New York Times Investigation: Netanyahu Deliberately Extended the Gaza War for His Political and Personal Interests

SadaNews - Israeli officials have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war on the Gaza Strip contrary to the views of military leaders, asserting that his decisions were dominated by political and personal interest.

The New York Times published an investigation today, Friday, saying it took six months to compile, relying on statements from more than 100 officials from Israel, the United States, and the Arab world, as well as a review of dozens of government records and other documents.

The newspaper reported that Netanyahu's approach to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) before the war contributed to its strengthening and allowed it to prepare for war. It indicated that in July 2023, he received an intelligence assessment "warning that Israel's enemies, including Hamas, noticed the internal unrest in the country caused by Netanyahu's controversial plan to undermine the judiciary, and they were preparing for an attack."

It noted that Netanyahu ignored those warnings and others, and his government proceeded with changes, leading to further unrest, which convinced Hamas that the time was right to execute a long-planned attack.

Staying in Power

Following the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, Netanyahu attempted to shift responsibility and blame military leaders, using the situation to seek an extension of his leadership.

The New York Times reported that Netanyahu's team directed sympathetic influencers at the beginning of the war, telling them that the generals were responsible for the worst defensive failure in Israel. They also acted to prevent leaks of discussions that could cause problems for Netanyahu and stopped the military from keeping official recordings of meetings.

It pointed out that Netanyahu rejected an offer from the Israeli opposition leader to form a national unity government, preferring to remain in coalition with far-right extremists who were more inclined to allow him to stay in power after the war, a decision that made him hostage throughout the war to the demands of the far-right, particularly regarding whether to reach a ceasefire with Hamas and when.

According to the American newspaper, Netanyahu's decisions prolonged the fighting in Gaza contrary to the military leadership's view, dominated by political and personal interests, as he slowed negotiations during crucial moments under pressure from his allies.

He also continued the war in April and July 2024 despite being informed by generals of its futility, and he violated the ceasefire in March to maintain his coalition after reaching a ceasefire in January.

Source: New York Times