Benjamin Netanyahu

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{{hatnote|Not to be confused with his equally extremist father {{wpl|Benzion Netanyahu||.}}}}
[[File:Benjamin Netanyahu 2019 (cropped).jpg|168px|upright|thumb|Benjamin Netanyahu in 2019.]]{{politics|1}}
{{cquote| [[Apartheid|Israel is not a state of all its citizens]]. According to the basic nationality law we passed, Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people – [[Ethnostate|and only it]].|||Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly admitting his country is an [[apartheid]] state.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2019/03/11/702264118/netanyahu-says-israel-is-nation-state-of-the-jewish-people-and-them-alone Report: Netanyahu Says 9/11 Terror Attacks Good for Israel] ''NPR'' 11 March 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/3/11/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-is-a-state-only-of-the-jewish-people Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel is a state ‘only of the Jewish people’] ''Al Jazeera'' 11 March 2019</ref>}}

{{cquote|[[Hitler]] [[Holocaust denial|didn’t want to exterminate the Jews]] at the time, he wanted to expel the Jews. And Haj [[Amin al-Husseini]] [Palestinian nationalist] went to Hitler and said, ‘If you expel them, they’ll all come here.’ ‘So what should I do with them?’ He asked. He said ‘burn them’.|||Merkel then had to remind Bibi that Germany actually did it.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-netanyahu-hitler/israels-netanyahu-stirs-trouble-by-linking-late-muslim-leader-to-holocaust-idUSKCN0SF15120151021 Israel's Netanyahu stirs trouble by linking late Muslim leader to Holocaust] ''Reuters'' 21 October 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34599706 Germany tells Netanyahu: We are responsible for the Holocaust] ''BBC News'' 22 October 2015</ref>}}

{{cquote|These are the basic lines of the national government headed by me: the Jewish people have an [[Apartheid|exclusive]] and unquestionable right to all areas of the land of Israel.|||Netanyahu publicly embracing ethnonationalism, unfettered apartheid, and permanent occupation, all cause he doesn't wanna go to jail.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64115141 "Netanyahu's hard-line new government takes office in Israel," BBC] </ref>}}


'''Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu''' {{lived|1949|}} is the [[fascist]] pro-[[apartheid]],<ref group=note>He passed a law in 2018 that explicitly said ''only'' the Jewish people have the right to self-determination in the nation-state of Israel and ''demoted'' Arabic as an official language.</ref> pro-genocide, war criminal, white supremacist Chairman of the Likud Party and current Prime Minister of [[Israel]], having replaced (or ousted) the outgoing Ariel Sharon. If Sharon was Israel's [[George W. Bush|Bush]], Netanyahu was its [[Dick Cheney|Cheney]]. Nicknamed King Bibi, both by supporters and detractors, he is one of the most virulently hawkish Israeli national leaders in their history.<ref group=note>He's essentially Likud's [[Dick Cheney]], although he is at least no [[chickenhawk]] as the 
Sith Lord
 former Vice President is. He took part in {{wpl|Sabena Flight 571|this hostage freeing mission}} among others. One of his commanders was Ehud Barak.</ref> Back when he was still calling himself Ben Nitay and recently free from service in Sayeret Matkal, he was already intransigent, vowing at the age of 27 that Palestine would never have a state, one promise that he has kept his word on.<ref>[http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Who-is-Ben-Nitay-and-why-does-he-look-so-much-like-Binyamin-Netanyahu Who is Ben Nitay, and why does he look so much like Binyamin Netanyahu?] ''The Jerusalem Post'' 29 March 2009</ref> He has since, however, said that there would be conditions under which he'd accept a Palestinian state,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oWUFG1xGGQ Netanyahu says he is committed to Palestinian state] from the [[YouTube]] channel ''AFP News Agency'' 31 May 2015</ref> only to flipflop on that later for domestic political gain.

Israeli elections are weirdly complicated. It's a parliamentary system which votes for parties, who in turn vote in coalitions. Netanyahu is quite adept at forming coalitions of his right-wing Likud, religious parties who can't stand the [[secularism]] of the left and the rights of Israeli Arabs, and a few centrist parties who align with him more out of hatred for the Left and/or the Arabs than affection for him. That's not to say he doesn't have a lot of support, but a big factor in his success is his prowess in navigating the parliamentary system. He's also quite good at PR, frequently giving interviews in English to US media outlets, which stands out in marked contrast to many of his predecessors who had a weird accent when speaking English or avoided it entirely. In the U.S., candidates will often [[Triangulation|pivot toward the center]] in the general election. Netanyahu does the same, then reverts back to his obstructionism once the ballots are counted.

Netanyahu was the longest serving prime minister in the history of Israel, surpassing the founding father David Ben-Gurion.<ref>[https://www.apnews.com/a8a9d3c598954ca6803710e375117156 Netanyahu makes history as Israel’s longest-serving leader] ''Associated Press News'' 17 July 2019</ref> Netanyahu is also the only Prime Minister (thus far) who was actually born in Israel after its founding; all previous ones were either immigrants or were born in what is now Israel before the state's establishment.

He was briefly kicked out of power in June 13, 2021, after twelve years as Prime Minister of Israel and two major wars in Gaza. <ref>From March 2009 all the way to June 2021, meaning he was prime minister through all of Trump's four years, all but two and a half months of Obama's two terms, and nearly six months into the [[Biden]] administration.</ref> His successor is former defense minister Naftali Bennett, who has described ''himself'' as "more right wing" than Netanyahu.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56969598 "Naftali Bennett: The rise of Israel's new PM," BBC]</ref> After Bennett resigned, Yair Lapid took over and faced Netanyahu, who returned as Leader of the Opposition, and in the 2022 elections, Netanyahu won yet again after a year of being out of power. Now he has pledged to be as close to fascist as humanely possible due to his coalition of far-right extremists and actual, convicted criminals heading his government.

As one of the most powerful people in Israel, Netanyahu has been a key figure in the country’s human rights abuses against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and central to the perpetration of the Gaza genocide that began in 2023.<ref>https://www.gov.il/en/pages/statement-by-pm-netanyahu-28-oct-2023</ref><ref>https://gadebate.un.org/sites/default/files/gastatements/79/il_fl.pdf</ref>

On 21 November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest as well as that of former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC found “reasonable grounds” to believe that Netanyahu bears criminal responsibility for war crimes including “starvation as a method of warfare” and “the [[crimes against humanity]] of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/21/middleeast/international-criminal-court-issues-arrest-warrant-for-israeli-prime-minister-intl/index.html "International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister," Abbas Al Lawati, Nadeen Ebrahim, Dana Karni, and Tim Lister, CNN]</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly2exvx944o "Arrest warrants issued for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas commander over alleged war crimes," David Gritten, BBC News]</ref><ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/21/icc-issues-arrest-warrant-for-israeli-pm-netanyahu-for-war-crimes-in-gaza "ICC issues arrest warrant for Israeli PM Netanyahu for ‘war crimes’ in Gaza," Al Jazeera]</ref><ref>[https://apnews.com/article/icc-israel-hamas-warrants-netanyahu-palestinian-arrest-73c854d072e0a1a41b19b2cb2cdd07fa "Top war-crimes court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas officials," Molly Quell, Associated Press]</ref>

To top off his list of war-crimes, he backed [[DAESH|ISIS]]-linked gangsters in the Gaza Strip,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hasson|first=Nir |date=26 May 2025 |title='Anti-terror Service': New Palestinian Militia Operating in South Gaza, Local Sources Say |url=https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/2025-05-26/ty-article/.premium/new-palestinian-militia-operating-in-southern-gaza-local-sources-say/00000197-0cd9-d165-a9ff-1dff7dc00000 |access-date=4 June 2025 |website=Haaretz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tondo |first=Lorenzo |date=5 June 2025 |title=Israel accused of arming Palestinian gang who allegedly looted aid in Gaza |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/05/israel-accused-of-arming-palestinian-gang-who-allegedly-looted-aid-in-gaza |access-date=6 June 2025 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="ynetnews20250605">{{Cite news |last=Eichner |first=Itamar |last2=Halabi |first2=Einav |date=5 June 2025 |title=Liberman accuses Netanyahu of arming ISIS-linked militias in Gaza; PM’s office offers no denial |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byicfeyxge |access-date=6 June 2025 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=5 June 2025|title=Netanyahu Says Israel Fighting Hamas 'In Various Ways' Amid Claims It Armed ISIS-affiliated Gaza Militia |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-06-05/ty-article/israel-arming-isis-affiliated-anti-hamas-gaza-militia-ex-defense-chief-claims/00000197-3f88-d079-ab97-7fcdd7120000 |website=Haaretz}}</ref> led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a Jihadi street thug who was nicknamed the "Pablo Escobar of Gaza" because of his involvement in smuggling and his powerful role in local armed politics, his most infamous attack being the {{wpl|Kerem Shalom aid convoy looting|Kerem Shalom aid convoy looting}}.<ref>Euronews. "Exclusive: New Militia Emerges in Gaza to Challenge Hamas Control." *Euronews*, 10 July 2025, https://www.euronews.com/2025/07/10/exclusive-new-militia-emerges-in-gaza-to-challenge-hamas-control.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fakti.bg |title=Pablo Escobar in Gaza: New Palestinian group working with the Israeli army challenges Hamas control |url=https://fakti.bg/en/world/985032-pablo-escobar-in-gaza-new-palestinian-group-working-with-the-israeli-army-challenges-hamas-control |access-date=2025-07-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |title=Gaza’s Pablo Escobar: Yasser Abu Shabab’s Ascent to the Abyss
 |url=https://www.palestinechronicle.com/gazas-pablo-escobar-yasser-abu-shababs-ascent-to-the-abyss/
 |website=The Palestine Chronicle
 |date=October 9, 2025
 |access-date=October 10, 2025
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Palestinians in Gaza are relieved that Yasser Abu Shabab is dead |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/palestinians-gaza-are-relieved-yasser-abu-shabab-dead |website=The New Arab |date=28 November 2023 |access-date=5 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
 |title=ياسر أبو شباب.. الصعود نحو الهاوية
 |url=https://www.aljazeera.net/politics/2025/10/10/%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%B1-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%B4%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%86%D8%AD%D9%88-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%A9
 |website=الجزيرة نت
 |publisher=Al Jazeera
 |date=2025-10-10
 |access-date={{CURRENTDAY}} {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}
}}</ref> Israeli Minister Avigdor Lieberman criticized Netanyahu's support of ISIS-factions in Gaza, but Bibi in good ol' fashion Bibi style defended it stating it saves "Israeli lives"—[[Hamas|yep, because backing Islamists to divide and conquer his enemies totally went greatly last time he tried it]].<ref>[https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.timesofisrael.com/for-years-netanyahu-propped-up-hamas-now-its-blown-up-in-our-faces/amp/]</ref> Unfortunately for Bibi, his plan failed spectacularely, {{wpl|2025 Hamas executions|Hamas launched a purge of Israeli-wartime collaborators and criminals}} followed by the capture and torture killing of Abu Shabab at the hands of a Palestinian mob, he was transported to an Israeli hospital in Beersheba, where he died of his wounds. Palestinians in Gaza and in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon celebrated Yasser Abu Shabab's death, with some handing out sweets and performing celebratory gunfire.<ref>{{cite news |title=Traitor, collaborator, gangster: Palestinians in Gaza are relieved Yasser Abu Shabab is dead |url=https://www.newarab.com/news/palestinians-gaza-are-relieved-yasser-abu-shabab-dead |access-date=8 December 2025 |work=The New Arab |date=5 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kleiman |first1=Shachar |title=The fall of Abu Shabab |url=https://www.jns.org/the-fall-of-abu-shabab/ |access-date=8 December 2025 |work=JNS.org |date=6 December 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=ما الذي نعرفه عن مقتل أبو شباب؟ |url=https://www.aljazeera.net/news/2025/12/4/%D9%85%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%8A-%D9%86%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%81%D9%87-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D8%B4%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A8 |access-date=8 December 2025 |work=Al Jazeera |date=4 Dec 2025 |language=ar |trans-title=What do we know about the killing of Abu Shabab?}}</ref>

==Role in Sharon government==
{{wpl|Oslo Accords|Oslo's}} failure was not in the text itself, but the failure of subsequent talks at Camp David, with both Sharon and Netanyahu looming large in the background, as well as ongoing [https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/major-palestinian-terror-attacks-since-oslo Palestinian terrorism after Oslo]. One major stumbling block was the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, who was killed by the radical Zionist Yigal Amir over disagreements regarding the Oslo Accords allowing Palestine to regain territory it lost during the Six Day War,<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/assassination-of-Yitzhak-Rabin assassination of Yitzhak Rabin] Encyclopedia Britannica</ref>{{efn|It should be noted that the Oslo Accords were cartoonishly bias in favor of the Israelis, with the famous Zionist critic Edward Said even going so far as to call them "a Palestinian Versailles."<ref>''International Assistance to the Palestinians After Oslo: Political Guilt, Wasted Money'' by Anne Le More</ref>{{rp|65}}}} which removed a progressive Israeli PM from the equation.<ref group=note>Ironically, it seems that Yigal Amir, besides killing Rabin, will be the one to kill [[Zionism]], since he kicked it down [[Fascism|this path]].</ref> Netanyahu has been accused of inciting violence at the time and causing Rabin's death.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/labor-chief-michaeli-rabin-was-assassinated-with-netanyahus-cooperation/ Labor chief Michaeli: Rabin was assassinated with Netanyahu’s cooperation]. ''The Times of Israel'' 27 October 2022</ref><ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2023-07-09/ty-article-opinion/.premium/they-incited-rabins-murder-now-theyre-murdering-israels-democracy/00000189-3a5f-da0e-a59b-bb7f1fc30000 They Incited Rabin’s Murder. Now They’re Murdering Israel’s Democracy]. Weber, Doron. ''Haaretz'' 9 Jul 2023</ref> Among the accusers is Rabin's own widow.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/netanyahu-rabin-and-the-assassination-that-shook-history/ Netanyahu, Rabin and the Assassination That Shook History] PBS</ref>

Rabin's successor, Shimon Peres, was PM until being defeated by Netanyahu in '97. While Rabin was in the "Peace Camp", Netanyahu was not. He renegotiated the status of Hebron to give the Palestinian Authority military power. However, he also stopped the Wye River land deal as envisioned by the Oslo Accords. He was also caught on tape bragging about how he purposely derailed the Oslo Accords by reneging on the Hebron Agreement later on.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/1.5149019 Tricky Bibi] ''Haaretz'' 15 July 2010</ref> Even before he was PM, though, Netanyahu criticized what he called Arafat and the PA's "revolving-door policy" on terrorism.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/04/world/after-condemnations-arafat-is-still-a-target.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/U/United%20States%20International%20Relations After Condemnations, Arafat Is Still a Target] ''The New York Times'' 4 August 1997</ref>

The Camp David Summit was promising, and both sides came very close to a solution. [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] blamed the failure on Arafat, who didn't say 'no', but could never quite bring himself to say 'yes.' Clinton wrote, "I warned Arafat that he was single-handedly electing Sharon and that he would reap the whirlwind."<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-06-22/clinton-chides-arafat-for-colossal-mistake-in/1997372 Clinton chides Arafat for 'colossal mistake' in peace talks] ''ABC News'' 22 June 2004</ref> After the failure of Camp David, things changed considerably. Hardliner Sharon was voted PM; the Second Intifada broke out; [[Hamas]] and Fatah split, also splitting the governments of Gaza and the West Bank, along with a strengthened, autonomous Hamas which made negotiation more difficult.

