Sinwar can hold up victory sign for disrupting Israeli politics

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
10 Feb 2024 14:36

Maariv's political correspondent has delved into the reverberating aftermath generated by Hamas' response to the Paris prisoner exchange deal.

Yahya Sinwar, leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas in the Gaza Strip, gestures victory sign on stage during a rally in Gaza City on May 24, 2021. (AFP)

The leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, can now hoist up victory signs for successfully influencing Israeli political dynamics, the Israeli Maariv newspaper highlighted.

Being a former detainee and proficient in the Hebrew language, Sinwar is well-versed in Israeli politics, diligently following news bulletins and discord within Israeli political circles, especially during his years-long detention. According to Maariv's political correspondent Annas Brasky, Sinwar was able to successfully influence the course of Israeli politics throughout the battle of Al-Aqsa Flood, specifically in the latest response of the Palestinian Resistance to the Paris Document.

This is particularly significant amid conflicting interests within the Israeli Knesset: several camps aiming to oust Netanyahu, attributing the failure of the prisoner exchange deal to him, and another camp under the leadership of Aryeh Deri from the Shas party striving to broaden the war cabinet into a unity government by incorporating the Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid.

Lapid, the leader of the Israeli opposition, did intend to join the Israeli war cabinet, however, Brasky says that his aim was not necessarily to join the government to endorse the prisoner deal. Instead, he sought to gain political leverage against Benny Gantz and his allies, presenting himself as a leader willing to make sacrifices for a noble cause, while simultaneously embarrassing Netanyahu and holding him accountable for the deal's failure.

Deri looks to circumvent pressure generated by Sinwar

As time progresses, the prospect of victory and an end to the war does not seem imminent, accentuating the existence of ongoing protests and demonstrations. The Palestinian Resistance's steadfastness and the decisive response to the Paris Document, among other decisions, have forced Israeli politicians, such as Deri, to look for alternatives and maneuver politics to ensure the survival of the war cabinet.

The report suggests that the situation is entering a state of stagnation. Brasky says that Deri believes the most effective way to overcome Gantz and propel things forward is through further expansion of the government, which, in his belief, will deter Israeli anti-government protest leaders from taking to the streets.

Barsky believes that the response, delivered by Hamas to mediators on behalf of the Palestinian Resistance, has undoubtedly influenced Benny Gantz's plans. Some speculate that Sinwar's insistence on the demands of the Resistance has revived the original plan to terminate his involvement in the war cabinet soon. A while ago, the plan appeared to be wavering, with polls indicating continuous public support for the emergency government, including Gantz's voters, according to Maariv.

In response, Gantz was compelled to freeze the agenda of leaving the government, a decision that has impacted the opposition's agenda. Now, with the Hamas deal seeming distant from progress, opposition leaders are running out of patience, as reported by the Israeli newspaper.