The pause button

It seems that Netanyahu is hitting the pause button.

He doesn’t want to end the war against Hamas. It would mean the end of his coalition. And it would mean reneging on his commitment to destroy Hamas.

The opposition parties are offering to support Netanyahu if he agrees to end the war and get all the hostages back. But afterwards they would probably withdraw their support in order to bring on new elections.

Many accuse Netanyahu of prolonging the war to hold on to power. But one can just as easily level the same accusation against the opposition, that they might be using the hostage situation in order to gain power.

So Netanyahu is hitting pause. He’s trying to get hostages out, without ending the war.

Phase one of the ceasefire was supposed to end in a week. Phase two is supposed to include negotiations to end the war. That’s why Smotrich warned that if Israel agrees to phase two, he will leave the coalition. Reportedly Netanyahu is therefore trying to extend phase one. This would enable more hostages to be freed, without ending the war. But would Hamas agree to this?

If there is no agreement to extend the ceasefire, Israel might proceed to implement Trump’s plan to move Gazans away from the battlefields and into other countries. Israel would then have more manoeuvrability to destroy Hamas.

Arab states are under pressure to try to prevent Gazan emigration, because it could infuriate Arab populations, which could end up toppling the Arab regimes. So Arab leaders are trying to come up with an alternative plan, in which Gazans would stay in Gaza. Israel might agree to a plan that moves Hamas (or its leaders) out of Gaza. But will the Arab states (especially Qatar) agree to this?

Because of Smotrich (combined with Ben Gvir’s recent move out of the coalition), Hamas is facing expulsion or elimination. The clock is ticking.

As we approach the holiday of Purim, when we celebrate the Jewish nation’s miraculous victory over their enemies, we are reminded that G-d, Who has kept the Jewish nation existing through two thousand years of exile in foreign (and sometimes hostile) lands, constantly watches over Israel. “G-d’s eyes are always on it (Israel), from the beginning of the year till the end of the year.” (Deuteronomy 11; 12)

Perhaps the time has arrived, when the Almighty will avenge the spilled blood of those who were murdered just for being Jews.

A time when evil will be wiped off the face of the earth, and the world will be filled with peace and awareness of G-d’s majesty. A time when the Jewish people will be redeemed forever.

May it happen very soon.