Netanyahu sharply criticized Sharon's disengagement from Gaza, believing that Israel should have maintained full control over it.

==Premierships==
[[File:Mike Pence with Benjamin Netanyahu.jpg|thumb|right|285px|Netanyahu discussing the [[War on Terror]] with [[Indiana]] Congressman [[Mike Pence]], 2002.]]
{{cquote| We are benefiting from one thing, and that is the attack on the [[9/11|Twin Towers and Pentagon]], and the American struggle in Iraq. [The events] swung American public opinion in our favor.|||Netanyahu's comments uncovered in 2008.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/1.4970678 Report: Netanyahu Says 9/11 Terror Attacks Good for Israel] ''Haaretz'' 15 April 2008</ref> }}

He was first prime minister from 1996 (the one time the premiership was directly elected) to 1999, where he ran an American-style negative campaign which demonized his opponents to hell and back; he lost to Ehud Barak, who used the exact same tactics, in 1999. 

While he's mostly remembered for his foreign policy, Netanyahu's domestic policy is hardly any better, as in each of his four terms, he [[privatized]] state-run industries and set the country into a free market wasteland that led to economic fuck-up after economic fuck-up; a housing crisis has characterized his latest tenure. 

As Minister of Finance in 2003-2005, Netanyahu instituted a program to end welfare dependency by requiring people to apply for jobs or training. The once-venerated safety net was demolished. He also reduced the size of the public sector, reformed and streamlined the taxation system, and attacked monopolies and cartels to increase competition. These [[Margaret Thatcher#Thatcherism|Thatcherite]] policies enriched the few while depowering the many, leading to Israel having one of the largest wealth gaps in the world.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/16/opinion/paul-krugman-israels-gilded-age.html Opinion: Israel’s Gilded Age] ''The New York Times'' 16 March 2015</ref> In his defense he speaks a [[style over substance|very clear and eloquent]] American English (to be exact, {{wpl|Philadelphia English}} from spending his teenage years with his family in {{wpl|Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania|Cheltenham Township}}) which is particularly evident in his addresses to the world (mostly American) media and the [[United Nations]]. 

He became the leader of Likud and Opposition Leader shortly thereafter, returned to power in 2009, and subsequently won two more terms in 2013 and 2015. In November of 2015, Spain issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and for seven other former and current government officials. A Spanish national court judge ordered the police and civil guard to notify him if Netanyahu sets foot on Spanish soil. The case concerns an attack by Israeli security forces against an international "Freedom Flotilla" aid ship in 2010 that was trying to break an Israeli blockade and reach Gaza. The flotilla was carrying humanitarian aid and construction materials. During the raid Israeli forces killed nine human rights activists.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/spain-issues-arrest-warrant-for-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-over-2010-gaza-flotilla-a6736436.html Spain ‘issues arrest warrant’ for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over 2010 Gaza flotilla attack] ''The Independent'' 16 November 2015</ref>

==Positions==
{{cquote|It is stunning how much Bibi’s actions serve [[Iran|Tehran’s]] strategic interests|||[[Thomas Friedman|The Mustache of Understanding]]<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/19/opinion/thomas-friedman-bibi-will-make-history.html?_r=0&mtrref=undefined&gwh=3BF66568665F683590BD0DA220ACD616&gwt=pay&assetType=opinion Opinion: Netanyahu Will Make History] ''The New York Times'' 18 March 2015</ref>}}
===Middle East policy===
[[File:2019291907.webp|165px|thumb|right|Netanyahu holding up a cartoon bomb at the United Nations in order to symbolize how close Iran is to getting a nuclear weapon.]]
{{cquote|If you take out [[Saddam Hussein|Saddam’s]] regime, I guarantee you, that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region.|||Benjamin Netanyahu in September 2002. Owch.<ref name="Mackey">[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/world/middleeast/kerry-reminds-congress-netanyahu-advised-us-to-invade-iraq.html Kerry Reminds Congress Netanyahu Advised U.S. to Invade Iraq] ''The New York Times'' 25 February 2015</ref>}}

He was one of the [[neocon]]s who said removing [[Saddam Hussein]] would bring a "guarantee" of stability and security in the region, and firmly pushed for the [[Iraq War]].<ref name="Mackey"/><ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/diplomania/iraq-2002-iran-2012-compare-and-contrast-netanyahu-s-speeches-1.468213 Iraq 2002, Iran 2012: Compare and Contrast Netanyahu's Speeches] ''Haaretz'' 4 October 2012</ref> He has constantly claimed, year after year, that [[Iran]] is either close to obtaining nukes, about to obtain [[nuke]]s, or has already obtained nukes. He claims to believe that Iran is looming as nuclear threat to Israel but leaked reports from the [[Mossad]] have consistently debunked his [[bullshit]] on Iran making any nukes at all.<ref>[http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/leaks-netanyahu-misled-iran-nuclear-programme-guardian-iran-nuclear-speech-2012-150218165622065.html Mossad contradicted Netanyahu on Iran nuclear programme] ''Al Jazeera'' 23 February 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/23/leaked-spy-cables-netanyahu-iran-bomb-mossad Leaked cables show Netanyahu’s Iran bomb claim contradicted by Mossad] ''The Guardian'' 23 February 2015</ref> It is also more than a tad ironic Netanyahu keeps claiming this given Israel has nuclear weapons. In 2012, former President Jimmy Carter ballparked the exact number as around three hundred<ref>[https://www.972mag.com/former-president-carter-israel-has-300-nuclear-bombs/ Former President Carter: Israel has 300 nuclear bombs] +972 Magazine</ref> although Israel has historically refused to even confirm that it does have nuclear weapons let alone tell the international community how many they possess.<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/israel-iran-nuclear-weapons-jcpoa-uranium-1890306 Do Israel and Iran Have Nuclear Weapons? It's Complicate] Newsweek</ref> Despite this, Israel has refused to sign on to the "Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and has not accepted IAEA safeguards on some of its principle nuclear activities."<ref>[https://armscontrolcenter.org/countries/israel/ Israel] Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation</ref> It should also be noted that, despite Netanyahu being constantly worried about Iran creating nuclear weapons, Netanyahu has been a constant critic of the Iran Nuclear Deal, criticizing it in 2015.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/03/03/390250986/netanyahu-to-outline-iran-threats-in-much-anticipated-speech-to-congress In Speech To Congress, Netanyahu Blasts 'A Very Bad Deal' With Iran] NPR</ref> The war with Iran remains on the table for Israel and their Sunni allies of convenience; they just need to amp up the provocations until America is forced into another war in the Middle-East that will gain us nothing but eternal enmity and more war.<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/Backchannels/2012/0815/Is-Israel-trying-to-lead-the-US-to-war-with-Iran Is Israel trying to lead the US to war with Iran?] ''The Christian Science Monitor'' 15 August 2012</ref>

===Palestinian statehood and Lebanon===	
Netanyahu's record on [[Palestine]] and [[Lebanon]] is likely his worst policy (along with his marrying off the [[Conservative|right wing]] to the [[religious fundamentalist]]s of the country). He's basically a neocon Republican, elected to make sure that nothing meaningful gets done about a Palestinian state. This is no coincidence: Ron Dermer and Michael Oren before him both have conspired with the GOP in ongoing efforts to thwart American interests in the Middle-East and elsewhere.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/us/politics/white-house-expresses-displeasure-over-speech-planned-by-netanyahu.html?_r=0 Administration Official Criticizes Israeli Ambassador Over Netanyahu Visit] ''The New York Times'' 28 January 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Michael-Oren-errs-on-Netanyahu-and-Congress-389769 Michael Oren errs on Netanyahu and Congress] ''The Jerusalem Post'' 2 February 2015</ref> Likud is also modeling their attack ads on Republican ones.<ref>[http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/72834/left-for-dead Left For Dead] ''Tablet'' 26 July 2011</ref>

He is infamous for repeatedly building settlements on Palestinian soil, and justifying his actions by claiming that it's Israeli land that he's settling. Netanyahu demanded the full demilitarization of the proposed state, with no army, rockets, missiles, or control of its airspace, and said that [[Jerusalem]] would be undivided Israeli territory. He stated that the Palestinians should recognize Israel as the [[Jewish]] national state with an undivided Jerusalem. He rejected a right of return for Palestinian refugees, saying, "any demand for resettling Palestinian refugees within Israel undermines Israel's continued existence as the state of the Jewish people."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/5535664/Benjamin-Netanyahu-full-speech-on-Palestinian-state.html Benjamin Netanyahu: full speech on Palestinian state] ''The Telegraph'' 14 June 2009</ref>

Another controversy spawned when Netanyahu stated that he would accept a Palestinian state &mdash; purportedly he would do this if an undivided Jerusalem becomes the capital of Israel,<ref group=note>Jerusalem is the ''de facto'' seat of government and capital of Israel, though the international recognition of this fact is a decidedly ''messy'' issue with many embassies in Tel Aviv mostly for that reason</ref> the Palestinians disband their army and the Palestinians revoke their demand for a right of return. Of course, Netanyahu has almost certainly ''never'' intended to permit a Palestinian State:

{{quotebox|In his 2000 book, ''A Durable Peace'', Netanyahu outlined his vision for any future self-governing Palestinian territory, one that bore little resemblance to actual statehood. “Many in the world have blithely accepted the notion that the Palestinians must have their own independent state,” Netanyahu wrote. “When I am asked about a Palestinian state, I answer in the negative.” Instead of statehood, Netanyahu proposed the creation of a “Palestinian entity,” a governing body with some rights of limited self-governance but not full independence.<ref>[https://theintercept.com/2015/11/09/netanyahu-has-never-actually-supported-a-palestinian-state-despite-what-he-told-obama/ Netanyahu Has Never Actually Supported A Palestinian State, Despite What He Told Obama] ''The Intercept'' 9 November 2015</ref>}}

So, neither the status of Jerusalem, nor any positions the Palestinians might revoke, would likely alter Netanyahu's opposition to a Palestinian state.

In spite of all of this, he has stated that he "cares more about Palestinians than their own leaders do", thus cementing his position as Palestine's [[Domestic violence|abusive husband]].<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-cares-more-about-palestinians-than-own-leaders-gaza-world-vision-un-hamas-a7186481.html Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel 'cares more about Palestinians than their own leaders do' after Gaza aid worker arrests] ''The Independent'' 12 August 2016</ref>

===Bombing Gaza===
Highlights of Netanyahu's easy recourse to devastating use of Israel's military include ''two'' wars in Gaza, one in 2012 and another in 2014, the more infamous being the latter. In the summer of 2014 he presided over a 51-day bombardment that massacred thousands of Palestinian civilians. During this massacre, a [[UN]] shelter was shelled despite the UN repeatedly warning Israel that it was for hospital purposes and that it had hundreds of children inside it.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-31/gaza-school-shelling-in-quotes/5637522 'The world stands disgraced': UN's despair as Gaza shelter hit, 15 dead] ''ABC News'' 29 April 2015</ref> Even those who normally defend Israel's wars, and aggression, like [[Joe Scarborough]] or [[Bill Maher]], were taken aback at the brutality of the 2014 Gaza war. Many were especially appalled when Netanyahu told CNN the Gazans crave dead civilians to use these "telegenically dead" to win support.<ref>[http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/07/why-israel-is-losing-the-american-media-war.html ‘Telegenically Dead Palestinians’: Why Israel Is Losing the American Media War] ''New York Magazine'' 20 July 2014</ref><ref>[https://theintercept.com/2014/07/21/netanyahus-telegenically-dead-comment-original/ Netanyahu’s ‘Telegenically Dead’ Comment Is Grotesque but Not Original] ''The Intercept'' 21 July 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/middle-east/palestinians-care-as-much-about-their-children-as-we-do-1.1883019 Palestinians care as much about their children as we do] ''The Irish Times'' 31 July 2014</ref>

Mind you, it is not as if Netanyahu had no basis for this claim given the approval rating of Hamas among the people of Gaza did dramatically increase during the 2014 conflict,<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/support-for-hamas-skyrockets-following-war-poll-shows/ Support for Hamas skyrockets following war, poll shows] The Times of Israel</ref> however, if that is the case, one is forced to wonder why Netanyahu keeps giving Hamas what they want. During this campaign, the United Nations estimates that 2,251 Palestinians were killed, with 1,462 of them being civilians.<ref>[https://www.unrwa.org/2014-gaza-conflict 2014 Gaza conflict] unrwa.org</ref> If Netanyahu is under the impression that terrorists want more dead civilians, why does he keep creating them?

===Distortion of Holocaust history===	
[[File:World Holocaust Forum 2020 group - 01.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Netanyahu front-and-center at the World Holocaust Forum in 2020.]]
In October 2015 when addressing a group of Jewish leaders, Netanyahu caused an uproar when he claimed the Mufti of Jerusalem {{wpl|Haj Amin al-Husseini}} (appointed by the British) induced Hitler to exterminate the Jews.<ref name="AP News"/> Netanyahu repeated the claim again before the World Zionist Congress in 2019.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/netanyahu-absolves-hitler-of-guilt-1.5411578 Netanyahu: Hitler Didn't Want to Exterminate the Jews] ''Haaretz'' 21 October 2019</ref> Historians strongly criticized Netanyahu's comments as both inaccurate and supportive of [[Holocaust deniers]] by exculpating [[Hitler]] and the [[Nazis]] for designing and implementing the Holocaust. The statement coincided with a wave of violent unrest and Israeli-Palestinian tensions. "Hitler didn't want to exterminate the Jews at the time, he wanted to expel the Jews," Netanyahu told the group. "And Haj Amin al-Husseini went to Hitler and said, 'If you expel them, they'll all come here.' 'So what should I do with them?' he asked. He said, 'Burn them.'"<ref name="AP News">[https://apnews.com/article/61ead35a427a408e9d93d43f41cfa064 Netanyahu causes uproar by linking Palestinians to Holocaust] ''Associated Press News'' 21 October 2015</ref> No documentation exists for this conversation taking place and it's rejected by Israeli historians.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/22/world/middleeast/netanyahu-saying-palestinian-mufti-inspired-holocaust-draws-broad-criticism.html?smid=tw-nytimesworld&smtyp=cur Netanyahu Denounced for Saying Palestinian Inspired Holocaust] ''The New York Times'' 21 October 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.timesofisrael.com/full-official-record-what-the-mufti-said-to-hitler/ Full official record: What the mufti said to Hitler] ''The Times of Israel'' 21 October 2015</ref><ref name="Fairy">[http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/21/netanyahu-faitytale-hitler-mufti-holocaust?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Tweet Netanyahu’s fairytale about Hitler and the mufti is the last thing we need] ''The Guardian'' 21 October 2015</ref> While Haj-Amin did meet directly with Hitler and allied with him, he is not the cause of Hitler's antisemitism.

