{"id":4001,"date":"2026-03-08T19:15:44","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T19:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranians.global\/news\/?p=4001"},"modified":"2026-03-08T19:43:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T19:43:40","slug":"with-eyes-on-re-election-netanyahus-fights-with-world-leaders-aim-to-distract-from-many-political-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranians.global\/news\/with-eyes-on-re-election-netanyahus-fights-with-world-leaders-aim-to-distract-from-many-political-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"With eyes on re-election, Netanyahu\u2019s fights with world leaders aim to distract from many political problems"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Ran Porat, Affiliate Researcher, The Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n

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As the longest-serving Israeli prime minister (17 years), Benjamin Netanyahu is famous for his political wizardry and survival skills. But he is also a highly controversial figure with questionable moral standards and legacy. <\/p>\n

His latest term in office, beginning in late 2022, has been particularly challenging, thanks to the far-right radical elements of his governing coalition and the unprecedented national disaster Israel experienced at the hands of Hamas on October 7 2023<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Yet, Netanyahu has managed to neutralise almost all immediate domestic threats to his power. At times, he has done this by manoeuvring rivals and partners into postponing moves that could topple his government. Other times, he has reshuffled his Likud Party ranks or realigned with bitter foes.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu is also facing increased criticism<\/a> from the Israeli public, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part in marches in support of a hostage deal, as well as from former senior politicians and ex-security officials<\/a>. <\/p>\n

And he has clashed<\/a> with Eyal Zamir, the Israel Defence Force\u2019s (IDF) chief of staff, who argued against the plan to expand the war into Gaza City. Zamir received clear messages<\/a> to fold or resign, and chose to stay.<\/p>\n

Yet, Netanyahu chooses to ignore all of this noise, sending his entourage and loyalists to attack anyone with dissenting views. This week\u2019s spray<\/a> at Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is just one example. <\/p>\n

As a long term political survivor, he does all of this with an eye on the next Israeli elections, due at the end of 2026.<\/p>\n

Propping up his far-right coalition<\/h2>\n

Over the past two and a half years, Israel has faced unprecedented crises that have left society deeply divided. <\/p>\n

Under Netanyahu\u2019s leadership, the government introduced a highly controversial judicial reform plan<\/a> in early 2023, clashing<\/a> with the Supreme Court and attorney general. This resulted in mass street protests against it. <\/p>\n

Then came the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, which triggered an ongoing multi-front war with severe long-term social, economic and humanitarian consequences. <\/p>\n

Netanyahu has claimed credit for successes during this time, such as the 12-day war against Iran<\/a> in June, while deflecting responsibility for any failures.<\/p>\n

Though stretched in many directions, Netanyahu is at his best in such conditions, pitting the conflicting sides around him against each other and playing them.<\/p>\n

His coalition relies on hard-right partners, especially National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich<\/a>. Despite the massive protests to agree to a hostage deal and international demands to end the war, Netanyahu has chosen to prioritise ensuring the stability of his coalition. <\/p>\n

He has acceded to Ben Gvir and Smotrich\u2019s demands to reject ceasefire agreements with Hamas, and instead ordered<\/a> increased military action against the terrorist group to try to achieve what he has called a \u201ctotal victory\u201d.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu has also indulged Ben Gvir and Smotrich\u2019s talk of resettling Gaza<\/a> and has enabled their moves to gradually expand Israeli settlements deeper into the West Bank and block<\/a> any geographically feasible Palestinian state. <\/p>\n

Proving Henry Kissinger\u2019s famous observation<\/a> that \u201cIsrael has no foreign policy, only domestic politics,\u201d Netanyahu has also angrily rebuked the wave of Western countries recognising, or preparing to recognise, a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n

His defiant letters to French President Emmanuel Macron<\/a> and social media outbursts about Albanese<\/a> are aimed less at diplomacy and more at cultivating his image as \u201ca strong leader for Israel\u201d among his base. <\/p>\n

Supported by the Trump administration\u2019s sanctions<\/a> against the International Criminal Court (ICC), Netanayhu has also felt confident attacking it for issuing warrants<\/a> against him. <\/p>\n

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