For the second time in 48 hours, Israel’s prime minister held a press conference to argue his uncompromising position on the Philadelphi corridor in Gaza, the major sticking point to a ceasefire.
On Monday he addressed Israeli media, on Wednesday night it was international journalists.
That he has held these two events in as many days, after months of no press conferences, can only be explained by the pressure he is under, domestically and from foreign leaders.
Both press conferences were defiant and uncompromising – there was little hope for the families of hostages desperate for a deal and a reunion with their loved ones.
Netanyahu’s argument is that Hamas will try to rearm and potentially smuggle hostages out of Gaza if his forces leave the southern corridor. He believes, maybe rightly, that if they left then international pressure would prevent them returning.
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On the one hand Netanyahu insists Israel doesn’t want to remain in Gaza forever, but on the other says he knows of no alternative force that could or would keep security on the border.
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He’s correct: Israel wouldn’t trust Egypt – they after all didn’t stop Hamas smuggling before 7 October; no Arab nation will commit troops to Gaza to clear up Israel’s war whilst there is no progress towards a two-state solution for the Palestinians, something Netanyahu is opposed to; and the US won’t put its soldiers in harm’s way for that task.
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So, the only option acceptable to Netanyahu, is the IDF and the prospect of a long-term occupation.
Netanyahu hit back at the civilian death toll in Gaza, suggesting journalists regularly report untruths, but then claimed with no proof that this war has killed fewer civilians than any other in the history of urban warfare.
More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in eleven months of fighting.
He continued to insist it was Hamas that is blocking a deal by inserting more conditions, despite mediators and his own security officials claiming Netanyahu himself is guilty of the same.
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Netanyahu stands almost alone right now, under extreme pressure from his own people and The White House and surrounded by a shrinking cohort of trusted advisers.
He is convinced he is acting for the future of Israel but he hasn’t convinced even some of his closest allies.
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Netanyahu is fighting to stay in Gaza, fighting to stay in power and fighting to secure his legacy, trashed after the security failures of 7 October and the backlash for failing to get the hostages out.
Many other leaders would have caved long before now, and this might be the fight of Netanyahu’s political life, but you wouldn’t bet against him winning it.