Nevertheless, as [[CNN]] reported, Germany's Chancellor, [[Angela Merkel]], refused to shirk her country's responsibility:
<blockquote>One person who isn't buying the idea that anyone outside Germany &mdash; including a Muslim leader from Jerusalem &mdash; was responsible for the Holocaust is that country's current chancellor.<br>

"We don't see any reason to change our view of history, particularly on this issue," Chancellor Angela Merkel said while standing alongside Netanyahu. "We abide by our responsibility, in Germany, for the Holocaust."<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/21/middleeast/netanyahu-hitler-grand-mufti-holocaust/ Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu criticized for saying Holocaust was mufti's idea, not Hitler's] ''CNN'' 22 October 2015</ref></blockquote>
CNN also reported that, "[t]here's no video or audio, not even a transcript… of the conversation between Hitler and Husseini." Further, Netanyahu's statements "spurred criticism in Israel and the Palestinian territories, with some claiming that Netanyahu had effectively absolved Hitler of the Holocaust's most gruesome, deplorable aspect and instead blamed Husseini…"

Let us be blunt: we can scarcely comprehend why the first (and to date, only) Israel-native leader of the only Jewish majority state in the world downplayed the Nazis' role in the Holocaust while insisting that the true idea for the genocide was from an Arab, especially when Nazism's ideology held both Jews and Arabs to be racially inferior, making it further questionable why an Aryan supremacist would need to take advice from someone he considered of a lower standing. This accusation grows even more bizarre when one notes that Netanyahu's statement overlooks that Jews weren't the only victims of the Nazis' eliminationist views and policies, which were ''already being implemented'' when Hitler met with the Mufti. About 11 million people &mdash; 6 million Jews and 5 million [[Roma]], [[Communism|Communists]], [[Soviet Union|Soviet citizens]], [[Poland|Poles]], [[Freemasons]], [[homosexuals]], [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], the [[disabled]], and various other groups &mdash; were all targeted for elimination.<ref>{{wpa|The_Holocaust#Victims}}</ref> Hitler's decree to "euthanize" the disabled considered "unworthy of life" dates to 1 September 1939, and forced sterilization was going on since well before that.<ref>See the [[Wikipedia]] article on 
 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_T4 Aktion T4]</ref> However -- and Netanyahu's anti-Arab propaganda notwithstanding -- while Husseini did not induce Hitler to exterminate the Jews, and had no responsibility for the Holocaust whatsoever (historian Raul Hilberg devotes only one sentence to Husseini in his 1,000+ magisterial work on the bureaucratic, brutal efficiency of the Nazi killing machine), both CIA and Army files establish that the Allies considered Husseini a war criminal who fled to Berlin where he collaborated with the Nazis and recruited Bosnian Muslims to fight for the Nazi side.<ref>[https://www.archives.gov/iwg/reports/hitlers-shadow.pdf Hitler's Shadow: Nazi War Criminals, U.S. Intelligence, and the Cold War] by Richard Breitman and Norman J.W. Goda (Published by the United States National Archives and Records Administration) 10 December 2010</ref>

===Other stuff===
Otherwise, his policies are firmly center-right and align with the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], to name an example. Many of his partners in the coalition are even more extreme than him, with ultra conservative Naftali Bennett (think a Jewish [[Ted Cruz]]) and ultra-nationalist Avigdor Lieberman (who wanted to strip Israeli citizens of the right to vote if they didn't swear allegiance to the country) particularly standing out. Lately, it has been Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich who represent the worst of his coalition. They openly plan to settle in Gaza while Israeli hostages still remain there, to the outrage of all of the Israeli left.

===Relationship with the United States===
[[File:P030512PS-0092 (6905357904).jpg|thumb|right|325px|Netanyahu chats with US President [[Barack Obama]] in the Oval Office, 2012.]]
{{cquote|A passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification.|||[[George Washington]], 1796 Farewell Address (nothing new under the sun)}}

Netanyahu's behavior is the result of America taking the brakes off and long having allowed Israel to do as she wants. At this point, the U.S. has lost the ability to rein in Israel even for the sake of America's best interests. His personal dislike for [[Barack Obama]] is well-documented and largely mutual; despite Obama providing Israel with the Iron Dome, the most comprehensive anti-missile defense system in history, Netanyahu continued to badmouth then President Obama for his entire tenure in the White House on the basis of his somehow not being pro-Israeli enough. He holds Obama's policies on Iran to have been too lax, and partially responsible for the 2023 Gaza and 2024 Lebanon wars. He supported [[Mitt Romney]] over Obama in 2012, and was reportedly pissed off when Obama won re-election.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/10/01/a-short-history-of-awkward-encounters-between-obama-and-netanyahu/ A short history of awkward encounters between Obama and Netanyahu] ''The Washington Post'' 1 October 2014</ref>

Back in 2012, when [[Obama]] was making secret negotiations with [[Iran]], Netanyahu threatened to attack Iran at last… and immediately backed off when Obama flatly stated that he would never support a unilateral Israeli attack on Iranian soil. Netanyahu relishes the sheer adoration of the [[Republican Party]], to the point where he openly sides with the Republicans against Obama; [[John Boehner]] invited Netanyahu to make a speech in [[Congress]] on the month he was running for re-election, which angered Obama to the point where he boycotted the speech along with several other Democrats including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. He spied on the Iranian-US-EU negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program and disseminated false information to both Israeli lawmakers and American Congressmen, as a way to drum up opposition to a nuclear deal; he even claimed that a deal would ''strengthen'' Iran's capacity to build nukes, which is patently false. Obama had him barred from the negotiations, which later led to his speech to Congress.<ref>[http://www.wsj.com/articles/israel-spied-on-iran-talks-1427164201 Israel Spied on Iran Nuclear Talks With U.S.] ''The Wall Street Journal'' 23 March 2015</ref> 

His vehement opposition to a Palestinian state,<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/danny-danon-un-ambassador-israel_55ce18cce4b0ab468d9d231d Netanyahu Appoints Opponent Of Palestinian Statehood As UN Envoy] ''HuffPost'' 14 August 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/16/middleeast/israel-netanyahu-palestinian-state/ Israel's PM Netanyahu: No Palestinian state on my watch] ''CNN'' 16 March 2015</ref> despite pretending that he was in favor of a two-state solution (that largely meant giving more land to Israel), led the Obama White House to finally play hardball more publicly; for a time they even considered backing a UN resolution on the recognition of a Palestinian state. During the 2015 elections, Netanyahu pandered to racist fears about the supposed hordes of Arab-Israelis heading to the polls, and flatly revealed that he never wants a Palestinian state to ever exist in what he holds is the "God-given" land of the Jews. He asserted that support of a Palestinian state is tantamount to yielding territory for radical [[Islamic]] [[terrorists]] to attack Israel.<ref>[https://www.972mag.com/who-needs-the-right-when-we-have-isaac-herzog/ Who needs the Right when we have Isaac Herzog?] by Edo Konrad (June 8, 2015) ''+972 Magazine''.</ref>{{efn|This is quiet a common trend with Netanyahu. During his 2012 speech for the United Nations, he similarly mocked the idea of Iran having a nuclear weapon by saying:

{{quotebox|At stake is not merely the future of my own country. At stake is the future of the world. Nothing could imperil our common future more than the arming of Iran with nuclear weapons. To understand what the world would be like with a nuclear-armed Iran, just imagine the world with a nuclear-armed Al-Qaeda.<ref>[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/d-ir/dv/netanyahu_un_sep20/netanyahu_un_sep2012.pdf Full transcript of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, 2012.]</ref>}}}} How much has he pissed off the Americans? The White House declassified documents that detail Israel's nuclear program.<ref>[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/193175#.VRThCeHrwtd US Declassifies Document on Israel's Nuclear Power] ''Israel National News''
 25 March 2015</ref> Then, at the U.N, America abstained on Security Council Resolution declaring Israeli settlements illegal, causing the measure to pass.

Netanyahu and his aides, however, are terrible at reading the American public, preferring to listen to [[neoconservative]] boot-lickers and the always-wrong [[Christian Zionism|Christian Zionists]]. Israel's tone deafness is evidenced by their delusion in thinking that [[Mitt Romney|Romney]] would win the 2012 election and in Netanyahu's absolute conviction that he could threaten war with [[Iran]] to divide Jewish Democrats with a loyalty test.<ref>[http://forward.com/opinion/israel/218416/are-american-jews-too-loyal-to-the-democrats/ Are American Jews Too Loyal to the Democrats?] ''Forward'' 14 April 2015</ref> What he doesn't understand is that several American billionaires, like Sheldon Adelson<ref group="note">Remember, Shelly is even richer ''and'' crazier than Donald Trump. He wants to nuke Iran, and also wishes he had served in the Israeli military instead of the U.S. Army.</ref> -- and even a Democratic one like Haim Saban -- and others who are in a position to finance, among other things, the annexation of Gaza, constitute a significant portion of the "Israel-First" lobby. Consensus is one thing. Smoke-filled backs rooms where rich guys work out deals together, and the general population isn't consulted, is quite another.<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2015/03/07/we_are_hostage_to_his_fortune_sheldon_anderson_benjamin_netanyahu_and_americas_dark_money_conspiracy_partner/ "We are hostage to his fortune": Sheldon Adelson, Benjamin Netanyahu and America's dark money conspiracy] ''Salon'' 7 March 2015</ref><ref>[http://forward.com/opinion/306750/why-gops-sheldon-adelson-primary-is-disgrace-and-wont-lure-jewish-voters/ Why GOP's 'Sheldon Adelson Primary' Is Disgrace — and Won't Lure Jewish Voters] ''Forward'' 24 April 2015</ref>

====The Trump years====
[[File:President Trump at the Israel Museum. Jerusalem May 23, 2017 President Trump at the Israel Museum. Jerusalem May 23, 2017 (34460980460).jpg|thumb|right|315px|Netanyahu shares a ''moment'' with US President [[Donald Trump]] in 2017.]]
{{cquote|I hear penguins support Israel. They have no difficulty recognizing that some things are black and white.|||A strange [[Twitter]] post from Netanyahu in 2017.<ref>{{a|https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/910250240476942336|Benjamin Netanyahu on Twitter}} 19 September 2017</ref>||}}
[[Donald Trump]], for all his slobbering overtures about giving Israel and its most vehement amoral American supporters everything they wanted during his [[2016 U.S. presidential election | 2016 presidential election campaign]], managed to garner condemnation from Netanyahu before he even entered office. This came about, among other reasons, due to his prejudiced remarks about Muslims.

In fact, Trump's general dumbassery has frustrated even Mossad. When the Israelis gave intelligence on [[DAESH | Daesh]] to Washington, Trump blurted out the intel to Russia, an ally of Iran, and provoked harsh condemnation from Israeli intelligence sources who vowed never to share intel with the United States as a result.

When Trump was visiting Israel, he, without prompt, insisted that providing declassified information to Russia was within his right as President. This happened before the Israeli government was even allowed to comment on the incident, and Netanyahu, barely holding together a nervous smile, tried and failed to force Trump to shut his mouth.{{cn}}

The embarrassments didn't stop there. When Trump refused to condemn [[Neo-Nazi]]s who killed protesters, Netanyahu refused to respond,<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/world/middleeast/netanyahu-trump-charlottesville.html?mcubz=1 As Trump Offers Neo-Nazis Muted Criticism, Netanyahu Is Largely Silent] ''The New York Times'' 18 August 2017</ref> and a minister he appointed said preserving ties with the American President is more important than denouncing Nazis. This led to relentless condemnation within Israel itself; many could not believe that the first Israeli-born Jewish Prime Minister would dare to value the politics of the American President more than the history of his people.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/israel-trump-charlottesville-nazis-ayoub-kara_us_599995cfe4b01f6e801f166d Israel Minister: Preserving Ties With Trump Bigger Priority Than Denouncing Neo-Nazis] ''HuffPost'' 20 August 2017</ref>
You wanted a Republican President, Bibi. You got him.

On April 30, 2018, shortly before Trump's deadline for deciding to opt out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran,<ref>{{wpa | Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran}}</ref> Netanyahu made a presentation featuring 55,000 pages of Tehran-sourced documents on Project Ahmad, Iran's military nuclear program of 1999-2003.<ref>[http://time.com/5262607/netanyahu-trump-iran-deal-speech/ Benjamin Netanyahu's Iran Deal Speech Might Have Convinced the Only Person Who Matters] ''Time'' 2 May 2018</ref>
When the data appears on [[WikiLeaks]], we will be able to assess its relevance.

On the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the modern state of Israel, President Trump moved the USA embassy to Jerusalem.<ref>[https://m.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Watch-White-House-officials-arrive-for-embassy-opening-ceremony-556282/amp Netanyahu at embassy ceremony: President Trump is making history] ''The Jerusalem Post'' 15 May 2018</ref>

===Apartheid===
[[File:2012.01.16.HebronGilbertCheckpoint.2.JPG|thumb|right|275px|Israeli troops search a Palestinian civilian in Tel Rumaida, 2012.]]
Netanyahu passed a bill in the Knesset that changed Israeli law, meaning that the country is now identified as a Jewish nation-state, where the Jewish people specifically may self-determinate, while downgrading the Arabic language from official status to special status. On top of that, it legally endorses the use of illegal settlements on Palestinian land under the auspices of expanding the Jewish community. This caused many within Israel itself to accuse Netanyahu's bill of apartheid and of Israel from officially codifying their mistreatment of Arabs into law.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2018/07/israel-passes-controversial-jewish-nation-state-law-180719050559316.html Israel passes controversial 'Jewish nation-state' law] ''Al Jazeera'' 19 July 2018</ref><ref>[http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/barenboim-says-israels-nation-state-law-very-clear-form-apartheid-384002879 Israeli 'Nation-State' law a 'clear form of apartheid', says Barenboim] ''Middle East Eye'' 23 July 2018</ref> Israeli attorneys argue "the legislation entrenches the identity of the State of Israel as a state for the Jewish people," while "excluding the Palestinian population from the same definition of sovereignty."<ref>[https://972mag.com/israels-nation-state-law-apartheid-is-a-process/136775/ Israel's Nation-State Law: 'Apartheid is a process'] ''+972 Magazine'' 19 July 2018</ref>

===Gays not welcome in the Jewish land===
While Netanyahu initially promised to pass a surrogacy law allowing gay Israelis to adopt custody of children, interestingly he voted against that very same bill, sparking outrage and protests from gay Israelis all over Tel Aviv. This is likely an appeal to his far-right base while virtue signaling to the average population.<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lgbtq-community-israel-protests-surrogacy-law_us_5b54dc12e4b0de86f48e2e45 Israel’s LGBTQ Advocates Protest After Netanyahu Fails To Pass Surrogacy Law] ''HuffPost'' 22 July 2018</ref>

