically dead if the goals were not met. As the prospect of defeat looms, implementation of the “Hannibal Directive” has been initiated at the political level.

Since the start of the recent war on Gaza, which later expanded to Lebanon, this strategy has been the elephant in the room no one was willing to discuss publicly.

Many prominent political and public figures worldwide have relentlessly tried to reduce this war to include only “certain Israeli individuals” rather than the “Israel Project”, in part manifested in an illegitimate occupational state.

They keep accusing Benjamin Netanyahu, along with a handful of other political figures – mostly the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir as well as Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich – of fanning the flames of the war, committing genocide and other atrocities in Gaza and elsewhere, and other acts of political and military violence “that endanger the lives of Israelis” as if they were elected by non-Israelis.

That said, through employing the political Hannibal Directive, the continuation of the “Project Israel” is ensured, by assuring the global public opinion that the individuals responsible for the century’s most horrific crime against humanity have been removed from power.

Therefore, there are two versions – the day after the war with Netanyahu’s government, and the one without it. And the difference lies in the scope of the achievements. Therefore, it is safe to say that ICC’s recent move does not serve the interests of the Palestinians in the long run.

In fact, it makes next to no difference for Palestinians who are in the driver's seat of the Israeli government. Palestinians have endured life under the dominance of all Israeli political factions and classes with little to no practical distinction.

The only way to stop the aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing in Palestine, is to stop the occupation of the country. Political views may differ from one Israeli party to another, but their weapons are the same.

Courtesy: Tehran Times

 

 

Arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant

After months of deliberation, the International Criminal Court on Thursday formally issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri.

The ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber I, a panel of judges, said in a statement that it unanimously rejected Israel's challenges to arrest warrant applications submitted in May by Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor at the ICC.

"The Chamber issued warrants of arrest for two individuals, Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least October 08, 2023 until at least May 20, 2024, the day the Prosecution filed the applications for warrants of arrest," the panel said, specifically alleging "the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare" and "the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts."

The announcement came as the official death toll from Israel's war on the Gaza Strip surpassed 44,000.

The ICC judges said they "found reasonable grounds to believe" that Netanyahu and Gallant "intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity."

The panel also said it "found reasonable grounds to believe that no clear military need or other justification under international humanitarian law could be identified for the restrictions placed on access for humanitarian relief operations."

"Finally, the Chamber assessed that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population of Gaza," the judges added.

The panel issued a separate statement announcing an arrest warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, saying it found "reasonable grounds to believe" he is "responsible for the crimes against humanity of murder; extermination; torture; and rape and other form of sexual violence; as well as the war crimes of murder, cruel treatment, torture; taking hostages; outrages upon personal dignity; and rape and other forms of sexual violence."

Neither the US nor Israel recognize the ICC's jurisdiction, and the decision is expected to spark backlash from both countries.

Over the summer, in response to Khan's May application for arrest warrants, the Republican-led US House of Representatives passed legislation that would impose sanctions on the ICC. More than 40 House Democrats supported the measure, which has not received a vote in the narrowly Democratic Senate.

British Member of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the Labour Party, called the ICC arrest warrants "long overdue" and urged the government of Keir Starmer to "immediately endorse this decision."

"That is the bare minimum," Corbyn wrote on social media. "Will the UK government now, finally, honor its international obligations to prevent genocide and end all arms sales to Israel?"

 

 

Drone strikes Netanyahu’s residence

According to media reports, a drone launched from Lebanon struck the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Caesarea on Saturday.

The Netanyahu's office confirmed in a statement that the drone was aimed at Netanyahu's private home, but noted that the premier and his family were not present at the time of the attack.

Earlier, the Israeli army reported that three drones were fired from Lebanon, with two successfully intercepted and the third crashing into a building in Caesarea. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties from the incident.

This drone attack occurs amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, which have intensified since the Gaza conflict began last October.

