Netanyahu's False Claims
According to Haaretz newspaper, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a habit of lying when he's under pressure. Recently, he's been feeling the heat due to the demands for a detainee deal and pressure from the United States.
In a meeting with the families of detainees held by Hamas in Gaza, Netanyahu claimed that there was no real proposal from Hamas. However, this is not true, as reported by Anshel Pfeiffer from Haaretz.
Pfeiffer points out that Netanyahu contradicted himself by saying, "I completely reject the terms of surrender proposed by the monsters of Hamas" less than 24 hours before claiming there was no proposal.
But the truth is that there is not only a proposal but also specific conditions outlined by Hamas. Netanyahu himself detailed these conditions, which include ending the war, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza, releasing certain prisoners, and allowing Hamas to remain in power.
Netanyahu's Worries
Netanyahu's biggest concern right now is the possibility of an official proposal from the Egyptian government regarding a detainee deal. This deal would involve releasing detainees in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a long-term ceasefire in Gaza. Netanyahu's companions, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, support this proposal and will demand a clear answer from him.
Netanyahu is also trying to deceive US President Joe Biden by giving the impression that he's open to considering a demilitarized Palestinian state. However, he later contradicted himself on social media, stating that he would not give up Israeli security control over western Jordan, which goes against the idea of a Palestinian state.
Under the mounting pressure from the Americans and the detainee deal, Netanyahu may eventually agree to discuss the Egyptian and American proposals. However, he might be playing for time, as it's likely that Hamas and the Palestinian Authority will reject these proposals.
Fear of Losing Majority
Netanyahu's biggest fear is losing the majority in the Knesset. It took him four years and five election campaigns to secure this majority in November 2022. Losing the support of the parties that backed him in the last elections would be a major blow.
Any indication that Netanyahu is willing to accept a ceasefire or allow the Palestinian Authority to take control of Gaza after the war would put 14 seats at risk. This is because the leaders of the extreme right-wing parties, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, need to maintain their image as "true right-wingers" for the next election.
Without the support of these two parties, Netanyahu would be at the mercy of Gantz and Eisenkot, whose National Unity Party has enough seats to keep the government going. However, they would likely want to replace Netanyahu as soon as possible.
The End of Netanyahu's Lies
Despite Netanyahu's attempts to avoid serious discussions about the future strategy in Gaza, he cannot control events forever. It's likely that he will lose part of his emergency coalition within weeks, and Smotrich and Ben Gvir will not be able to protect him from the decisions he has to make. Soon, his lies will catch up with him.
Source: Haaretz
