An Israeli soldier gestures while in a military vehicle near the Israel-Gaza border, in Israel, on Jun 23, 2024. BIRMINGHAM, UK: It was the moment that Israel’s military acknowledged the failure of its eight-and-half month war in Gaza - certainly the mission set out by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, when he said after the Oct 7 Hamas attack that he would destroy the militant group.
At one level, the IDF spokesperson was merely restating what analysts had cautioned just after Hamas’ killing of 1,143 people, including 767 civilians, and its abduction of around 250 others. An all-out military assault, from the air and on the ground, would allow Hamas to present itself as the protector of Gaza’s civilians, even as Israel killed many thousands of them.
But the commanders, and Netanyahu, knew that the warning bell could not be unrung - particularly, as only 10 days earlier, former IDF commander Benny Gantz had fired his own shot at the prime minister.. In a televised address, he said the prime minister had put his personal and political interests ahead of the existential needs of the state of Israel, allowing “hard-right zealots” to put the country at risk.
Early elections will probably follow in Israel, and he is far behind Gantz and the National Unity Party in polling. Perhaps more importantly, he will face bribery charges which have effectively been suspended by the war. So with no plan B, what does Netanyahu do to stem the pressure upon him from inside and outside Israel? He plays for time. In the past week, Netanyahu has said he supports only a “partial” hostage deal with Hamas, so Israel could resume fighting after women, the elderly, and sick were released.He has picked a fight with the US about the supply of American weapons for Israel’s war. And he hasNone of these are a Gaza plan B. They are Netanyahu’s personal plan A.
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