Netanyahu’s War On The World

Benjamin Netanyahu is no longer just a prime minister waging war against Gaza. His war is against the world. He has resumed this war of relentless brutality without even pretending to target Hamas. Children, women, and innocent civilians are his victims today. He has starved them throughout the suspension of hostilities as he wages a personal comprehensive battle against anyone who threatens his power, especially within Israel itself, which he has targeted everyone from his political opposition to the state institutions.
While the world strives for an end to the war, as well as the massacres of civilians and children, Netanyahu insists on escalation. He has refused to respect the ceasefire or resume negotiations, brushing off all the international pressure. It seems that his battle is not only against the people of Gaza but against anyone seeking an end to the violence.
Netanyahu's brutality and hysteria were laid bare in his courtroom outburst. “They have taken my life! They have taken my family’s life! They have pushed us to the gates of hell!” But the real question is who. Who are “they”? Hamas? His political rivals? Or the world that rejects his draconian methods?
Indeed, it has now become clear that Netanyahu’s behavior has nothing to do with Israel’s security and has everything to do with maintaining power. Nothing speaks to this more clearly than his dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. This decision is part of a series of panicked political moves masked by military superiority. The political turmoil Netanyahu has created manifests in his relentless campaign to liquidate anyone who threatens his rule. Bar was dismissed because Shin Bet exposed the failures of October 7 and Netanyahu’s role in funds being funneled to Hamas.
Let us remember that it is not the first dismissal nor will it be the last. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was pushed out a few months ago, paving the way for the removal of Israel’s Chief of Staff and the appointment of a loyalist, Eyal Zamir. Taking a bird's eye view of the broader Israeli context and the discourse around this hysteria disguised as politics, it becomes apparent that Netanyahu intends to reshape the security apparatus in line with his political interests, even if that means dismantling state institutions. Israeli researchers and thinking, including those opposed to Hamas remaining in place, are growing increasingly apprehensive about his behavior.
Netanyahu has distilled this strategy, which I call political hysteria, into a simple formula for maintaining power that boils down to maintaining a state of perpetual war. Every escalation in Gaza, regardless of the toll it takes on innocent civilians, ensures the support of the far-right and diverts attention away from Israel’s domestic crises.
Netanyahu sees war not as a means of protecting Israelis; he now conceives of it as a tool for consolidating his authority. While Israeli hostages remain in captivity, he remains focused on filing lawsuits against his opponents, accusing them of defamation in a desperate effort to silence dissent. Even Trump established a backchannel with Hamas, and this move may have been motivated by frustration over the political deadlock of Netnayahu’s making, amid increasing international pressure likely spearheaded by Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom’s most recent statement was firm and unequivocal, strongly denouncing Israel’s resumption of hostilities against Gaza and its bombardment of densely populated civilian areas, which reflects a blatant disregard for international humanitarian law.
As the death toll rises and the war drags on, with the ceasefire having collapsed, Israel’s global isolation will probably deepen. Domestic unrest, particularly over the fate of the hostages, is likely to aggravate. Yet, Netanyahu’s downfall does not seem imminent, and the reason is simple: he is willing to burn everything down to avoid relinquishing power, even if the price is Israel’s own future.
At this point, any discussion of peace initiatives or a truce is meaningless without a comprehensive settlement that puts an end to the bloodshed. In the eyes of the world’s sensible actors, there is a pressing need for a solution that addresses the roots of the conflicts. However, this prospect seems far-fetched. Netanyahu is not just waging war against the people of Gaza today; he is waging war against the world.