===Favorable to fascism and soft on antisemitism===
Netanyahu is known for public support of strongmen who have an incredibly checkered history on antisemitism and engage in fascist policies themselves. He considers himself to be a personal friend of [[Vladimir Putin]], and covered for Putin's war of aggression against [[Ukraine]].<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2019-04-05/vladimir-putin-gives-his-friend-bibi-netanyahu-a-campaign-gift#xj4y7vzkg Netanyahu Gets a Timely Campaign Gift from Putin] Bloomberg, April 5, 2019</ref> [[Rodrigo Duterte]], President of the Philippines, favorably compared himself to Hitler as reason enough for why he should kill three million drug users (and curiously lowered the actual number of Jews killed by Hitler),<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/30/asia/duterte-hitler-comparison/index.html Philippines President likens himself to Hitler] ''CNN'' 30 September 2016</ref> and was still invited to visit Israel by Netanyahu, who mentioned nothing about Duterte's Hitler remarks (he only apologized after receiving public backlash).<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-duterte-hitler-israel-20180903-story.html Duterte once compared himself to Hitler. Now, during tour of Israeli Holocaust memorial, he calls the Nazi leader 'insane'] ''Los Angeles Times'' 3 September 2018</ref> [[Viktor Orban]], Prime Minister of Hungary, praised Nazi collaborator Miklós Horthy, Hungary’s Second World War era ruler, who introduced antisemitic laws and collaborated with the Nazis; and Netanyahu still had the gall to call Orban a "true friend" who "defends" Israel.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/netanyahu-orb-n-israel-welcome-hungary-prime-minister-antisemitism-a8454866.html Israel's Netanyahu criticized for wooing Hungary's far-right prime minister Orbán] ''The Independent'' 19 July 2018</ref> In what can only be described as a shameful display, the leader of the Jewish state "signed an agreement with Poland late last month that absolves Poland of its role in the extermination of its Jewish population during World War II."<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/07/13/anti-semitism-doesnt-bother-benjamin-netanyahu-if-it-comes-from-his-political-allies/?utm_term=.2fa7457d072e Antisemitism doesn’t bother Benjamin Netanyahu if it comes from his political allies] ''The Washington Post'' 13 July 2018</ref> Yad Vashem (the Holocaust memorial organization of Israel itself) had to personally rebuff the Prime Minister for this.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/05/world/middleeast/israel-poland-holocaust.html Yad Vashem Rebukes Israeli and Polish Governments Over Holocaust Law] ''The New York Times'' 5 July 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/yad-vashem-slams-highly-problematic-israeli-polish-holocaust-statement/ Yad Vashem slams ‘highly problematic’ Israeli-Polish Holocaust statement] ''The Times of Israel'' 5 July 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-hungary-pm-orban-s-upcoming-visit-a-blot-on-netanyahu-s-record-and-a-stain-on-israel-s-history-1.6223675 Analysis: Menachem Begin Would Be Ashamed of Netanyahu’s Whitewash of Hungary’s anti-Semitism, Poland’s Holocaust Revisionism] ''Haaretz'' 3 July 2018</ref> Netanyahu himself, in one of the weakest backoffs ever recorded, made an [[appeal to ignorance]] by claiming he will need to "listen to historians" more."<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/pm-says-hell-listen-to-historians-in-polish-holocaust-bill-controversy/ Amid criticism of Poland Holocaust deal, PM says he’ll ‘listen to historians'] ''The Times of Israel'' 8 July 2018</ref> This in addition to his own strange comments downplaying Hitler's role in the Holocaust<ref name="Fairy"/> and his refusal to criticize Trump's "very fine people" comments on the Neo-Nazis of Charlottesville.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/08/16/543913980/israels-netanyahu-faces-criticism-for-delayed-reaction-to-charlottesville-rally Israel's Netanyahu Faces Criticism For Delayed Reaction To Charlottesville Rally] ''NPR'' 16 August 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40966720 Anger over Netanyahu silence on Trump and Charlottesville] ''BBC News'' 17 August 2017</ref> His use of “anti-Semitism” in rants is generally only to silence pro-Palestinian voices.

===Christophobia and Anti-Christian bigotry===
Despite claiming to respect and support of Christians and his bromances with Christian leaders, there has been a massive surge in Christiophobic violence by both the Netanyahu-run government and the Israeli citizens. An example of this was in late 2024, when [[Pope Francis]] himself was snubbed by Netanyahu. Christians have also been denied entry into Jerusalem. Christian worshippers and nuns were spat at by right wing settlers as well.<ref>{{cite web | title=As attacks on Christians rise in Israel, Netanyahu's snub of Francis is a dangerous step
 | website=MSN | date=2025-08-16 | url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/as-attacks-on-christians-rise-in-israel-netanyahus-snub-of-francis-is-a-dangerous-step/ar-AA1Ehopl | ref={{sfnref|MSN|2025}} | access-date=2025-08-16}}</ref> Churches have also been deliberately targeted by the IDF as part of the Gaza genocide.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Kansara | first1=Reha | last2=Nour | first2=Ahmed | title=Israel-Gaza war: Counting the destruction of religious sites | website=BBC Home | date=2024-01-30 | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67983018 | access-date=2025-08-16}}</ref>

==2019-2021 Israeli political crisis==
[[File:Jerusalem demonstrations 06.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Anti-Netanyahu protesters outside his official residence, 2020.]]
===Corruption investigation===
It took several years and an entire administration's length, but Netanyahu finally was booted out of power by June 2021. The first salvos actually began in 2017, when it was first reported that Netanyahu was subject to a corruption investigation and that he may be indicted for his conduct. There are two cases: Case 1000, where Netanyahu took illegal favors from businessmen, and Case 2000, which involves alleged attempts to strike a deal with the publisher of the Yedioth Ahronot newspaper group, Arnon Mozes, to promote legislation to weaken Yedioth's main competitor, Israel Hayom, in exchange for more favorable coverage of Netanyahu. 

On 3 August 2017, Israeli police confirmed for the first time that Netanyahu was suspected of crimes involving fraud, breach of trust, and bribes in ''both'' Cases 1000 and 2000.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/benjamin-netanyahu-suspected-bribery-fraud-israel-police/ Benjamin Netanyahu suspected of bribery, fraud, Israeli police say] ''CBS News'' 4 August 2017</ref> The next day, the Prime Minister's very own former chief of staff, Ari Harow, had signed a deal with prosecutors to testify against Netanyahu in both cases. Next year, on 13 February 2018, Israeli police recommended that Netanyahu be charged with corruption. According to a police statement, sufficient evidence exists to indict the prime minister on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in the two cases. When Netanyahu's predecessor, Ehud Olmert was reported to be the object of an investigation, he resigned and cited that he did not wish to stay as prime minister while being investigated. Netanyahu, on the other and, responded that the allegations were baseless and defiantly said he would continue as prime minister.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43051249 Israel PM Netanyahu faces corruption charges] ''BBC News'' 13 February 2018</ref>

On 28 February 2019, the Israeli attorney general announced his intent to file indictments against Netanyahu on bribe and fraud charges in three different cases.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-indicted-bribe-fraud-charges-n977571 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be indicted on corruption charges] ''NBC News'' 28 February 2019</ref> Netanyahu was formally indicted on 21 November 2019.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-netanyahu-indictment-idUSKBN1XV1T3 Israel's attorney general indicts PM Netanyahu on corruption charges] ''Reuters'' 21 November 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/world/middleeast/netanyahu-corruption-indicted.html Israel’s Netanyahu Indicted on Charges of Fraud, Bribery and Breach of Trust] ''The New York Times'' 21 November 2019</ref> He is the first sitting prime minister in Israel's history to be charged with a crime.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/ag-announces-netanyahu-to-stand-trial-for-bribery-fraud-and-breach-of-trust/ AG announces Netanyahu to stand trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust] ''The Times of Israel'' 21 November 2019</ref> On 23 November 2019, it was announced that Netanyahu, in compliance with legal precedent set by the Israeli Supreme Court in 1993, would relinquish his agriculture, health, social affairs and diaspora affairs portfolios. He was officially charged on 28 January 2020, but his trial on March of 2020 was delayed to 24 May 2020 due to COVID.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Was-the-delay-of-Netanyahus-trial-cynical-or-legal-analysis-621051 Was the delay of Netanyahu's trial cynical or legal? - analysis] ''The Jerusalem Post'' 15 March 2020</ref>

If Netanyahu gets convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison for bribery and a maximum of three years for fraud and breach of trust, for a total of 13 years in prison. Olmert already served time in jail after his corruption trial ended, so it is not unlikely for the same fate to befall Netanyahu. To the surprise of nobody, Netanyahu accused law enforcement and the media of a “witch hunt” to depose him.<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-0fb40a1d250b79b6a781a17032a26880 Close Netanyahu ally, Likud lawmaker indicted for corruption] ''Associated Press News'' 6 July 2021</ref>

===COVID-19 response and growing authoritarianism===
[[File:DAZ 2730DA.jpg|thumb|right|275px|Netanyahu and the US ambassador with their wives at the Western Wall, 2020.]]
It is not a coincidence that Netanyahu's corruption investigation turned him rabid, caring only for maintaining power, because if he were to lose power, he would be put on trial for his crimes. Netanyahu used the pandemic as an excuse to erode Israeli democracy. In March 2020, Netanyahu's Likud Party took the extraordinary action of shutting down the Knesset for a few days in order to prevent a vote to appoint a new Knesset Speaker of another party.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-democratic-crisis-deepens/ Israel’s democratic crisis deepens] ''The Times of Israel'' 23 March 2020</ref>  Even with the Knesset shut down, the Netanyahu administration continued business as usual but this time without any parliamentary oversight. 

Under his stewardship, Netanyahu systematically eroded Israeli democracy by allowing his far-right government to assault liberal institutions by declaring Israel to be a Jewish state, bribing the media for favorable coverage, and attempting to make Netanyahu immune from any kind of prosecution.<ref>[https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/2/27/21075868/israeli-democracy-war-netanyahu The war on Israeli democracy]
 ''Vox'' 27 February 2020</ref>

As with other right wing governments, Netanyahu recklessly opened the economy back up and lifted some lockdown restrictions, which only served to make everyone vulnerable to the second wave not too long after. Protests erupted with many Israelis expressing their dissatisfaction with how Netanyahu handled the pandemic. But the man would never pass up an opportunity to screw his opposition over. On 30 September, Israel's parliament passed a law limiting demonstrations, which is clearly intended to curb protests against Netanyahu over alleged corruption and his mismanagement of the coronavirus crisis. The law prohibits Israelis from holding large gatherings more than one kilometre (5⁄8 mile) from their residences, and Netanyahu claims this was only done to stop COVID-19 infections. Surprise, surprise, another incident of Netanyahu using COVID as an excuse to dismantle democracy.<ref>[https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/1601443382-israel-parliament-votes-to-restrict-demonstrations-amid-2nd-national-lockdown Israel Parliament votes to restrict demonstrations amid 2nd national lockdown] ''i24 News'' 30 September 2020</ref>

On 3 October, the opposite effect happened, as several protests broke out throughout Israel to protest Netanyahu's limiting of demonstrations during the lockdown with numbers up to 130,000 people taking part in the protests that day. Arab communities lagged in vaccinations, despite widespread vaccine availability. The lag was attributed to widespread distrust of the government, and to a lack of Arabic-language outreach and education about the vaccine's safety.<ref>[https://forward.com/news/464199/arab-israelis-lag-behind-in-israels-vaccination-success-story/ Arab-Israelis lag behind in Israel’s vaccination success story] ''Forward'' 16 February 2021</ref>

===Collapse of his coalition===
In 2018, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, a secular nationalist, had opposed a draft law (supported by the ultra-Orthodox parties) which would allow full-time Torah students exemptions from serving in the [[IDF]]. This means Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews would not be drafted in the military, an exemption Lieberman did not support.<ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5161067,00.html Netanyahu to meet with Lieberman over coalition crisis] ''Ynet News'' 3 December 2018</ref> This almost destroyed the coalition agreement Netanyahu headed, as his party needed other far-right and right-wing parties to form a government. But the last-minute compromise, with Netanyahu allowing a free vote on the Haredi conscription bill and the state budget, that kept the coalition from being dissolved didn't matter in the end.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-last-minute-deal-coalition-okays-compromise-to-dodge-early-elections/ In last-minute deal, coalition okays compromise to dodge early elections] ''The Times of Israel'' 13 March 2018</ref> Avigdor Lieberman left the government in protest of the ceasefire with [[Hamas]] over [[Gaza]],<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46207094 Israel Defence Minister Lieberman resigns over Gaza ceasefire] ''BBC News'' 14 November 2018</ref><ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-lieberman-steps-down-and-the-timing-couldn-t-be-worse-for-netanyahu-1.6654265 Defense Minister Resigns, Firing First Salvo of Israeli Elections. The Timing Couldn't Be Worse for Netanyahu] ''Haaretz'' 14 November 2018</ref> and Naftali Bennett left the government because Netanyahu refused to give him Lieberman's former Defense Ministry post.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-heads-toward-elections-as-jewish-home-says-will-leave-coalition/ Israel heads toward elections as Jewish Home says it will leave coalition] ''The Times of Israel'' 16 November 2018</ref> Once again, Netanyahu narrowly avoided another government collapse by offering a compromise, which was to make Bennett education minister,<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/israels-fragile-coalition-survives-as-key-partner-reverses-withdrawal-threat-1542627954 Israeli Government Crisis Raises Fresh Doubts for U.S. Peace Plan] ''The Wall Street Journal'' 19 November 2018</ref> but once again, it would not last. Continued arguments over the Haredi's military service and further dysfunction caused parliament to dissolve and early elections to be called for 9 April 2019, seven months sooner.<ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256756 It's final: 20th Knesset dissolved, Israel heading to elections] ''Israel National News'' 26 December 2018</ref>

Netanyahu's Likud tied with Blue and White alliance of Benny Gantz, his former chief of staff, with both winning 35 seats. The balance of power was held by smaller parties, with a majority being right-wing and religious parties that had previously sat in coalition with Likud. Gantz conceded, paving the way for Netanyahu to begin coalition talks again.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/10/middleeast/israel-election-results-benjamin-netanyahu-benny-gantz-intl/index.html Netanyahu set for fifth term as Israel's leader as rival concedes defeat] ''CNN News'' 10 April 2019</ref> The leaders of all the parties who won seats in the Knesset met with President Reuven Rivlin to recommend a designated person to form a government. Netanyahu received recommendations from leaders representing 65 seats in the Knesset, whereas Gantz received recommendations from leaders representing only 45 seats in the Knesset. Leaders of the two Arab parties, representing 10 seats in the Knesset, declined to make any recommendation. Based on the recommendations he received, Rivlin designated Netanyahu to form the next governing coalition.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/president-officially-taps-netanyahu-to-form-next-government/ With plea for healing, president officially taps Netanyahu to form new coalition] ''The Times of Israel'' 17 April 2019</ref> But after a month of negotiations, Netanyahu ''failed'' to form a government, which led to a 74 to 45 vote in the Knesset in favour of dispersing just after midnight on 29 May 2019. The new election was scheduled for 17 September 2019.

This was the first time an incumbent prime minister failed to form a government after an election,<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Elections-set-for-Sept-17-after-coalition-talks-fail-591044 Israel goes back to elections as Netanyahu fails to form coalition] ''The Jerusalem Post'' 30 May 2019</ref> ''and'' it was the first time the Knesset voted to dissolve itself before a government had been formed, as they issued the vote to prevent Benny Gantz from becoming prime minister-designate.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/30/world/middleeast/israel-elections-netanyahu.html What You Need to Know About Israel’s New Elections] ''The New York Times'' 30 May 2019</ref> Netanyahu personally and specifically pushed for the Knesset to dissolve before President Rivlin even had a chance to talk to Gantz, even after Rivlin gave Netanyahu a two-week extension on his (failed) forming of a government.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-israel-politics/israels-netanyahu-gets-two-week-extension-to-form-government-idUKKCN1SJ18E Israel's Netanyahu gets two-week extension to form government] ''Reuters'' 13 May 2019</ref>

[[File:Police water cannon in protests against Netanyahu (cropped).png|thumb|right|315px|Israeli security forces suppress anti-Netanyahu protesters with a blue-dyed water cannon, 2020.]]

