Netanyahu hits a new low — and he's going lower
Beset by a multiplicity of scandals, including within the prime minister's office, a substantial majority of Israelis increasingly fears that, even after 17 months of war, Netanyahu continues to operate for his own political benefit rather than the benefit of the country.
The hostages remaining in Gaza — the single most important issue for Israelis — have been abandoned as Israel has restarted the Gaza war. Evidence mounted during the ceasefire that Netanyahu's primary war objective, the elimination of Hamas as a coherent unit, had thus far failed.
Unsurprisingly, Netanyahu has begun to lash out, using sound-bite canards that bear no relationship to fact. In a video released last week, he blamed 'deep state leftists' for all his problems. Separately, Netanyahu claimed that Ronen Bar — the head of the General Security Services (or Shin Bet, as it is known by its Hebrew acronym), whom he is trying to fire — had early knowledge of the Oct. 7 attack but kept it to himself.
While we in the U.S. are by now familiar with claims of a left-wing 'deep state,' it rings hollow coming from Netanyahu, who has been Israel's prime minister since 2009, save for a one-year break. Prior to Netanyahu, Ariel Sharon was prime minister from 2001 to 2006 and Ehud Olmert from 2006 to 2009, both from Netanyahu's Likud Party. The last Labor prime minister was Ehud Barak — a former military chief of staff and the most decorated soldier in Israel's history — who served from 1999 to 2001.
The entire Israel body politic moved to the right in the aftermath of the Second Intifada (2000 to 2005), and even more so in the aftermath of the Hamas massacres. The Israeli left certainly does not wield hidden power.
Fortunately, all of this doesn't mean the country is ready to give up on democracy or give Netanyahu carte blanche — especially as he is the only key person in government or the security services who has failed to take any responsibility for Oct. 7. As I wrote almost a year ago, Netanyahu continues to believe he is the state.
A look at the most recent turmoil surrounding Netanyahu is in order.
In what is referred to as 'Qatar-gate,' two of Netanyahu's key aides, Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, are accused of taking money from Qatar to provide public relations work for the Gulf emirate — while working for Netanyahu during the Gaza war. Feldstein is already under indictment for leaking stolen classified documents related to the war.
Lurking behind 'Qatargate' is that Netanyahu encouraged Qatar to fund Hamas with hundreds of millions of dollars, until Oct. 7, as a way to weaken the rival Palestinian Authority and thus keep Palestinians divided. There are also allegati o ns that Netanyahu personally pocketed Qatari money. A recent Israeli television Chanel 13 report indicates that many more Netanyahu staffers may also have been paid by Qatar.
A second major scandal involves his attempts to fire Shin Bet head Bar — a first for Israel. The ostensible reason was that he has 'lost confidence' in Bar. Except for the rabid faithful, few in Israel believe Netanyahu's claims. Most believe Bar was fired because of the Shin Bet investigation into Qatar-gate, and because Shin Bet's investigative report on its failures leading up to Oct. 7 also puts blame on Netanyahu for his Hamas-Qatar policy.
Third, Netanyahu has come under fire for trying to fire Israel's attorney general: The position of attorney general in Israel is not the same as in the U.S. The Israeli attorney general is appointed by a five-member public commission for a six-year term. The attorney general is legal counsel to the government, head of the public prosecution system, represents the state in all legal proceedings and, critically, and represents the public interest in all legal matters. It is a prestigious position. Six of the previous 14 attorneys general later became Israeli Supreme Court justices.
In Netanyahu's eyes, the crime of the current attorney general — Gali Baharav-Miara, the first woman to serve in that position — is that she took 'representing the public interest' seriously and often told the government that it was acting unlawfully. On March 23, the Israeli cabinet took the first step in firing Baharav-Miara.
Then there is Netanyahu's attempted judicial coup. From Jan. 3 until Oct. 6, 2023, Israel was facing unprecedented internal strife over his attempt to place the government in charge of all judicial appointments, limit the power of review by the Israeli Supreme Court. In Israeli's parliamentary system, this would have granted immense power to Netanyahu, in effect subordinating all three branches to the prime minister.
Recent polling in Israel shows 63 percent fear for democracy and that only 17 percent have faith in the Netanyahu government. Will poll numbers like that, expect Netanyahu to go lower and lower.