Israel has escalated its offensive in Lebanon, resulting in significant casualties, including the deaths of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and several other commanders.

The extensive airstrikes, followed by a ground invasion, have claimed over 1,500 lives and displaced approximately 1.2 million people.

Mass Walkout as Global Pariah Addresses UNGA

The public rebuke of the Israeli prime minister demonstrates the international community's rejection of genocide in Gaza. A large number of diplomats and other officials walked out of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to defend his nation's slaughter of more than 41,000 people in the Gaza Strip during the past year and over 700 in Lebanon this week.

Journalists and critics of the "global pariah" shared photos and videos of people filing out of the hall before Netanyahu's address—which came just a day after 25 anti-genocide protesters were arrested for blocking his motorcade in Manhattan.

While there was some audience applause from the sparsely populated room on Friday, Al Jazeera Arabic's Rami Ayari explained that the people you hear cheering the PM during the speech are in the gallery who he brought for that purpose.

Council on American-Islamic Relations national executive director Nihad Awad said in a statement that as the far-right, openly racist Israeli government continues its genocide in Gaza and expands its campaign of state terrorism to civilians in Lebanon, this mass walkout during war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu's UN speech demonstrates the international community's rejection of genocide.

Awad added that US President Joe Biden should take note of our government's growing isolation on the international stage, change his policy, and support human rights and international law, without an exception for the Palestinian people.

Since Israeli forces launched their assault on Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led October 07 attack, the United States government has stood by Israel, sending billions of dollars in weapons and opposing UN resolutions, while claiming to be pushing for a cease-fire.

Addressing the General Assembly earlier this week, Biden called for "security for Israel, and Gaza free of Hamas' grip."

In response to diplomats' Friday walkout, Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft said, "The impunity Biden has offered Israel has been used by Netanyahu to make Israel an international pariah. Neither good for the US nor for Israel."

Parsi also highlighted a clip of Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob's speech to the UN, in which he urged Netanyahu to "stop this war now!"

Netanyahu began his Friday address by taking aim at the world leaders who throughout the week have condemned the recent escalation against Hezbollah in Lebanon as well as the past year of Israeli forces bombing and starving Palestinians in Gaza.

"I didn't intend to come here this year. My country is at war fighting for its life," Netanyahu said. "But, after I heard the lies and slanders leveled at my country by many of the speakers standing at this podium, I decided to come here and set the record straight."

Armed with more of his infamous maps of the Middle East, the right-wing leader went on to claim that "Israel seeks peace," while also pledging to wage war on Hamas-governed Gaza until "total victory" and telling "the tyrants of Tehran" that "if you strike us, we will strike you."

Noting that Netanyahu also spoke of "savage enemies who seek to destroy our common civilization," James Zogby, co-founder and president of the Arab American Institute said, "Words spoken by the man who has been charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. This is a disgrace. Abusing the General Assembly platform to lie and incite.

Israel faces a South Africa-led genocide case at the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court prosecutor has sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders—one of whom Israel recently assassinated in Iran. Israel also claims to have killed a second Hamas leader, which the group has denied.

Courtesy: Common Dreams

 

United States: A shameful moment in history

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to Washington DC to address Congress. According to Farrah Hassen of Institute of Policy Studies, it was “a shameful moment in US history.” 

“The International Criminal Court is seeking a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest for war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Farrah explains. “But instead of arresting him, Congress gave him multiple standing ovations.”

It was the fourth time Netanyahu was invited to address the body — the most for any world leader. But as thousands of protestors outside raised their voices for a ceasefire in Gaza, something was different this time.

Roughly half of the Democratic caucus boycotted Netanyahu’s speech, refusing to be seen applauding — and complicit with — a perpetrator of genocide. 

"Support for Israel has become a thoroughly partisan issue” thanks to this movement pressure, Phyllis Bennis told Democracy Now! 