Once again, Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman could not agree on the passage of a draft law relating to Haredi Jews.<ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/263832 Liberman: We will not give up on our principles] ''Israel National News'' 28 May 2019</ref> Lieberman's law would remove the current exemption of yeshiva students from conscription.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/after-netanyahu-fails-to-form-government-israel-to-hold-new-election-1.7306156 After Netanyahu Fails to Form Government, Israel to Hold New Election] ''Haaretz'' 30 May 2019</ref> The Haredi parties in Netanyahu's coalition oppose the law and Netanyahu needed both Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu and the Haredi parties in order to have enough seats for a majority.<ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/05/28/pm-lieberman-reportedly-drafting-deal-to-avert-early-election/ No deal in sight as Netanyahu faces final hours to form government] ''Israel Hayom'' 28 May 2019</ref> Gantz had officially ruled out serving with Likud if Netanyahu was still leader of the party.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/gantz-says-in-talks-with-likud-reps-over-unity-government-sans-netanyahu/ Gantz says ‘in talks’ with Likud reps over unity government sans Netanyahu] ''The Times of Israel'' 15 July 2019</ref> Out of desperation, Netanyahu approached Labor about the possibility of their support, but they rejected the offer. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's legal troubles overshadowed further possible coalition negotiations, with Blue and White refusing to work with him due to those circumstances. The new elections also mean Netanyahu's proposed immunity law could not proceed as he intended.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/29/world/middleeast/israel-election-benjamin-netanyahu.html After Coalition Talks Crumble, Israel on Course for Another Election] ''The New York Times'' 29 May 2019</ref> Netanyahu convinced the centrist Kulanu party to dissolve and join Likud,<ref>[https://knessetjeremy.com/2019/08/30/yisrael-hayom-poll-blue-white-32-likud-30-joint-list-11-yisrael-beitenu-11-yamina-10-scenario-poll-w-o-otzma-noam-zehut-likud-31-blue-white-32-yamina-12/ Here's a blog explaining it]</ref> but it wasn't enough, as Gantz's Blue and White Party won a plurality, 33 seats to Likud's 32, giving him the mandate to form a government as authorized by President Rivlin.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/21/israels-benjamin-netanyahu-fails-to-form-government Benjamin Netanyahu tells Israeli president he cannot form government] ''The Guardian'' 21 October 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/hblocked?returnTo=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.haaretz.com%2Fisrael-news%2Felections%2Fisraeli-president-to-task-gantz-with-forming-government-on-wednesday-1.8016595 Israeli President to Task Gantz With Forming Government on Wednesday] ''Haaretz'' 22 October 2019</ref>

Due to some confusion, Netanyahu ended up leading Gantz in tallied recommendations by a 55 to 54 margin, with eight delegates from Yisrael Beiteinu and three delegates from Balad choosing not to recommend either. On 25 September, Rivlin selected Netanyahu to try to form thirty-fifth government of Israel, but with a catch: Rivlin retains the mandate to nominate another candidate if Netanyahu failed to form a government again. And predictably, Netanyahu failed once again to form a government because of Lieberman refusing to bend to his demands. Gideon Sa'ar, Netanyahu's old interior minister, attempted to challenge Netanyahu in a leadership election,<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/netanyahu-considers-snap-primary-to-dispel-rebellion-likud-rival-i-m-ready-1.7935162 Israel Election Results: Netanyahu Considers Snap Primary to Dispel 'Rebellion Illusion'; Likud Rival: I'm Ready] ''Haaretz'' 3 October 2019</ref> but Netanyahu outright refused to hold one, rendering Sa'ar's attempt moot.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/with-retreat-from-snap-primary-likud-to-confirm-netanyahu-as-choice-for-pm/ Abandoning leadership primary, Likud to confirm Netanyahu as choice for PM] ''The Times of Israel'' 4 October 2019</ref> This would lead to huge ramifications in the near future, as you will soon see.

Rivlin gave the mandate over to Gantz, who had a day to form a government of his own, but he ''also'' failed and returned the mandate on 21 November. Following this, a period of 21 days began in which any Knesset member can lead the government if they submit 61 signatures to the president. But it never happened. Not a single member of the Knesset could form a government at all by December 11, and so the Knesset once again voted to dissolve itself, prolonging this political crisis of government another year.

On March 2020, right on the cusp of a global pandemic, Netanyahu's Likud took 36 seats to Gantz's 33, allowing him to once again try to form a government. What happened instead was Gantz went back on his word.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/26/benny-gantz-elected-israeli-speaker-signalling-deal-with-netanyahu Benny Gantz elected Israeli speaker, signalling deal with Netanyahu] ''The Guardian'' 26 March 2020</ref> He campaigned on never serving on a coalition government with Netanyahu in charge of Likud due to his corruption investigation, but now, ''again'', neither Netanyahu nor Gantz could muster the 61-seat majority needed to form a government. So, Gantz ended the stalemate by agreeing to form a coalition with Netanyahu, breaking his campaign promise, the only reason anyone ever voted for his party, which suffered heavily in opinion polls and approval or favorability ratings due to the U-turn. Gantz claimed COVID forced his hand to go against his vow. Under the terms of the agreement, the premiership would rotate between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, with Gantz given the new position of Alternate Prime Minister until November 2021.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/after-three-elections-and-political-deadlock-israel-finally-swears-in-new-government/2020/05/17/ba25e752-9807-11ea-87a3-22d324235636_story.html After three elections and political deadlock, Israel finally swears in new government] ''The Washington Post'' 17 May 2020</ref>

But before we continue, here's some more juicy tea, just to show you exactly how badly Netanyahu fucked all this up for himself. Yair Lapid, a centrist author, formed his own party, Yesh Atid, all the way back in 2012, becoming the second-largest party against Likud in 2013. Netanyahu welcomed Yesh Atid into his coalition after the results, naming Lapid finance minister on March 2013. But Netanyahu fired him and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni from their posts, saying "I will no longer tolerate an opposition within the government." This pissed Yesh Atid off, which called his firing of Lapid "cowardly," and Yesh Atid would later form an agreement with Benny Gantz's Israel Resistance Party and former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's Telem party. Ya'alon, an extremist who called Palestinians a "cancer,"<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/1.5000032 The Enemy Within] ''Haaretz'' 29 August 2002</ref> opposes Iran and the nuclear deal, and admitted illegal settlements would continue after Obama's presidency,<ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4601834,00.html Ya'alon: Obama administration 'won't be around forever'] ''Ynet News'' 12 October 2014</ref> resigned as defense minister because of "moral" and "professional" disagreements with Netanyahu, warning that "extreme and dangerous elements have taken over [[Israel]] and the Likud Party."<ref>[https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2016/05/20/netanyahu-names-a-new-defence-minister Netanyahu names a new defence minister] ''The Economist'' 20 May 2016</ref> Lapid and Ya'alon were two-thirds the reason Gantz's Blue and White alliance became a thing. Once Gantz broke his vow and joined Netanyahu as Alternate Prime Minister, Lapid and Ya'alon left the alliance in disgust.

As expected, Netanyahu would not live up to the agreement with Gantz. Israeli law stipulates that if the 2020 state budget was not passed by 23 December 2020, the Knesset would be dissolved, and elections would be held by 23 March 2021. Guess what happened. The state budget was not passed, the Knesset was dissolved, and elections were scheduled 90 days later on March 2021, an unprecedented ''fourth election in two years''.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-calls-4th-election-in-2-years-as-netanyahu-gantz-coalition-collapses/ Israel calls 4th election in 2 years as Netanyahu-Gantz coalition collapses] ''The Times of Israel'' 23 December 2020</ref>

===Loss of power===
Gideon Sa'ar, the man who tried to challenge Netanyahu for Likud leadership, left Likud and formed his own New Hope party, with six members, giving the opposition yet another party arrayed against Netanyahu, however small. Sa'ar became another in a long line of people who were screwed over by Netanyahu in some way and sought payback, joining the likes of Lieberman (who always wanted to be prime minister and chose to screw him over in turn), Bennett (who was refused his preferred cabinet ministry), Lapid (fired for criticizing him), Ya'alon (resigned because of serious moral and professional disagreements), even Gantz himself, whose chance at becoming prime minister was destroyed after Netanyahu refused to pass the state budget in 2020. Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu party had 7 members, Bennett's Yamina party also had 7 (four more than the last election), and Gantz's Blue and White party had 8 (down six from the last election), while Lapid's Yesh Atid had 17 members, making them second largest once again. 

Ra'am, an Arab Islamist party led by Mansour Abbas, held kingmaker status, the first time an Arab party ever had that role in Israeli history. Abbas attracted massive media attention from Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, to see who he would form a government with. With the largest party in parliament, Netanyahu was given the mandate once again to form a government, but in the month he was supposed to, he yet again failed to form a government,<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/.premium-after-netanyahu-fails-bennet-lapid-eye-chance-to-form-government-1.9776010 After Netanyahu Fails, Lapid Gathers 56 Recommendations to Form Next Government] ''Haaretz'' 5 May 2021</ref> so Rivlin gave the mandate over to Lapid,<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/rivlin-to-meet-lapid-bennett-as-consultations-begin-667245 Lapid, Bennett hope to form government within a week] ''The Jerusalem Post'' 5 May 2021</ref> who began talks with Bennett.<ref>[https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/politics/1620592930-lapid-bennett-make-major-headway-in-coalition-talks-reports Lapid, Bennett make major headway in coalition talks: reports] ''i24 News'' 9 May 2021</ref> Abbas froze talks with Bennett and Lapid due to Netanyahu's assaults in Gaza after the Al Aqsa Mosque was attacked by Israeli forces.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/raam-freezes-coalition-talks-with-change-bloc-amid-violence/ Ra’am freezes coalition talks with ‘change bloc,’ amid violence] ''The Times of Israel'' 10 May 2021</ref> Launching another war in Gaza right as it looked like he was about to lose power is vintage Bibi. Even as Netanyahu officially entered talks with Abbas, many of his supporters, including a far-right rabbi, all but called Abbas a traitor and a terrorist, warning Netanyahu never to give Arabs or Muslims any kind of seat in power.

This proved fatal. Abbas ended talks with Netanyahu, citing continued personal character assassination from Netanyahu's supporters, and Abbas resumed talks with Lapid and Bennett. Just two hours before the deadline, Lapid informed Rivlin that he had the numbers to form a government,<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/lapid-tells-rivlin-new-government-ready-669937 Lapid tells Rivlin: I have succeeded in forming coalition with Bennett] ''The Jerusalem Post'' 3 June 2021</ref> and a week later, Bennett formally agreed to join the coalition with Lapid and Abbas.<ref>[https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/mansour-abbas-signs-coalition-agreement-to-unseat-benjamin-netanyahu-1.1233837 Mansour Abbas signs coalition agreement to unseat Benjamin Netanyahu] ''The National'' 3 June 2021</ref> As stipulated in their agreement, Naftali Bennett would become Prime Minister, with Yair Lapid as Alternate Prime Minister in a rotation government; Bennett would be prime minister until Lapid gets the role on 27 August 2023. As per the agreement, Mansour Abbas became deputy minister for Arab Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman became finance minister, Benny Gantz would become defense minister, and Gideon Sa'ar would become justice minister, with Gantz and Sa'ar also serving as deputy prime ministers in case something were to happen to both Bennett and Lapid.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/lapid-inks-formal-coalition-deals-with-raam-yisrael-beytenu/ Lapid finalizes coalition deals with all parties in incoming ‘change government’] ''The Times of Israel'' 11 June 2021</ref>

Finally, on June 13th, 2021, Bennett was sworn in as Prime Minister of Israel, finally knocking Netanyahu off his seat of power after twelve long years. He once again served as leader of the opposition, with Likud as the largest party in the Knesset.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/13/reign-of-netanyahu-israels-longest-serving-pm-comes-to-an-end End of the road for Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving PM] ''Al Jazeera'' 13 June 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/13/israel-benjamin-netanyahu-493914 Israel swears in new coalition, ending Netanyahu's long rule] ''Politico'' 13 June 2021</ref> Purely out of spite,<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/bennett-netanyahu-led-opposition-harmed-israels-security-out-of-spite/ Bennett: Netanyahu-led opposition harmed Israel’s security out of ‘spite’] ''The Times of Israel'' 6 July 2021</ref> Netanyahu voted down Bennett's bill to deny Palestinian spouses official status, now showing "no interest in ideology but only in toppling the coalition with childish harassment."<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-why-the-government-s-defeat-on-citizenship-law-is-a-good-thing-1.9974070 Netanyahu's Glee Aside, Bennett's Defeat on Citizenship Law Is a Promising Step for Israel] ''Haaretz'' 6 July 2021</ref> His goal was simple: make government ungovernable.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/netanyahus-opposition-strategy-ensure-govt-cant-govern-analysis-672960 Netanyahu’s opposition strategy: Ensure gov't can’t govern - analysis] ''The Jerusalem Post'' 6 July 2021</ref>

==Return to power==
{{cquote|"This government is legal but clearly illegitimate because of its plan to crush Israeli [[democracy]]... we are witnessing a [[coup]] here. This is an assassination of the {{wpl|Israeli Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence,}} and democracy must defend itself."|||Former Israeli Prime Minister {{wpl|Ehud Barak}}, on Netanyahu's judicial reforms<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/ehud-barak-says-netanyahus-government-is-legal-but-illegitimate/ "Ehud Barak says Netanyahu’s government is legal but ‘illegitimate’"] Times of Israel live blog, 2023 January 14</ref>}}

