BERLIN: The prime leader of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has a reputation for stalling important decisions and playing games with time. He might not be able to do so for very long, though.
At home, his far-right coalition allies have threatened to topple the government if he consents to a cease-fire and doesn't make an effort to drive Hamas out of the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.n terms of tactics, the goal is to eliminate Hamas completely by seizing Rafah and controlling the border with Egypt. However, internationally, his allies—particularly the US—are pressuring him to accept a cease-fire rather than go to Rafah and risk the civilian losses that a large-scale operation would bring about.
Thus, Netanyahu is currently adjusting and negotiating on multiple fronts simultaneously, all of which have a big impact on how the war is fought and his own prospects of becoming prime minister.His recent threats to relocate Palestinians in some parts of Rafah to areas Israel has declared safe, along with the Israeli military's capture of the Gaza side of the Egyptian border late on Monday night, sent a signal to Hamas, the Biden administration, and his coalition of far-right government supporters that he would not waver in his support of Israel's security interests. More importantly, their choices were supported by Israel's more limited war cabinet, which consists of prominent opposition members.
In an attempt to establish full security control over Gaza's borders, Israel has taken control of the Rafah crossing to Egypt. This has prevented a protracted and very divisive military operation in Rafah itself, which is home to many displaced residents. It might indicate that Israel is now getting ready to consent to at least ainterim cease-fire in Gaza, even though it's still unclear how those talks will turn out.
According to Daniel Kurtzer, a former American ambassador to Israel who is currently teaching at Princeton University, "Netanyahu is being pulled in various directions" and there is growing pressure on him to react.Netanyahu's top priority is to prevent fresh elections, which would result in his ouster from office and a resurgence of the numerous legal actions against him. "In Netanyahu's calculations, political survival always comes first," Kurtzer stated.
In addition, he mentioned that he was under pressure from "extremists in his own coalition who want to continue the war" as well as the families of the hostages, who want the government to give priority to a cease-fire and the release of more individuals who were taken prisoner in Israel during the attacks conducted by Hamas on October 7.
Officials from the Biden administration and some members of Congress are applying external pressure because they "are losing patience over the humanitarian situation," he said. They are against a significant assault on Rafah and favor a cease-fire. And lastly, "the genuine, ongoing threat ofintensification, particularly from Hezbollah," he remarked.
Here is a closer look at the diplomatic, military, and political issues that Netanyahu must consider as he decides what to do next.
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