Why Netanyahu does not want to end the war in Gaza

The commandment of redeeming captives surpasses many other commandments. “There is no greater mitzvah than redeeming captives”, writes Maimonides (in the sense that it includes many other mitzvot). “Redeeming captives takes precedence over feeding the poor and clothing them, since the captive is included among the hungry, thirsty, and naked, in danger of losing their lives. And one who averts his eyes from redeeming them transgresses ‘do not harden your heart or shut your hand’, and ‘do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor’, and nullifies the commandments: ‘You shall surely revive your brother’,… ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’, and many similar precepts” (Maimonides’ Mishnah Torah, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 8:10).

After 15 months, most people in Israel favor ending the war in Gaza and reaching a deal now which would bring home the remaining hostages (alive and dead) in exchange for many Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. This is also the view of the security establishment in Israel (the IDF, the Mossad, the General Security Services). Hamas has been defeated. It is time for a diplomatic agreement.

But the Prime Minister of Israel—and his extremist partners in his own political party, Likud, and those in the far-right (“Religious Zionism”/Smotrich) and the farther right (Jewish Power”/ Itamar Ben Gvir ) – are opposing any deal! They have been doing so shamelessly for many months, but their rejectionism has increased, as a deal seems more possible, according to the media.  Bibi made this crystal clear once again in his interview with the Wall Street Journal over the weekend, when he repeated that he does not have any intention of ending this war.

Why not? What is preventing the Prime Minister of Israel from making the correct diplomatic and moral move at this time, a decision which is desired by most of the citizens of Israel, not to mention most of the world by now?

The prevailing answer to this question, according to the media in Israel, is that he is afraid of and beholden to his radical political partners, i.e. that he fears that they would bolt his government, forcing Israel to go to elections, which he would most likely lose, due to the great catastrophes he has brought upon Israel during the last two years. First it was the  judicial overhaul, which brought millions of people to the streets for the first 9 months of this horrible government (it is now coming back to haunt us); and then was the great debacle of October 7^th, 2023, from which Israeli society has not yet recovered and will not recover from as long as there are hostages in Gaza and as long as he remains Prime Minister.

But the answer is deeper than this.

Bibi has changed. He is not the same person that he was when he entered politics or when he was ambassador to the UN a long time ago. He is no longer a wise and articulate statesman, respected by most of the world. On the contrary, he has become a pariah in most of the nations in the world, and has turned the state of Israel into one as well.

What happened? What changed? How did this man—who was once a centrist rational politician– become such a radical extremist fanatic?

Some say that it is due to the overarching influence of his wife Sara in his thinking and in his behavior in recent years. There was a very damaging investigative report about her on the highly regarded program known as Uvda (Fact) on Israel’s most watched TV channel (12) a few days ago, which demonstrated quite clearly how manipulative she is and how much she tries to influence her husband, the political system in Israel and the media. It was quite shocking, even though much of her attacks on the media and people she regards as “enemies” of the state (i.e., her husband) have been reported in the press in Israel for years.

Secondly, and not unrelated, is the influence of their son Yair, who is now living in Miami, who has become famous, or infamous, in Israel and beyond by his attacks on social media on the heads of the army, the judicial system, and other “enemies”, much like his mother, but even worse. Together, these two family members have created what is called in the media here “the poison machine”, which is constantly releasing negative statements about anyone who dares to disagree with Bibi in Israeli politics and in the media. According to many reports which I have read, these two very controversial figures have had a profound effect on Israel’s national “leader” in recent years.

In addition, one cannot ignore the influence of Itamar Ben Gvir, the head of the extremist Jewish Power political party whom Bibi shamelessly brought into the government two years ago in an unprecedented move of recklessness, even for him. Two years later, he is sounding more and more like Ben Gvir when he speaks on radio or television.  His opposition to ending the war is right out of Ben Gvir’s playbook, as is his insistence on “total victory” as well as not showing any compassion to the families of the hostages who have been suffering so much.

Moreover, Bibi’s political personality has become much more Trumpian in recent years. He can lie just as easily as Trump does, and he does so with no holds barred in his attacks on the media, the army and the judicial system. He can spin as many falsehoods in a paragraph as his friend from Palm Beach. According to him (them) it’s all one big political witch hunt against him (them), as he has told us so many times, (including at a recent press conference before he resumed testifying in his trial, in which he is accused of major counts of corruption ). Apparently, his trial, which has been going on for years, is also making him a very nervous, anxiety-ridden person, who could actually go to prison, as have several prominent Israeli politicians, including a former Prime Minister and former President.

I wonder if by now he even believes this “witch hunt” stuff on some level, although he undoubtedly knows deep down that this is not true. But who needs “truth” in the post-truth era of Trump and social media.  Like Trump, Bibi has become more audacious and outlandish by saying the black is white  and that up is down, and that only the other side lies, on a regular basis, which apparently is the new norm in politics, and he probably believes that if Trump can get away with it –and even get re-elected—so can he.

The bottom line is that we are not dealing with the same personality that we used to in Israel. Something has happened to him. He is no longer the stable, reliable leader that he once was. Most of the citizens of Israel (except his base) no longer believe him any more when he talks publicly, especially the families of the hostages.  They have lost their faith in him and in the government of Israel (which he has controlled for 17 years!)

Will he be able to continue to rule Israel indefinitely? Or will his refusal to bring home all the hostages –along with his renewed attacks on Israeli democracy—bring about a groundswell of opposition which will bring us to new elections? Or maybe the ultra-Orthodox will bolt from the coalition for their own narrow interests?

Time will tell, but one thing is clear. The Israeli public will be very angry and fed up, and rightly so, if he torpedoes another chance to bring home the hostages.

Furthermore, ending this bloody prolonged war in Gaza—in which far too many innocent civilians have been killed, wounded and displaced, and too many Israeli soldiers are dying in vain—will benefit Israeli society in many ways above and beyond the redemption of hostages. It will reinvigorate Israeli society with some sense of “normality” and stability. It will allow all evacuees to return to their homes. It will give Israel a chance to rebuild its economy. And it will give the Palestinians the ability  to rebuild Gaza, with the help of the international community and moderate Arab counties. It is win-win for everyone, and the sooner it can be done the better.