Netanyahu is the wrong man in the wrong place: The Economist

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Economist
2 Nov 2023 07:03
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The British newspaper says that a large part of the Israelis hold Netanyahu responsible for the failures that "led to the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Al-Quds, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (AP)

In a report by The Economist, the newspaper expressed that the Israeli occupation is witnessing a political battle over the conduct of the war, its repercussions, and who makes the decisions.

According to the newspaper, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is “at the heart of this battle,” and he has been the dominant figure in Israeli politics for more than two decades.

The newspaper described Netanyahu as “the wrong man, in the wrong place, at the wrong time."

"The general opinion is that he has lost the confidence of the Israeli public opinion and who has difficulty effectively running a war cabinet. He is also an unlikely candidate to achieve the two-state solution that USA implicitly demands in exchange for his support of the offensive," The Economist added.

As for the settlers, a large part of the Israelis hold Netanyahu responsible for the failures that "led to the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7", according to the newspaper.

"Despite the guilt of the heads of the army and the intelligence services, they remain much more popular than him," the newspaper added.

According to The Economist, "This has angered Netanyahu, aggravating the second problem, the divisions within the Israeli war cabinet. Officials present at their meetings have described a “traumatic” atmosphere," adding that Netanyahu began to attack his generals in public and blamed the heads of military intelligence.

"The divisions are affecting military decision-making. They explain why the soldiers of the IDF remained seated in assembly areas near the Gaza Strip for two weeks until the order to enter was given," the newspaper added.

The newspaper continued, "The army took a terrible blow, but now it stands tall,” citing a senior official, who added, “The same cannot be said for the rest of the government.”

The Economist asked, "How much longer can Netanyahu survive?"

In light of the fractured Israeli political system, no other candidate can enjoy such support at present, according to the newspaper.