====Mainstreaming ultra-Orthodox Judaism====
Sadly, he succeeded, and immediately formed what everyone has called "the most right wing government in Israeli history,"{{efn|And given this is a government infamous for its right-wing bent, that is saying something.}} consisting of ultranationalist, ultraconservative, hyper-jingoistic, hyper-militant, pro-apartheid bloodletters who've made it clear they can't wait to crush everyone they deem undesirable.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63942616 "Israel's most right-wing government agreed under Benjamin Netanyahu," BBC]</ref> <ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/29/netanyahu-to-be-sworn-in-as-head-of-new-far-right-israeli-govt "Benjamin Netanyahu returns as PM of Israel’s most far-right gov’t," Al Jazeera]</ref> <ref>[ https://www.npr.org/2022/12/25/1145471819/israel-is-set-to-swear-in-the-most-right-wing-government-in-the-countrys-history "Israel is set to swear in the most right-wing government in the country's history," Daniel Estrin, NPR]</ref> <ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/21/middleeast/israel-netanyahu-government-intl/index.html "Netanyahu informs Israeli president he has formed government," CNN]</ref> By January 2023, Netanyahu - who remained leader of the opposition - returned to government by throwing his lot in with borderline if not outright fascist Israeli parties who are so reactionary and so extreme, multiple Israeli journalists genuinely began to feel Israeli democracy was on life support. Netanyahu's new coalition government, the "most right wing" in Israeli history, consists of "once-fringe ultra-nationalist and ultra-religious parties" whose leaders include [[Itamar Ben-Gvir]], who was convicted in 2007 for being a '''literal fucking terrorist''', as head of the goddamn police.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/12/21/netanyahu-is-the-godfather-of-modern-israeli-fascism "Netanyahu, the godfather of modern Israeli fascism," Al Jazeera]</ref> <ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2022-10-30/ty-article-magazine/.premium/will-israel-fall-to-the-far-right-without-a-whimper/00000184-29b1-db86-a394-abb51d570000 "Israel Is Sleepwalking Into Jewish Fascism," Haaretz]</ref> Ben-Gvir openly campaigned on a plan to expel “disloyal” Israeli citizens, has vowed to use his security ministry post to create “order” in the face of what the right has said is a grave internal security crisis in Arab communities inside Israel, and personally advocated for more power to his post specifically to carry this out. Through appointments like this, Netanyahu is ensuring legislation is passed "altering the judiciary," which could "nullify corruption cases that could put him behind bars." Among the changes touted by his Likud party and its partners would be a law "giving the Knesset powers to override supreme court decisions." This could mean that "victims of possible police abuses would have no protection."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/21/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-rightwing-government "Israel moves sharply to right as Netanyahu forms new coalition," The Guardian]</ref> Other ministers include {{wpl|Avi Maoz||,}} a rabidly anti-gay Israeli, who was put in charge of national education system and appointed a deputy minister in charge of “Jewish identity”; <ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/22/israels-netanyahu-says-deal-agreed-with-far-right-to-form-govt "Israel’s Netanyahu says deal agreed with far-right to form gov’t," Al Jazeera]</ref> and {{wpl|Bezalel Smotrich}}, leader of the "Religious Zionist Party" and a self-described "[[fascist]] [[homophobe]]",<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-01-16/ty-article/.premium/israels-far-right-finance-minister-im-a-fascist-homophobe-but-i-wont-stone-gays/00000185-b921-de59-a98f-ff7f47c70000 "Israel’s Far-right Finance Minister Says He's 'A Fascist Homophobe' but 'Won't Stone Gays'"], Haaretz, 2023 January 16</ref> who was made the finance minister. Smotrich in the past openly advocated for [[theocracy]]<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-says-israel-should-follow-torah-law-again-drawing-ire-of-liberman/ "Smotrich says Israel should follow Torah law, drawing ire of Liberman"] by Luke Tress and Times of Israel Staff, Times of Israel, 2019 August 9</ref>, and in March 2023 drew widespread condemnation for first advocating that the Palestinian village of {{wpl|Huwara}} needed "to be wiped out",<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-prods-netanyahu-to-condemn-smotrich-incitement-after-call-to-wipe-out-huwara/ "US prods PM to condemn Smotrich’s ‘repugnant, disgusting’ call to wipe out Huwara"] by Jacob Magid, Times of Israel, 2023 March 2</ref> and then claiming that there was "no such thing" as a Palestinian people.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/20/israeli-minister-condemned-claiming-no-such-thing-as-a-palestinian-people-bezalel-smotrich "Israeli minister condemned for claiming ‘no such thing’ as a Palestinian people"], Associated Press in Tel Aviv, reprinted in the Guardian, 2023 March 20</ref>  Another partner is United Torah Judaism, who are connected to a sex cult<ref>[https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/law/2023-03-20/ty-article-magazine/.premium/00000186-e9f9-dd4e-a3ee-effdcf250000]</ref> and defending pedophiles.<ref>{{wpa|Adass Israel School sex abuse scandal}}</ref>

====Destroying Israel's courts====
Netanyahu, who desperately does not want to be in jail for corruption, formed an alliance with the extreme right because he's that scared of losing power and getting thrown in jail for crimes he committed. It's a devil's bargain: if the right wing agrees to stop the trial from jailing Netanyahu, he will push for all their pet policies in favor of deepening apartheid. The agreement includes a plan to carry out "judicial reform" – a euphemism for "weakening the supreme court and other checks and balances," as well as calling for restrictive definition of who is a Jew – and thus eligible for automatic citizenship under Israel’s law of return. <ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/12/21/netanyahu-announces-new-government-with-sweeping-powers-far-right-allies/ "Netanyahu announces new government with sweeping powers to far-right allies," Shira Rubin, Washington Post]</ref> <ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63942616 "Israel's most right-wing government agreed under Benjamin Netanyahu," BBC]</ref> <ref>[https://www.npr.org/2022/12/15/1142813395/israel-benjamin-netanyahu-government "They are joining me. I'm not joining them: Netanyahu defends far-right allies," NPR]</ref>

=====Democratic backsliding=====
Needless to say, this "legal reform" (read: destruction of Israel's independent judiciary) was widely detested by the more [[secular]], more middle-class, and more {{wpl|Ashkenazi Jews|Ashekenazi}} sect of Jews in Israel, in contrast to the {{wpl|Haredi Judaism|Haredi}} Jews which Netanyahu's coalition represented. While tensions between these sects existed before Netanyahu's attempted "judicial dictatorship", the sudden widespread feeling that Israel's successful secular [[democracy]] itself was being threatened led to widespread, months-long protests (involving hundreds of thousands of people in some cases)<ref name="cnbcuncertain">[https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/01/israel-judicial-reforms-protests-against-netanyahu-risks-to-economy.html "‘Huge uncertainty’ for investors and economy as Israel’s government pushes for controversial reforms"] by Natasha Turak, CNBC, 2023 March 1</ref> against the judicial overhaul, including protests from the tech sector (one of Israel's most successful primary exports), the army, and other senior figures in Israel's security, high-tech, financial, and academic fields.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/03/16/binyamin-netanyahu-is-exploiting-israels-divisions "Binyamin Netanyahu is exploiting Israel’s divisions"], Economist, 2023 March 16</ref><ref name="bibiunfit">[https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/23/middleeast/israel-judicial-reforms-prime-minister-law-intl/index.html "Israel passes law shielding Netanyahu from being removed amid protests over judicial changes"] by Hadas Gold and Amir Tai, CNN, 2023 March 24</ref> In fact, multiple reservists of the [[Israel Defence Force]] (including, for instance, 37 pilots of a 40 man Israeli Air Force fighter jet squadron) announced that they would simply refuse to serve under Netanyahu's new judiciary, roiling the military and pissing off Likud politicians.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-chief-to-meet-pilots-officers-as-judicial-overhaul-protests-roil-military/ "IDF chief to meet pilots, officers as judicial overhaul protests roil military"] by Emanuel Fabian, Times of Israel, 2023 March 6</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/go-to-hell-likud-minister-tells-idf-reservists-protesting-judicial-overhaul/ "‘Go to hell,’ Likud minister tells IDF reservists protesting judicial overhaul"], Times of Israel, 2023 March 7</ref> Similar to the protests regarding the [[theocratic]] and [[authoritarian]] encroachments of the [[Republican]] party in the [[United States]], "handmaids" from the dystopian science fiction novel [[The Handmaid's Tale]] became a prominent protest symbol, reflecting the fear that Israel's secular, democratic society was being transformed by Netanyahu into a [[theocratic]], [[patriarchal]], and [[totalitarian]] one.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64975858 "New Israel protests as Netanyahu rejects judicial reforms compromise"], BBC, 2023 March 16</ref><ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/israels-handmaids-become-defining-image-of-protests-against-netanyahu-2023-3 "Israel's 'Handmaids' become a defining image of the mass protests against Netanyahu's judicial reforms"] by Bethany Dawson, Business Insider, 2023 March 19</ref> The radical judicial overhaul spooked investors and others in the business community, who (with very good reason) worried that this would cause severe financial instability, with the impact towards the high tech sector in particular (e.g. a potential [[brain drain]]) being a key concern.<ref name="cnbcuncertain"/><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/14/opinion/bibi-netanyahu-israel.html "Netanyahu’s Judicial Coup Could Destroy His Start-Up Nation"] by Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times, 2023 February 14</ref><ref>[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-734882 "Israeli judicial reform could spark damaging brain drain - survey"] by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, Jerusalem Post, 2023 March 20</ref>

Netanyahu's stance remained defiant: in March 2023 he not only refused to budge from his plans (rejecting any compromise),<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/israel-jewish-netanyahu-judicial-7ca82be91de448b2337b14b81ed26273 "Netanyahu rejects judicial compromise, deepening crisis"] by Josef Federman, AP News, 2023 March 16</ref> but (with the help of his coalition) enacted a law protecting Netanyahu by limiting conditions in which he could be ruled as unfit for office.<ref name="bibiunfit"/> In late March 2023, the Minister of Defense {{wpl|Yoav Gallant}} called for a halt on changes to the judiciary, saying the deep split caused by the bitter dispute posed a danger to the country.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-defence-minister-make-special-statement-1740-gmt-2023-03-25/ "Israeli defence minister calls on government to halt judicial reforms"] by Maayan Lubell, Reuters, 2023 March 25</ref> Netanyahu responded by firing him, sparking even more protests (by one estimate, over 600,000 in number),<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/27/israel-netanyahu-to-delay-judiciary-overhaul-after-mass-protests-coalition-partner-says.html "Israel’s Netanyahu delays controversial judiciary overhaul after mass protests"] by Natasha Turak, Ruxandra Iordache, and Sam Meredith, CNBC, 2023 March 27</ref> as well as a massive strike by multiple unions (including Israel's largest trade union group {{wpl|Histadrut}}) that halted flights, forced multiple businesses to temporarily shutter, and effectively ground the country to a halt.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/26/israel-netanyahu-gallant-defense-minister/ "Netanyahu fires defense minister who called for halt to judicial overhaul"] by Steve Hendrix and Shira Rubin, Washington Post, 2023 March 26</ref><ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/26/israels-judicial-reform-protests/11484367002/ "Protesters flood the streets of Israel after Netanyahu fires minister opposed to controversial reforms"] by Ella Lee and Jotam Confino, USA Today, 2023 March 26</ref><ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/27/middleeast/israel-judicial-overhaul-legislation-intl/index.html "‘Historic’ strikes leave Israel at standstill with crowds in streets to protest judicial reform"] by Hadas Gold, Amir Tal, Helen Regan, Ivana Kottasova and Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 2023 March 27</ref><ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-news-protest-general-strike-netanyahu-judicial-reform/ "Israel unions call general strike as opposition to Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan mounts"], CBS News / AP, 2023 March 27</ref>

Due to the massive protests, Netanyahu postponed voting on the judicial overhaul package until after the 2023 Passover holiday. However, as a "consolation prize" to his hard-right coalition, Ben-Gvir was promised authority over a new "national guard", something Ben-Gvir had long desired.<ref>[https://www.vox.com/world-politics/2023/3/28/23659116/netanyahu-israel-protests-judicial-overhaul-questions "The 3 big questions facing Israel after Netanyahu delays judicial overhaul"] by Jonathan Guyer, Vox, 2023 March 28</ref> Of the later move, critics slammed Netanyahu's decision, worrying that this was potentially creating an unchecked "private militia" for a radical "[[Jewish Defense League|Kahanist]]" that would be used solely for "(Ben-Gvir's) political needs", and in effect erode Israel's democracy and rule of law even further.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/editorial/2023-03-28/ty-article-opinion/a-kahanist-militia-for-netanyahu/00000187-297b-d6f0-af9f-797f3b100000 "A Kahanist Militia for Netanyahu"], Haaretz Editorial, Haaretz.com, 2023 March 28</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/critics-slam-netanyahus-alleged-ok-for-national-guard-private-ben-gvir-militia/ "Critics slam Netanyahu’s alleged OK for national guard: ‘Private Ben Gvir militia’"], Times of Israel Liveblog, 2023 March 28</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/to-okay-overhaul-delay-ben-gvir-gets-promise-for-national-guard-under-his-control/ "To okay overhaul delay, Ben Gvir gets promise for ‘national guard’ under his control"], Times of Israel, 2023 March 28</ref>

==2023 Gaza War==
{{cquote|"Vengeance should not be a foreign policy doctrine."|||Representative Ayanna Pressley succinctly explaining the problem with Netanyahu's response to October 7.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/16/house-democrats-urge-biden-ceasefire-israel-hamas "Progressive Democrats bring resolution calling for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war"] Joan E Greve and Lauren Gambino, The Guardian, 16 Oct 2023</ref>}}

This is the most horrific thing to ever happen under Netanyahu's leadership of Israel.

===October 7 attacks===
A day after the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, on the Jewish holidays of Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret on Shabbat, [[Hamas]] launched a series of surprise attacks inside Israeli territory. After launching thousands of rockets from Gaza, Hamas militants breached the Gaza–Israel barrier, attacking military bases and massacring civilians in 21 communities, including Be'eri, Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, Netiv Haasara, and Alumim. Over a thousand Israelis were killed by Hamas militants throughout the day.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2023/10/07/1204436940/palestinian-militants-launch-rockets-into-israel "All-out war: Israel pounds Gaza after militants infiltrate in a large-scale attack," Daniel Estrin, Bill Chappell, Larry Kaplow, and Juliana Kim for NPR</ref><ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/haaretz-explains/2023-10-17/ty-article-magazine/.premium/the-first-hours-of-the-israel-hamas-war-what-actually-took-place/0000018b-38bc-d0ac-a39f-b9be58df0000 "The First Hours of the Israel-Hamas War: What Actually Happened?" Yaniv Kubovich, Haaretz]</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/38-children-were-killed-20-orphaned-on-oct-7-the-state-did-not-pass-the-test-of-protecting-them/ "38 children were killed, 20 orphaned on Oct. 7: The state did not pass the test of protecting them," Times of Israel]</ref><ref>[https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231215-israel-social-security-data-reveals-true-picture-of-oct-7-deaths "Israel social security data reveals true picture of Oct 7 deaths," France 24. 15 December 2023]</ref> Hamas employed tactics such as using aerial drones to disable Israeli observation posts, paragliders for infiltration into Israel, and motorcycles, which caught everybody off-guard.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/hamas-fighters-trained-in-iran-before-oct-7-attacks-e2a8dbb9 Hamas Fighters Trained in Iran Before Oct. 7 Attacks". The Wall Street Journal. 25 October 2023]</ref> Around 240 people were taken hostage during the attacks, mostly civilians.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/article/israel-hostages-hamas-explained.html Vinograd, Cassandra; Kershner, Isabel (9 October 2023). "Hamas Took Scores of Hostages From Israel. Here's What We Know About Them". The New York Times.]</ref><ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2023/10/kidnappings-israel-hamas-photographs/675593/ "Images of the Mass Kidnapping of Israelis by Hamas". The Atlantic.]</ref> It was the single worst security and intelligence failure in Israeli history, and it kick-started the 2023 Israel-Hamas War.

