Alwaght- The Israeli government voted earlier this month to conquer Gaza City, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims is Hamas’s “last true fortress.” However, the plan was postponed for several weeks in order for the mediators to get a new chance to revive the ceasefire talks. This comes while the Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Sunday warned that Gaza campaign will continue, a stance that has sparked outcry at home and abroad. He had earlier warned that if Hamas does not yield to Israeli conditions for end of war and release of the prisoners, Gaza will be razed to the ground.
Lack of plan for after Gaza occupation
Occupation of Gaza will force around 1 out of 2 million civilians to move south. It seems that the purpose of occupying Gaza is to demonstrate the resolve of the Israeli military and to portray the goals of the war that have failed in the face of Palestinian resistance for almost two years. However, many have predicted that the plan to completely occupy Gaza will become a symbol of the defeat of the Israeli army in the Gaza quagmire, because in the past two years, despite controlling Gaza, the Israeli military has not been able to stop Hamas attacks.
Why does Netanyahu insist on continuing the war?
Though several ceasefire proposals were made by various actors so far, Netanyahu has rejected all of them and has recently ordered full occupation of the besieged enclave. According to political observers, the Israeli PM knows that at present he does not have much time for ceasefire talks and end of war could bring his premiership to an end. Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli ambassador, believes that Netanyahu is a total loser both in terms of national security and in foreign policy, but he is a good politician and knows that he should prolong the war for political gains.
Analysts say that is why Netanyahu has kept the fire of war in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon and beyond burning until he reaches a point where he feels he can win another election. It seems that Netanyahu has not yet reached that point, and public opinion in Israel has repeatedly called for him to resign since October 2023, when the Gaza war began. A poll conducted in July showed that 72 percent of Israelis want Netanyahu to resign immediately. Therefore, Netanyahu finds himself forced to continue the war, because if the war stops and elections are held, he will not be in a good position and may be removed from politics forever. It is in this situation that Netanyahu insists on the continuation and expansion of the war in Gaza.
On the other hand, one should also consider the threats and insistence of the hardline ministers in Netanyahu's cabinet on continuing the war in Gaza. In fact, if Netanyahu agrees to stop the war in Gaza, his hardline ministers in the coalition cabinet, including the ministers of national security and finance, will resign from the government, and in this situation, Netanyahu's cabinet will fall. The fear of the hardline members leaving Netanyahu's cabinet is another factor that has caused Netanyahu to place great emphasis on occupying Gaza.
Israelis ignoring genocide and starvation
The possibility that Hamas could once again break through the border barriers and enter the occupied territories is still causing a great fear among Israelis, and many blame Netanyahu for Hamas's penetration on October 7. So, Netanyahu continues the war under the pretext of trying to obliterate Hamas.
On the other hand, despite shocking reports of humanitarian catastrophe on Gaza, the Israeli public seem indifferent about this crisis. According to the BBC, new polls show that the vast majority of Israeli Jews are not concerned about the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. A sample poll conducted in the last three days of July by the Israel Democracy Institute showed that 78 percent of Israeli Jews, who make up four-fifths of the population, believe that they are not concerned about reports of famine and suffering among the Palestinian population in Gaza. Also, about 80 percent of them said that they have no problem with the famine in Gaza. So despite the protests in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu to stop the war, a large part of Israeli society is not opposed to the famine and the continuation of the war in Gaza, and their only concern is to save the lives of Israeli prisoners in the hands of Hamas.
Effects of continuation of war on Israeli society
The war costs have considerably increased for the Israelis. The Israeli society is divided over release of prisoners and goals of war and the army is under pressure fod prolonged, extensive conflicts. Just last week, hundreds of thousands of anti-war protesters flooded the streets of Tel Aviv, demanding a ceasefire to facilitate return of the prisoners. The protests are not a turning point, but rather a proof to how divided Israel has become due to Netanyahu’s refusal to pursue a path out of war.
Meanwhile, even the closest allies of Israel are voicing their concern about starvation in Gaza to save their face internationally. In the Netherlands, some cabinet ministers have resigned protesting the catastrophic situation in Gaza and in the US the Republicans are divided over support to Israeli plan to fully occupy Gaza. Even Trump who won the elections with the promise of releasing the prisoners and closing the Gaza case has become involved in prolonging the war. Each time he has given Netanyahu a green light and a leeway to do whatever he wants in Gaza.
Continuation of the Gaza war shows that this war has long gone beyond its main reasons and is ongoing just because of Netanyahu's political needs. As long as Netanyahu is not removed from his post, we should expect military gambles in Gaza to meet Netanyahu's political interests.
