Unpacking the Netanyahu Legacy – part 1

The Architect of Disaster: Unpacking the Netanyahu Legacy

For decades, Benjamin Netanyahu presented himself as “Mr. Security”—the indispensable guardian of the Jewish state. Yet, as the dust settles on the catastrophic events of October 7, 2023, a different legacy emerges. It is not one of strength, but of cynical manipulation; not of security, but of catastrophic abandonment. The Netanyahu legacy is built on the deliberate sabotage of peace, the empowerment of enemies, the corruption of Israeli institutions, and the subordination of national interest to political survival.

The October 7 Abandonment

The most indelible stain on Netanyahu’s legacy is the abandonment of the southern border. For hours on that black Shabbat, Israeli civilians begged for help while the Prime Minister remained silent. The narrative that Hamas was “deterred” was a delusion Netanyahu sold to avoid military entanglements. When the attack came, there was no plan, no rapid response, and no leadership. Survivors didn’t ask where the terrorists were; they asked where Netanyahu was. The answer—hiding, deflecting, and later blaming his generals—defines a legacy of dereliction of duty.

The Qatari Money Pipeline

How did Hamas amass its arsenal? With Netanyahu’s blessing. For years, he allowed millions of Qatari dollars to flow into Gaza. Officially, it was humanitarian aid. Unofficially, it was a strategic bribe for quiet. Netanyahu famously told his cabinet in 2018, “Whoever is against a Palestinian state should be for the transfers” to Hamas. By propping up Hamas, he intentionally split Palestinian governance. Those Qatari dollars bought rockets, tunnels, and the paragliders of October 7. And we must never forget the statement repeated frequently by his senior minister Smotrich “Hamas is an asset.”

Weakening the PA While Empowering Hamas

The stated reason the peace process died is that “there is no Palestinian partner for peace.” Netanyahu worked tirelessly to make this prophecy self-fulfilling. He systematically undermined the Palestinian Authority (PA)—withholding tax revenues, expanding settlements—while propping up Hamas. The logic was diabolical: a weak PA cannot negotiate, and a strong Hamas terrifies Israelis. He engineered this reality, ensuring the only Palestinian voices left were either feckless or genocidal.

Jewish Settler Terror Against Palestinians

While Netanyahu speaks of security, his government unleashes a wave of organized Jewish settler terror across the West Bank. Under cover of war, settler militias—armed with IDF-supplied M16s and protected by a complicit police force—have rampaged through Palestinian villages. Dozens of communities have suffered pogrom-like attacks: homes torched, olive groves uprooted, families shot in their beds. This is not rogue violence; it is a strategy to ethnically cleanse Area C. Netanyahu’s government refuses to arrest known settler terrorists, instead arresting Israeli activists who document the attacks.

The Hostage Crisis: Prolonged Suffering as Strategy

Perhaps the most obscene chapter is the deliberate mishandling of the hostage crisis. From October 8 onward, the families of hostages were treated as a political nuisance. Netanyahu torpedoed multiple hostage deals that could have brought the children and elderly home. Why? Because ending the war meant ending his premiership. As long as the war continues, the state of emergency justifies his clinging to power. Every report of a hostage dying in captivity fell on a Prime Minister who repeatedly chose military posturing over human life.

Mishandling the War: No Strategy, No Exit

Netanyahu went to war with no endgame. “Total victory” was a slogan, not a strategy. There was no plan for the “day after”: no plan for governing Gaza, no plan for who would replace Hamas. The army fought brilliantly, but the political echelon provided no objective. A clear endgame was rejected because it would require hard choices and a timeline for withdrawal. Netanyahu prefers endless war to an uncomfortable peace.

The Illusion of Hezbollah and Iran

Netanyahu claimed Hezbollah was “deterred” and no longer a threat, ignoring their growing arsenal of rockets, many with range to reach much of Israel. After the June 2025 war, he declared Iran’s nuclear plan “decimated.” It was a PR victory, not a strategic one. By the time the northern front erupted, Israel was caught flat-footed. He dismantled threats in speeches but allowed them to metastasize on the ground.

Preventing the State Commission of Inquiry

Why has there been no independent State Commission of Inquiry into October 7? Because Netanyahu knows what it would find: his personal culpability. His coalition has blocked any independent investigation, offering toothless internal probes that cannot subpoena the Prime Minister. A commission would force him to testify under oath about the Qatari money, the abandonment of the border, and the sabotage of the PA. His legacy is defined not just by his crimes, but by the accountability he continues to evade.

The Iran War: A Home Front Unprepared

When conflict with Iran escalated both times, the home front was a shambles. There are not enough bomb shelters, the supply chain collapsed within weeks, the closing of the skies and the defense of border towns was virtually non-existent. Netanyahu sold the public a bill of goods: that Israel could fight a multi-front war on a broken economy. There was no strategy for the home front because he never considered it.

Giving Away Independence to Donald Trump

The great nationalist has become a vassal. Netanyahu’s relationship with Donald Trump is transactional: Trump gives political cover, and in return, Netanyahu surrenders Israel’s strategic autonomy. By 2026, Trump dictates who to bomb and how to manage the economy. When Iran violated the first ceasefire in June 2025, Netanyahu ordered a major air strike. Trump saw that it would jeopardize the deal and told Netanyahu to cancel the airstrike, Netanyahu obeyed. He has traded long-term national resilience for short-term political photos. In this latest ceasefire and the bilateral talks between the US and Iran to end this war, Israel is not a player but a subject to the decisions made by Trump.

The Draft Dodger Bill and the Reserves

While 350,000 reservists—doctors, engineers, fathers—were called to fight in Gaza and Lebanon, Netanyahu’s coalition rushed through legislation in an attempt to fully exempt Haredi yeshiva students from military service. The message is clear: “You bleed, they learn”. Netanyahu has broken the social contract of the “People’s Army” to buy ultra-Orthodox loyalty.

Billions to Haredim, Starving the Citizens

While the war rages, Netanyahu diverted billions from defense, education, health, and social services to coalition-funded Haredi institutions. Yeshivas received lavish stipends while hospitals closed wards and schools cut programs. The middle class—the backbone of the reserves—paid higher taxes and received fewer services. He has mortgaged Israel’s future for a few Knesset seats.

Netanyahu’s Criminal Trials

No assessment of his legacy can ignore the three criminal trials shadowing his every decision. Case 1000: illicit gifts from billionaires. Case 2000: a backroom deal for favorable media coverage. Case 4000: regulatory decisions benefiting Bezeq in exchange for positive news coverage. Netanyahu stands accused of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. His entire judicial overhaul campaign was designed not for good governance but to annul his own convictions. A sitting Prime Minister destroying the judiciary to escape jail is not a leader; he is a crime boss in a suit.

Criminal Ministers: Police and Treasury

Netanyahu has surrounded himself with indicted criminals. Itamar Ben-Gvir—a convicted racist found guilty of supporting the Kach terrorist organization—was given command of Israel’s police force. Under Ben-Gvir, police became a political militia: brutalizing protesters while ignoring settler pogroms. Bezalel Smotrich, the Finance Minister, has admitted to confiscating Palestinian lands and calls for “wiping out” villages. He uses the Treasury as a weapon of collective punishment. Under Smotrich, Israel’s credit rating has plummeted and foreign investment has dried up. Netanyahu keeps these criminals in power because he needs their seats to continue as Prime Minister and to avoid prison.