====Ignored warnings====
Multiple reports emerged that Netanyahu's government had forewarning about an inevitable Hamas attack. But across the board, even within Israel itself, Netanyahu has been accused of ignoring all warnings from everybody and undermined those who did warn him about a likely attack.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/netanyahu-denies-ignoring-advanced-warning-of-hamas-onslaught-pixrb7cr "Netanyahu denies ignoring advance warning of Hamas onslaught," The JC]</ref><ref>[https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-secret-service-s-warnings-were-ignored-before-oct-7-attack-opposition-leader/3087027 "Israeli secret service’s warnings were ignored before Oct. 7 attack: Opposition leader," Ayhan Simsek, AA]</ref><ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/12/middleeast/netanyahu-bash-interview-israel-hamas-war-intl/index.html "Netanyahu refuses to answer CNN on whether he would take responsibility for October 7 attack," CNN]</ref>

Egypt warned Israel days before the attack that "an explosion of the situation" was coming, and while Israel denied receiving such warnings, the Biden administration confirmed that warnings had been issued, thereby proving Netanyahu lied again.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/egypt-intelligence-official-says-israel-ignored-repeated-warnings-of-something-big/ "Egypt intelligence official says Israel ignored repeated warnings of something big," Times of Israel]</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/senior-us-lawmaker-says-egypt-warned-israel-3-days-before-onslaught/ "Senior US lawmaker says Egypt warned Israel 3 days before onslaught," Times of Israel]</ref>

===Sabotaging the hostage rescue process===
Many Israeli outlets, opposition figures, and ''families of the hostages'', including rescued hostages themselves have all criticized Netanyahu's refusal to end the war and blatant disregard for the hostages. He reportedly told the hostages' families that he would not agree to a hostage release deal unless it polls well for him, perhaps the single most sociopathic thing he has ever said in his life about his fellow Jews. This admission proved to many Israelis that the Israeli government "made a conscious and deliberate decision to sacrifice the hostages,”  the Hostage Family Forum said in a statement condemning Netanyahu. “The hostages, and the entire State of Israel, have been taken captive by those who chose political interests over their national and governmental duty.”<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-hamas-war-hostage-deal-netanyahu-polls-families-rcna154841 "Netanyahu won’t agree to hostage release deal unless it polls well for him, Israeli families say they were told," NBC News]</ref> But it goes beyond simply not caring about the hostages. Many of his Israeli critics believe that Netanyahu would lose an election the moment the war ended, and so he has a personal incentive to drag the war out for as long as humanely possible so he avoids jail time for bribery and corruption, which is the reason he even tried to subjugate the courts to begin with. He not only wants to keep his political career alive, his political career is the only reason he isn't behind bars at the moment, and the hostages' families have detailed every single time Netanyahu deliberately sabotaged hostage release deals by making unreasonable, impractical, and impossible demands that Hamas could not possibly agree to.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-810551 "Netanyahu actively sabotaging hostage deal, sources say," Jerusalem Post]</ref><ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-10/ty-article-timeline/.premium/how-netanyahu-has-systematically-foiled-talks-to-release-hostages-from-hamas-captivity/00000190-9b91-d591-a7ff-fff341120000 "How Netanyahu Has Systematically Foiled Talks to Release Hostages From Hamas Captivity," Haaretz]</ref>

====Killing hostages====
Most infamously, Israeli forces killed multiple Israeli hostages, including one case where three hostages were killed because the IDF confused them for Palestinians angling for an ambush.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/news/3-israeli-hostages-tried-only-killed-military-rcna130912 "How 3 Israeli hostages tried to save themselves, only to be killed by their own military," NBC]</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-troops-killed-hostages-mistaking-their-cries-help-ambush-military-2023-12-28/ "Israeli troops killed hostages, mistaking their cries for help as ambush -military," Emily Rose, Reuters]</ref> This is in spite of how the hostages were waving a white flag.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2023/12/15/1219695220/israel-soldiers-mistakenly-kill-hostages-gaza "3 hostages killed by Israeli soldier in Gaza were waving a white flag, Israel says," Becky Sullivan and Kat Lonsdorf, NPR]</ref>

===War crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide===
As expected from a far right-wing government staffed with turbo-fascists, Netanyahu's response was characteristically monstrous. As announced through Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu's government instituted a "total blockade" of all food, water, medicine, fuel and electricity from the Gaza Strip, directly causing starvation and contributing to the threat of famine in the Gaza Strip, while Israeli forces and civilians prevented humanitarian supplies from reaching the Palestinian population, blocking or attacking humanitarian convoys.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/9/israel-announces-total-blockade-on-gaza "Israel announces ‘total’ blockade on Gaza," Al Jazeera]</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67051292 "Gaza 'soon without fuel, medicine and food' - Israel authorities," BBC]</ref> Netanyahu insisted the blockade would not be lifted until the hostages abducted by Hamas are returned, which has been criticized as collective punishment.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/12/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-latest-news-on-gaza.html "Israel calls for evacuation of 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza; at least 27 Americans killed," CNBC]</ref><ref>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/israeli-palestinian-conflict-gaza-blockade-1.6990923 "Food will run out in days under Israel's total blockade of Gaza, humanitarian experts warn," CBC]</ref>

As soon as the Israelis invaded the Gaza Strip, international observers, human rights advocates, journalists, legal experts, and others have accused Israel of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/10/12/is-israeli-bombing-of-gaza-a-violation-of-international-laws "Is Israeli bombing of Gaza a violation of international laws?" Al Jazeera]</ref> On October 13, 2023, the Israeli army ordered the evacuation of 1.1 million people from North Gaza. The evacuation order was characterized as a forcible transfer by Jan Egeland, the Norwegian former diplomat involved with the Oslo Accords. A "forcible transfer" is the forced relocation of a civilian population as part of an organized offense against it. It is considered a crime against humanity by the International Criminal Court.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israel-orders-evacuation-of-1-million-in-northern-gaza-in-24-hours "Israel orders evacuation of 1 million in northern Gaza in 24 hours," PBS]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231014132458/https://www.ft.com/content/eb4717fc-432e-4251-b778-7a365f8de825?accessToken=zwAGB63wDZbYkdPrRxf8Qy5CUdO3eHo2X43oJQ.MEQCIQDcwGudDMv5bHMEEl000xy4DPGx7c0vFLiArY6aUdpF2AIfL1wVgRM8vtVUAlUm6FxWr3LlBBJD1XlhZAq_ln33rw&sharetype=gift&token=37a455ea-c676-4b2f-9449-fbbae0077868 "Gazans stream south to seek shelter from Israeli bombardment," Financial Times]</ref> By January 2024, Israeli authorities blocked 56% of humanitarian aid to northern Gaza.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/10/israel-appears-to-be-in-breach-of-icj-orders-on-gaza-senior-un-official-says "Israel appears to be in breach of ICJ orders on Gaza, senior UN official says," The Guardian]</ref>

On 19 June 2024, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory presented a detailed report affirming that both Hamas and Israel committed war crimes ''and'' that Israel's actions also constituted crimes against humanity. On the Israeli side, the UN found that Israeli authorities are responsible for "starvation as a method of warfare, murder or willful killing, intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, forcible transfer, sexual violence, torture and inhuman or cruel treatment, arbitrary detention and outrages upon personal dignity." The report also found that Israel committed numerous crimes against humanity, including carrying out the "extermination of Palestinians" and "gender persecution targeting Palestinian men and boys."<ref>[https://www.ohchr.org/en/news/2024/06/commission-inquiry-occupied-palestinian-territory-concludes-israeli-authorities-and?sub-site=HRC "Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory Concludes that Israeli Authorities and Hamas Are Both Responsible for War Crimes," Human Rights Council, United Nations.]</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-may-have-violated-laws-war-gaza-campaign-un-rights-office-says-2024-06-19/ "Israel may have violated laws of war in Gaza, UN rights office says," Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber and Emma Farge, Reuters]</ref><ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/19/israels-actions-in-gaza-intentional-attack-on-civilians-un-inquiry "Israel’s actions in Gaza ‘intentional attack on civilians’: UN inquiry," Al Jazeera]</ref> Refugee camps, schools, hospitals, UN buildings, humanitarian responders, and even journalists were bombed wholesale by Israeli forces.<ref>[https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-what-is-a-war-crime-and-did-hamas-commit-war-crimes-in-its-attack-on-israel "What is a war crime and did Hamas commit war crimes in its attack on Israel?" Channel 14 News]</ref> 

United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese cited statements by senior Israeli officials that may indicate an "intent to destroy" Gaza's population, a necessary condition for the legal threshold of genocide to be met. South Africa, under the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa, invoked the 1948 Genocide Convention and charged Israel with war crimes and acts of genocide against the Palestinian people.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/29/middleeast/south-africa-icj-israel-genocide-intl/index.html "South Africa files genocide case against Israel at International Court of Justice over Gaza war," Pierre Meilhan, Bethlehem Feleke, and Tamar Michaelis, CNN]</ref><ref>[https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israel-to-defend-itself-at-world-court-after-south-africa-files-genocide-accusations "Israel to defend itself at world court after South Africa files genocide accusations," PBS]</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67844551 "South Africa files ICJ case accusing Israel of genocidal acts," Daniel De Simone and Alys Davies, BBC]</ref>

Over 6000 bombs were dropped on Gaza ''in the first week'', more so than all of the [[Iraq War]]. The scale, extent, and pace of destruction of buildings in the Gaza Strip ranks among the most severe in ''modern history''. The damage to buildings in northern Gaza reportedly exceeds that in Bakhmut and Mariupol in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Aleppo in the Battle of Aleppo, and Mosul and Raqqa in the War against the Islamic State. By 5 December 2023, the percentage of buildings damaged or destroyed in Gaza exceeded Dresden and Cologne during World War II and approached the level of destruction seen in Hamburg.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231227085321/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2023/israel-war-destruction-gaza-record-pace/ "Israel has waged one of this century’s most destructive wars in Gaza," Washington Post]</ref><ref>[https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/gaza-destruction-bombing-israel-aa528542 "The Ruined Landscape of Gaza After Nearly Three Months of Bombing," Jared Malsin and Saeed Shah, Washington Post]</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/07/widespread-destruction-in-gaza-puts-concept-of-domicide-in-focus "Widespread destruction in Gaza puts concept of ‘domicide’ in focus," Patrick Wintour, The Guardian]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20240103080237/https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7068647 "Israel's Gaza bombing campaign is the most destructive of this century, analysts say," CBC]</ref><ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/8a56b2bf-8af7-4c87-9012-31882e7d7d59 "Military briefing: Israel’s devastating bombing campaign in Gaza," Financial Times]</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/26/gazas-37m-tonnes-of-bomb-filled-debris-could-take-14-years-to-clear-says-expert "Gaza’s 37m tonnes of bomb-filled debris could take 14 years to clear, says expert," Emma Graham-Harrison]</ref> Over 50% of all buildings in Gaza were destroyed.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/08/the-numbers-that-reveal-the-extent-of-the-destruction-in-gaza "The numbers that reveal the extent of the destruction in Gaza," Archie Bland, The Guardian]</ref><ref>[https://www.axios.com/2024/01/14/gaza-building-damage-israel-war "Over 50% of Gaza buildings damaged or destroyed in Israel's bombardment," Will Chase, Axios]</ref> 

Another incident occurred later in June 2024, where the IDF freed 4 hostages and killed at least 274 Palestinians.<ref>[https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-hostages-casualties-1458f5a1dfe7bd4d908231bb7090a559 "How an Israeli raid freed 4 hostages and killed at least 274 Palestinians in Gaza," Associated Press]</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw44ve90dppo ["Gaza health ministry says Israeli hostage rescue killed 274 Palestinians," BBC]</ref>

On top of that, journalists and families of journalists were killed by the IDF throughout the conflict.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/12/4/israel-gaza-war-live-israel-expands-ground-attack-in-southern-gaza?update=2533669 "Family of CNN journalist killed in Israeli strike," Al Jazeera]</ref><ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/4/father-describes-young-daughters-killing-by-israel-in-gaza "Father describes young daughter’s killing by Israel in Gaza," Al Jazeera]</ref>

====Flour massacre====
On 29 February 2024, at least 118 Palestinians were killed and 760 injured after Israeli forces opened fire on civilians seeking food from aid trucks near to the Al-Nabulsi Roundabout on the coastal Al-Rashid Street in Gaza City. It was deadliest mass casualty event to have taken place in the Gaza Strip since the start of Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip. There were at least 14 incidents involving shooting and shelling of people gathered to receive desperately needed supplies.<ref>[https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/un-human-rights-office-opt-un-human-rights-office-strongly-deplores-killing-least-112-palestinians-during-food-aid-distribution-gaza-city-enar#:~:text=From%20mid%2DJanuary%20to%20the,a%20majority%20of%20these%20incidents "UN Human Rights Office - OPT: UN Human Rights Office strongly deplores killing of at least 112 Palestinians during food aid distribution in Gaza City," Relief Web]</ref><ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/2/29/israels-war-on-gaza-live-mass-killing-of-children-in-slow-motion-ngo "Israel’s war on Gaza updates: ‘Life draining out of Gaza’-UN on aid attack," Al Jazeera]</ref><ref>[https://www.ft.com/content/aa32ee94-e5f9-4258-be03-c68890552046 "Dozens killed as chaos hits Gaza food convoy and Israeli troops open fire," Financial Times]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20240302221058/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/2/un-reports-large-number-of-gunshot-wounds-following-flour-massacre "UN sees ‘large number of gunshot wounds’ after Israel’s flour massacre," Al Jazeera]</ref><ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/09/middleeast/gaza-food-aid-convoy-deaths-eyewitness-intl-investigation-cmd/index.html "Dying for a bag of flour: Videos and eyewitness accounts cast doubt on Israel’s timeline of deadly Gaza aid delivery," CNN]</ref><ref>[https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-deputy-chief-warns-security-council-imminent-famine-northern-gaza-unless-conditions-change "WFP Deputy Chief warns Security Council of imminent famine in northern Gaza unless conditions change," World Famine Programme]</ref> Survivors described the massacre as an ambush, stating that Israeli forces deliberately opened fire as Palestinians approached the aid trucks, resulting in a rush away from the gunfire that added to the death toll.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/1/flour-massacre-how-gaza-food-killings-unfolded-and-israels-story-changed "Flour massacre: How Gaza food killings unfolded, and Israel’s story changed," Al Jazeera]</ref>

===Enduring popularity===
And in spite of all that, including an ICJ warrant for his arrest, Netanyahu remains as popular as ever. This is due in part to his weak-ass opposition, which is so fractured that it has been described as "increasingly nonexistent." Even his harshest Israeli critics, for putting the holy Jewish land over their own diverse political opinions, do not oppose the war in Gaza, or the war in [[Lebanon]], or his blatant land grab in [[Syria]] through the Golan Heights after the fall of [[Bashar al-Assad]]. And even if they hate him, there is quite simply no true left wing in Israel, there is no true organized movement for workers in Israel, and Netanyahu has been in power for so long before October 7 that he has already done everything in his power to chip away at Israel's democratic institutions to keep himself out of jail for as long as humanely possible, even if that means endless war. <ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/opinion/netanyahu-israel-power.html "Bibi Netanyahu Is Failing Ever Upward," New York Times]]</ref>

===Forced to accept a second ceasefire deal===
Steve Witkoff, an American businessman who endorsed [[Donald Trump]], was anointed as Trump's Middle East envoy in December 2024. He took part in ceasefire negotiations between [[Hamas]] and [[Israel]] at [[Qatar]]. The specific ceasefire deal, originally proposed by President Biden, postulated that Israel must fully withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor during the first of three phases, making it harder for Israel to resume fighting. Netanyahu obviously opposed even this basic compromise, insisting that Israel must remain in Gaza indefinitely. In January 2025, Witkoff called from Qatar to tell Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aides that he would be coming to Israel the following afternoon. The aides politely explained that was in the middle of the Sabbath, suggesting that Netanyahu could be available at a later date. But Witkoff, who identifies as Jewish, bluntly said "Sabbath does not interest me." Netanyahu "duly went to his office to meet the US envoy," who afterwards returned to Qatar to push further on a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza. After a reportedly "tense" meeting, Israeli press reported that Netanyahu has tentatively accepted the ceasefire after all, although he took his sweet-ass time to finalize it. <ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-01-13/ty-article/.premium/trumps-mideast-envoy-forced-netanyahu-to-accept-a-gaza-plan-he-repeatedly-rejected/00000194-615c-d4d0-a1f4-fbfdce850000 "Trump's Mideast Envoy Forced Netanyahu to Accept a Gaza Plan He Repeatedly Rejected," Haaretz]</ref> <ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hostage-talks-advanced-after-tense-meeting-between-netanyahu-trump-envoy/ "Hostage talks advanced after ‘tense’ meet between Netanyahu and Trump envoy, officials tell ToI," Times of Israel]</ref> <ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/01/14/trump-envoy-witkoff-netanyahu-hamas-israel-hostage-deal/ "How Trump’s ‘salty’ envoy may have forced Israel’s hand on hostage deal," The Telegram]</ref>