Jonathan D. Strum is an international lawyer and businessman based in Washington and the Middle East. From 1991 to 2005, he was an adjunct professor of Israeli law at Georgetown University Law Center. From 2015 to 2020, he was general counsel to a graduate school focused on national security in Washington.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Syrian government starts evacuating Bedouin families from Sweida in bid to end weeklong clashes
Syrian state media said early Sunday that the government had coordinated with some officials in Sweida to bring in buses to evacuate some 1,500 Bedouins in the city. Syrian Interior Minister Ahmad al-Dalati told SANA that the initiative will also allow displaced civilians from Sweida to return, as the fighting has largely stopped and efforts for a complete ceasefire are ongoing. 'We have imposed a security cordon in the vicinity of Sweida to keep it secure and to stop the fighting there,' al-Dalati told the Syrian state-run news agency. 'This will preserve the path that will lead to reconciliation and stability in the province." Advertisement Buses filled with Bedouin families were accompanied by Syrian Arab Red Crescent vehicles and ambulances. Some families left on trucks with their belongings. Syrian authorities did not give further details about the evacuation and how it ties into the broader agreement, following failed talks for a hostage swap deal Saturday. Advertisement However, Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that as part of the agreement, the Bedouin fighters would have to release Druze women they were holding captive, and leave the province. The Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from Sweida city Sunday, and alongside other tribesman from other parts of the country stood on the outskirts while security forces cordoned off the area. An aid convoy of some 32 Red Crescent vehicles entered the city, though a government delegation with another aid convoy was turned away. After talks for a hostage swap fell through late Sunday, the Observatory and activist groups in Sweida reported hearing what they said were Israeli airstrikes and helicopters over villages where some skirmishes took place between the Bedouins and Druze militias. The Israeli military said it was 'not aware' of any overnight strikes in Syria. Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has tried to appeal to the Druze community while slamming the factions loyal to spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri who have been involved in the clashes. He promised to hold accountable perpetrators of targeted attacks and other violations. The country's Druze community largely celebrated the downfall of the Assad family that ended decades of tyrannical rule. While they had concerns about Al-Sharaa's de facto Islamist rule, a large number wanted to approach matters diplomatically. Al-Hijri and his supporters, though, have taken a more confrontational approach with Al-Sharaa, contrary to most other influential Druze figures. Critics also note al-Hijri's previous allegiance to Assad. However, the numerous cases of sectarian attacks, which included killing Druze civilians and desecrating photos of religious notables, have made the Druze more skeptical of Al-Sharaa and less optimistic of peaceful coexistence. Advertisement More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Syrian government starts evacuating Bedouin families from Sweida in bid to end weeklong clashes
BUSRA AL-HARIR, Syria (AP) — The Syrian government on Monday started evacuating Bedouin families trapped inside the city of Sweida, where Druze militiamen and Bedouin fighters have clashed for over a week. The clashes between militias of the Druze religious minority and the Sunni Muslim clans killed hundreds and threatened to unravel Syria's already fragile postwar transition. The clashes also led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze community, followed by revenge attacks against the Bedouins. The U.N. International Organization for Migration said some 128,571 people were displaced in the hostilities that started with a series of tit-for-tat kidnappings and attacks a week ago. Israel also launched dozens of airstrikes in the Druze-majority Sweida province, targeting government forces who had effectively sided with the Bedouins. Syrian state media said early Sunday that the government had coordinated with some officials in Sweida to bring in buses to evacuate some 1,500 Bedouins in the city. Syrian Interior Minister Ahmad al-Dalati told SANA that the initiative will also allow displaced civilians from Sweida to return, as the fighting has largely stopped and efforts for a complete ceasefire are ongoing. 'We have imposed a security cordon in the vicinity of Sweida to keep it secure and to stop the fighting there,' al-Dalati told the Syrian state-run news agency. 'This will preserve the path that will lead to reconciliation and stability in the province." Buses filled with Bedouin families were accompanied by Syrian Arab Red Crescent vehicles and ambulances. Some families left on trucks with their belongings. Syrian authorities did not give further details about the evacuation and how it ties into the broader agreement, following failed talks for a hostage swap deal Saturday. However, Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that as part of the agreement, the Bedouin fighters would have to release Druze women they were holding captive, and leave the province. The Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from Sweida city Sunday, and alongside other tribesman from other parts of the country stood on the outskirts while security forces cordoned off the area. An aid convoy of some 32 Red Crescent vehicles entered the city, though a government delegation with another aid convoy was turned away. After talks for a hostage swap fell through late Sunday, the Observatory and activist groups in Sweida reported hearing what they said were Israeli airstrikes and helicopters over villages where some skirmishes took place between the Bedouins and Druze militias. The Israeli military said it was 'not aware' of any overnight strikes in Syria. Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has tried to appeal to the Druze community while slamming the factions loyal to spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri who have been involved in the clashes. He promised to hold accountable perpetrators of targeted attacks and other violations. The country's Druze community largely celebrated the downfall of the Assad family that ended decades of tyrannical rule. While they had concerns about Al-Sharaa's de facto Islamist rule, a large number wanted to approach matters diplomatically. Al-Hijri and his supporters, though, have taken a more confrontational approach with Al-Sharaa, contrary to most other influential Druze figures. Critics also note al-Hijri's previous allegiance to Assad. However, the numerous cases of sectarian attacks, which included killing Druze civilians and desecrating photos of religious notables, have made the Druze more skeptical of Al-Sharaa and less optimistic of peaceful coexistence. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. ——
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Syrian government starts evacuating Bedouin families from Sweida in bid to end weeklong clashes
BUSRA AL-HARIR, Syria (AP) — The Syrian government on Monday started evacuating Bedouin families trapped inside the city of Sweida, where Druze militiamen and Bedouin fighters have clashed for over a week. The clashes between militias of the Druze religious minority and the Sunni Muslim clans killed hundreds and threatened to unravel Syria's already fragile postwar transition. The clashes also led to a series of targeted sectarian attacks against the Druze community, followed by revenge attacks against the Bedouins. The U.N. International Organization for Migration said some 128,571 people were displaced in the hostilities that started with a series of tit-for-tat kidnappings and attacks a week ago. Israel also launched dozens of airstrikes in the Druze-majority Sweida province, targeting government forces who had effectively sided with the Bedouins. Syrian state media said early Sunday that the government had coordinated with some officials in Sweida to bring in buses to evacuate some 1,500 Bedouins in the city. Syrian Interior Minister Ahmad al-Dalati told SANA that the initiative will also allow displaced civilians from Sweida to return, as the fighting has largely stopped and efforts for a complete ceasefire are ongoing. 'We have imposed a security cordon in the vicinity of Sweida to keep it secure and to stop the fighting there,' al-Dalati told the Syrian state-run news agency. 'This will preserve the path that will lead to reconciliation and stability in the province.' Buses filled with Bedouin families were accompanied by Syrian Arab Red Crescent vehicles and ambulances. Some families left on trucks with their belongings. Syrian authorities did not give further details about the evacuation and how it ties into the broader agreement, following failed talks for a hostage swap deal Saturday. However, Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that as part of the agreement, the Bedouin fighters would have to release Druze women they were holding captive, and leave the province. The Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from Sweida city Sunday, and alongside other tribesman from other parts of the country stood on the outskirts while security forces cordoned off the area. An aid convoy of some 32 Red Crescent vehicles entered the city, though a government delegation with another aid convoy was turned away. After talks for a hostage swap fell through late Sunday, the Observatory and activist groups in Sweida reported hearing what they said were Israeli airstrikes and helicopters over villages where some skirmishes took place between the Bedouins and Druze militias. The Israeli military said it was 'not aware' of any overnight strikes in Syria. Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has tried to appeal to the Druze community while slamming the factions loyal to spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri who have been involved in the clashes. He promised to hold accountable perpetrators of targeted attacks and other violations. The country's Druze community largely celebrated the downfall of the Assad family that ended decades of tyrannical rule. While they had concerns about Al-Sharaa's de facto Islamist rule, a large number wanted to approach matters diplomatically. Al-Hijri and his supporters, though, have taken a more confrontational approach with Al-Sharaa, contrary to most other influential Druze figures. Critics also note al-Hijri's previous allegiance to Assad. However, the numerous cases of sectarian attacks, which included killing Druze civilians and desecrating photos of religious notables, have made the Druze more skeptical of Al-Sharaa and less optimistic of peaceful coexistence. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. —— Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