“The fact that more than 100 Democratic lawmakers decided to skip the speech is a real statement of how supporting Netanyahu has become a political liability for public figures across the United States."

“Our movement has redefined the demand for a ceasefire,” she added. It now means not only an end to the violence, but also “a massive escalation” of humanitarian aid and an immediate halt to the arms shipments Netanyahu came before Congress to demand more of.

In a powerful op-ed before the speech, Khury Petersen-Smith urged members of the Congressional Black Caucus, historically known as the conscience of Congress, to boycott Netanyahu's address. "Make no mistake,” he warned: “This invitation affirms Israel’s genocide” and is “an affront to international law." 

Pointing out the long history of solidarity between movements for Black and Palestinian freedom, Khury called on the Black Caucus to skip the speech, oppose those weapons transfers, and call for a permanent ceasefire.

Ultimately, many key members of the caucus did skip — and Vice President Kamala Harris, who was a caucus member as a senator, told Netanyahu afterward that she “will not be silent” about Gaza. 

Also this week, Americans celebrated the legacy of another key figure who connected movements for freedom at home to movements against war abroad, the late vice president, cabinet secretary, and New Deal architect Henry A. Wallace.

At the First Annual Henry A. Wallace Symposium, co-presented with the Wallace Global Fund and The Nation and co-sponsored by Busboys and Poets, several inspiring panelists talked about "Countering American Fascism: Lessons from Organizing in the US Heartland." 

It was the capstone event of Henry A. Wallace Fellowship, a paid summer internship program to build the future of the progressive movement. The speakers shared lessons from organizing, movement building, deep canvassing work, and Henry A. Wallace’s own life. 

Together, they highlighted how social movements are countering the dangerous force of American fascism by building an alternative vision: a multi-racial democracy and an economy that works for us all. 

Netanyahu speech: Nothing but heap of lies

The world knew what to expect when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walked in to address the elected members. Every word of his speech was laced with the same tired lies that have been repeatedly debunked for the last 10 months – and the last 76 years.

It is on record that at least 40,000 Palestinians are confirmed dead and experts estimate the final death toll will be as high as 186,000. Hundreds of thousands more have been gravely injured, including children who have had to get their limbs amputated without anesthesia because Israel is blockading medical supplies and destroying health infrastructure.

Yet Netanyahu claimed that civilian casualties were “practically none.”

Israel has continuously blocked aid from entering Gaza, shutting down access points and slow-walking aid with “security checks.” Israeli protesters have been caught on camera multiple times destroying food trucks. For months experts have warned that Gaza is descending into famine, and shocking photos emerged of emaciated children that looked identical to images of Jewish prisoners in Nazi concentration camps.

Yet Netanyahu claimed that if Gaza isn’t getting enough food “it’s because Hamas is stealing it.”

Israel has sabotaged or walked away from multiple ceasefire negotiations, repeatedly rejecting proposals that Hamas accepted which included every key provision – such as returning all remaining hostages that Israel says they want. They’ve resisted calls for even a temporary ceasefire to allow for the process of peace.

Yet Netanyahu claimed that it is Hamas that doesn’t want a ceasefire.

While in the US Netanyahu refused to tell the truth. He perpetuated the dangerous lie that non-violent protesters “stand with Hamas” and are funded by Iran.

With those protesters outside of Congress his lies would never be loud enough to drown out protestors’ demand for justice for Palestine.

While protestors marched and demanded justice, the vast majority of the members of Congress – from both of the corporate parties – gave this genocidal monster a hero’s welcome.

Vice President Kamala Harris (now the presumptive Democratic nominee) issued a statement condemning the protest and spreading dangerous propaganda that threatens the very fundamentals of protected speech.

She showed her true colors. After days of glowing coverage that Kamala would be “better on Gaza” than the current president, she revealed her allegiance with Israeli propaganda by repeating Netanyahu’s talking points.

The election has radically transformed in the space of a few days, but as Joe Biden once said, nothing has changed fundamentally.