On January 19, 2025, the ceasefire finally took effect on Joe Biden's last day in office. Per the contours of the deal, Israel "freed 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees early on Monday," hours after "three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity" in Gaza returned to Israel. Over 600 aid trucks were allowed to enter the Strip as Palestinian refugees finally returned to North Gaza. <ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgpe1pmyq5o "Hamas releases first Israeli hostages after Gaza ceasefire takes effect," David Gritten, BBC]</ref> <ref>[https://apnews.com/live/mideast-israel-gaza-updates-1-19-25 "Israel releases 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of ceasefire deal with Hamas," Associated Press]</ref> <ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-hamas-ceasefire-deal-updates-2025-01-19/ "Gaza ceasefire: Three Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners freed, Gazans return amid rubble," Reuters]</ref>

====Breaking the ceasefire and continuing the slaughter====
But since this is still Netanyahu, he broke the ceasefire by ordering an airstrike in Gaza, which killed 404 Palestinians, 263 of whom were women or children. <ref>[https://apnews.com/live/latest-updates-israel-launches-new-wave-of-airstrikes-across-gaza-after-ceasefire-talks-stall#00000195-a988-d36f-a797-a99b37260000 "France ‘condemns’ Israel’s deadly airstrikes in Gaza," Associated Press]</ref> In August 2025, he ordered yet another invasion of Gaza City, fully intending to annex the entire strip. <ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/8/netanyahu-threatens-gaza-residents-as-un-slams-israel-over-mass "Netanyahu threatens Gaza residents as UN slams Israel over ‘mass killing’," Al Jazeera]</ref> Despite ordering the mass evacuation of people in Gaza City, the Israeli military killed at least 41 people in one day who were themselves trying to evacuate the city anyway.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/10/israeli-military-kills-at-least-people-as-it-continues-to-order-evacuation-of-gaza-city "Israeli military kills at least 41 people as it continues to order evacuation of Gaza City," The Guardian]</ref>

===Assaulting all of his neighbors===
He's not just attacking Palestine either. Netanyahu personally approved of the detonation of "numerous pagers and walkie-talkies" in [[Lebanon]] in September 2024, which "killed 39 people and wounded more than 3,400." <ref>[https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20241111-israeli-pm-office-confirms-netanyahu-approved-lebanon-pager-attacks "Israeli PM’s office confirms Netanyahu approved Lebanon pager attacks," France 24 News]</ref> He warned Lebanon of "destruction like Gaza" in the runup to the 2024 Invasion of Lebanon. Hezbollah began launching missile strikes after October 7, 2023, prompting tens of thousands of Northern Israelis to flee their homes. Israel responded by sending tit-for-tat missiles against Southern Lebanon, displacing over 1.5 million Lebanese who had their homes damaged or destroyed. During all this, throughout 2024, Netanyahu successfully carried out the assassination of Hasan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, before finally launching the sixth invasion of Lebanon in history. It led to over Israeli forces taking land from Southern Lebanon as well as over two thousand Lebanese civilians dying as a direct result of the invasion.<ref>[https://halifax.citynews.ca/2024/11/16/israeli-troops-reach-deepest-point-in-lebanon-since-oct-1-invasion-lebanese-media-say/ "Israeli troops reach deepest point in Lebanon since Oct. 1 invasion, Lebanese media say," Halifax City News]</ref> <ref>[https://www.barrons.com/news/lebanon-says-death-toll-tops-2-600-since-israel-intensified-strikes-c0e643f5 "Lebanon Says Death Toll Tops 2,600 Since Israel Intensified Strikes," Barrons News]</ref> <ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly3x1w0595o "Netanyahu warns Lebanon of destruction like Gaza," BBC News]</ref> <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20241213104848/https://theconversation.com/israel-has-invaded-lebanon-six-times-in-the-past-50-years-a-timeline-of-events-240157 "Israel has invaded Lebanon six times in the past 50 years – a timeline of events," The Conversation]</ref> But even that didn't last long. On August 2025, Israel broke the ceasefire by launching strikes which killed five people in Southern Lebanon. Local media folk said the Israelis hit the Bekaa and Hermel districts, with seven bombs landing on the outskirts of Hermel, while "another strike targeted the nearby town of Labweh." These attacks, ostensibly against Hezbollah, derailed the Lebanese government's attempts to disarm Hezbollah. <ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/8/israeli-strikes-kill-five-in-lebanon-in-latest-ceasefire-breach "Israeli strikes kill five in Lebanon in latest ceasefire breach," Al Jazeera]</ref>

After the fall of [[Bashar al-Assad]], Netanyahu ordered an invasion of [[Syria]] through the Golan Heights, ostensibly to "protect" the Druze minorities - who pointedly did not ask for Israeli "help" at all. Even during supposed peace talks between Syria and Israel, Netanyahu ''still'' chose to carry out air strikes against the Syrian people, including Damascus itself.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79v1351ello "Syria accuses Israel of carrying out air strikes," Chris Graham, BBC News]</ref> <ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/10/israel-and-syria-have-held-peace-talks-why-then-did-israel-attack-syria "Israel and Syria have held peace talks, why then did Israel attack Syria?" Al Jazeera]</ref>

On June 2025, Netanyahu launched surprise attacks on [[Iran]], leading to the 12-day war which killed several high ranking Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/13/middleeast/iran-attacks-israel-intl-latam "Iran launches barrage of missiles at Israel following attack," by Michael Rios, Nechirvan Mando, Catherine Nicholls, Eugenia Yosef, and Dana Karni, CNN]</ref> Under Netanyahu's direction, [[Mossad]] carried out "covert sabotage operations" against Iranian air defenses and long-range missiles, which left Iranian civilians especially vulnerable to the Israeli onslaught. <ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/report-mossad-carried-out-covert-sabotage-operations-against-iranian-air-defenses-long-range-missiles/ "Mossad carried out covert sabotage operations against Iranian air defenses, long-range missiles," Times of Israel]</ref> This culminated in Israel bombing an Iranian hospital which killed over 200 people. <ref>[https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/iranian-missiles-hit-hospital-and-wound-over-200-israel-threatens-irans-top-leader "Iranian missiles hit hospital and wound over 200. Israel threatens Iran’s top leader," PBS]</ref> All of this was due to Netanyahu's 30-year fearmongering over Iran's nuclear program, but many experts argued that, even after [[Donald Trump]] attacked three Iranian nuclear sites, Iran's nuclear program is still standing, so he failed once again at actually defeating his enemy. Now he's only emboldened hardliners in Iran who actually do want to build a nuclear weapon, if only out of survival.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/13/benjamin-netanyahu-attack-iran-israel-us-nuclear "Netanyahu attacked Iran to avert an ‘existential threat’. He may have made it worse," Johnathan Freedland, The Guardian]</ref> After the American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, President Trump told Netanyahu "not to expect" further American assistance which forced Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire with Iran. <ref>[https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-israel-ceasefire-agreement-terms-b5fc5cc8a8c32b4899646130b496798a "A whirlwind 48 hours: How Trump’s Israel-Iran ceasefire agreement came together," Associated Press]</ref> This brief war led to over 4,870 Iranian casualties (roughly a thousand dead and the rest wounded); a pointless waste of life, as is typical of Netanyahu's foreign policy. <ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/world/middleeast/iran-response-ceasefire-chance.html "Can Iran, Israel, and the U.S. now all claim to have won?" New York Times]</ref>

And of course it didn't stop there. [[Qatar]], an oil-rich Gulf monarchy, often acts as a mediator and a neutral ground as it pertains to Israel and its enemies. [[Hamas]] leaders were negotiating with Israeli diplomats in Qatar, hoping to end the slaughter in Gaza. But suddenly, on August 2025, Israel attacked Doha, the Qatari capital city, in a unilateral strike that the Qatari government called "State terrorism" designed to derail the peace talks. <ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-attacks-hamas-leaders-qatar-trump-says-hes-very-unhappy-about-strike-2025-09-09/ "Israel attacks Hamas leaders in Qatar, Trump says he's 'very unhappy' about strike," by Andrew Mills, Jana Choukeir, Ahmed Elimam, and Jeff Mason, Reuters]</ref> Israeli media says the operation involved "15 Israeli fighter jets, firing 10 munitions against a single target." Among the confirmed deaths were a Qatari security officer and Humam Al-Hayya, son of Hamas' chief negotiator for the peace talks. <ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5jl77ygv4o "What do we know about Israeli strike on Hamas in Qatar?" Fiona Nimoni, BBC News]</ref> Even President Trump condemned the attack, perhaps in response to news that his own government was "infuriated" with Netanyahu. <ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/world/middle-east/israel-qatar-attack-hamas-leaders-ceasefire-gaza-war-trump-rcna230263 "Israel's allies condemn Qatar strike that Hamas says leaders survived," NBC News]</ref> <ref>[https://www.axios.com/2025/09/09/israel-attack-qatar-hamas-trump-reaction "Israel's attack in Qatar infuriated Trump advisers, officials say," Axios]</ref> But don't think that this means Trump will suddenly turn on Netanyahu, because Trump's track record is one of letting the Israelis do whatever they want so long as they agree to give private real estate in Gaza to Trump. <ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/us/politics/israel-trump-gaza-qatar-bombing.html "Once Again, Israel Leaves Trump in the Dark as It Conducts a Military Attack," New York Times]</ref>

The Houthis in [[Yemen]], in response to the Gaza genocide, ignited the Red Sea crisis where they halted or attacked ships which carried supplies for Israel or straight up seized Israeli trading ships outright. While Israel had done its own tit-for-tat missile strikes in Houthi territory, in August 2025, Netanyahu bombed Sanaa, Yemen's capital city, a day after bombing Qatar's capital city, Doha.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/10/israel-attacks-yemen-capital-report "Israel attacks Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, a day after bombing Qatar’s Doha," Al Jazeera]</ref> <ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-attacks-sanaa-al-jawf-latest-strikes-houthis-2025-09-10/ "Israel attacks Sanaa, al-Jawf in latest strikes on Houthis," by Yomna Ehab, Jaidaa Taha, and Mohammed Ghobari, Reuters]</ref> This came not too long after Israeli strikes already assassinated Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of (Houthi-controlled) Yemen. <ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/30/yemens-houthis-confirm-israeli-airstrike-killed-the-groups-prime-minister "Yemen’s Houthis confirm prime minister killed in Israeli strike on Sanaa," Al Jazeera]</ref>

And then on top of that, an Israeli drone struck a pro-Gaza humanitarian boat off the coast of Tunisia.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/9/global-sumud-flotilla-reports-drone-attack-on-gaza-bound-ship-in-tunisia "Global Sumud Flotilla reports drone attack on Gaza-bound ship in Tunisia," Al Jazeera]</ref> Because clearly, any attempts at providing relief to Gaza is treated as an affront to Israel.

If you're keeping track, on September 2025, Israel attacked six countries in 72 hours, specifically Palestine (via Gaza), Lebanon (via Bekaa and Hermel), Qatar (via Doha), Yemen (via Sanaa), Syria (via Homs), and Tunisia (via the coast). Iran makes it seven if you expand it to all the countries attacked by Israel in one year.<ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/10/maps-israel-has-attacked-six-countries-in-the-past-72-hours "Israel has attacked six countries in the past 72 hours," by Marium Ali and Alia Chughtai, Al Jazeera]</ref> These actions compelled a Qatari advisor to accuse Netanyahu of being an unhinged "narcissistic saboteur-in-chief" who is actively endangering world peace simply to avoid a jail sentence.<ref>[https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/middle-east/qatar-israel-attack-bombing-netanyahu-doha-b2824047.html "Netanyahu is an unhinged narcissist who has sabotaged world peace, says furious Qatar," Bel Trew, 
The Independent]</ref>

===Stopping the Global Sumud Flotilla===
A flotilla of boats carrying humanitarian aid set sail for Gaza, determined to give the Palestinians life-saving food, water, and other supplies. They intended to break the Gaza naval blockade. Greta Thunberg herself was one of the activists who took part in the flotilla aid effort. But the moment the flotilla's boats reached Gaza, the Israeli military intercepted the boats, detained the activists, charged them with terrorism, and tortured them - including Thunberg - before releasing them a few days later. Thunberg even alleged that [[Itamar Ben-Gvir]] personally visited some of the detained activists specifically to accuse them of being terrorists and brag about how his goons tortured them as punishment for daring to help Palestinians. <ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/01/middleeast/israel-gaza-flotilla-explainer-scli-intl "Greta Thunberg and other activists detained as Israeli military intercepts Gaza-bound aid ships," CNN]</ref> <ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/greta-thunberg-alleges-torture-israeli-detention-after-gaza-flotilla-arrest-2025-10-07/ "Greta Thunberg alleges torture in Israeli detention after Gaza flotilla arrest," Reuters]</ref> <ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/7/us-activist-from-gaza-flotilla-alleges-psychological-torture-by-israel "US activist from Gaza flotilla alleges ‘psychological torture’ by Israel," Al Jazeera]</ref>

However, several foreign policy experts argued that the flotilla's efforts, while halted by Israel, were supported by millions of people throughout the world, including Europe and America. The pro-Palestinian movement put so much pressure on so many governments that even Trump himself felt pressured to force Netanyahu to accept a third ceasefire deal. The very goals for which hundreds of activists were arrested at sea, "unimpeded aid, civilian protection," and "recognition of humanitarian law," have now been "written into the language of a ceasefire" due to pressure, particularly from labour unions who threatened or enacted work stoppages to support the flotilla. Israel will "permit the entry of food, medical supplies, and essential goods" into Gaza, exactly the demands that the flotilla wanted. Furthermore, aid convoys "are rolling through the crossings without obstruction, bringing flour, fuel, and medical kits to a population teetering on the edge of famine." <ref>[https://www.juancole.com/2025/10/flotilla-achieve-fragile.html "The Sumud Aid Flotilla did more than Trump to Achieve Gaza’s Fragile Peace," Informed Comment]</ref>

===Third ceasefire and releasing all hostages===
By October 2025, a third ceasefire was reached, which stipulated amnesty for Hamas, the immediate end of the slaughter, full humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the release of all living Israeli hostages as well as the freeing of thousands of kidnapped Palestinians. <ref>[https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-gaza-ceasefire-deal-hostages-10-14-25 "Next steps for Israel and Gaza unclear after hostage and detainee release," CNN]</ref>

The reason Netanyahu even accepted this ceasefire was because, according to sources close to the situation, Trump told Netanyahu "you have no choice" but to accept it. <ref>[https://www.axios.com/2025/10/04/trump-gaza-deal-netanyahu-call Exclusive — Trump on Gaza deal push: "I said, 'Bibi, this is your chance for victory'," Axios]</ref>

But as expected of Netanyahu, days after the ceasefire was ratified, Israeli drones killed several Palestinians anyway, violating the ceasefire basically immediately. <ref>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/10/14/gaza-ceasefire-tested-as-israeli-forces-kill-five-palestinians "Gaza ceasefire tested as Israeli forces kill five Palestinians," Al Jazeera]</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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[[Category:Vatniks]]
[[Category:War criminals]]

Categories: Anti-Christian bigots, Authors, Conservative deceit, Denialists, Fascists, Genocide, Government incompetence, Homophobes, Imperialists, Irredentists, Islamophobes, Israeli politics, Jews, Living people, Machismo, Middle-Eastern politicians, Neoconservatives, Pseudohistory promoters, Racists, Right-wing activists, Shysters, Terrorists, Vatniks, War criminals