Israel has suffered several harsh diplomatic blows in the past week, some of which had been feared for years. However, the growing protests against Israel abroad do not seem to have changed the opinion of the Israeli public, who view Israel’s military operations in Gaza very differently from the rest of the world.
Just this week, Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, announced that he had been seek arrest warrant Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister and Three Hamas Leaders Charged with Crimes against Humanity; Three European Countries Announce Recognition of the State of Palestine; Israel backed away from seizing AP equipment after international backlash.
But Israeli leaders are looking for First, the publicAnalysts say the group still views Gaza’s war with Hamas as an existential conflict. While international support for Israel has been eroded by Israel’s devastating military response in Gaza – which has killed more than 35,000 people, according to health authorities there – Israelis remain largely concerned about Hamas leadership the brutality of the October 7 attack and the fate of the hostages taken. That day.
Political analysts say Netanyahu hopes to use growing international criticism to quell domestic discontent over his failure to fully defeat Hamas or bring home the remaining hostages in Gaza. On Monday, some of Netanyahu’s main rivals rallied to his defense after Khan announced he would seek an arrest warrant.
“Israel is not only isolated, it feels like it’s under some kind of siege,” said Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat.
For many Israelis, massacre in southern israel The conflict — in which, according to Israeli authorities, some 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage — remains the backdrop to the conflict. Months later, Israeli media outlets continue to broadcast the stories of victims, survivors and families of those held hostage.
“Israelis are constantly living and reliving the horror of that day, but also with an eye toward the possibility that it might one day happen again,” said Natan Sachs, director of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy. “That fear is a key driver of Israeli policy and public support for it.”
Dissatisfaction among Israelis is growing, with many frustrated by the government’s failure to bring home the remaining 128 hostages. Others, including senior Israeli officials, are frustrated by Mr Netanyahu’s failure to spell out a clear end to what could become an endless conflict.
But calls for a ceasefire out of self-interest have received little response. Israeli leaders — including some of Netanyahu’s main rivals — generally support Israel’s military operation in Rafah, which UN officials estimate has displaced more than 800,000 Palestinians. U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concern about the attack in meetings with their Israeli counterparts.
Faced with the decision of Spain, Norway and Ireland Recognition of the State of Palestine On Wednesday, Israeli officials tried to bring the conversation back to October 7. Israel recalled its ambassador, and Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he would show them the video of the five female soldiers kidnapped during the Hamas attack. A harsh rebuke.
Mr. Netanyahu and other members of his right-wing coalition have reacted to criticism abroad with scorn. He called a decision by three European countries to recognize Palestinian statehood a “reward for terrorism” and harshly criticized the International Criminal Court prosecutor for suggesting that both Hamas fighters and Israeli troops had committed crimes in the current war.
“How dare you compare the monsters of Hamas to the soldiers of the Israeli army, the most moral army in the world?” Mr Netanyahu said.
One of the biggest questions, however, is how long Mr Netanyahu can stoke public discontent at home with international criticism without further damaging Israel’s relations with key allies abroad, including the United States.
“From a policy perspective, this is absolutely disastrous and will have long-term effects,” Sachs said. “But from a political perspective, this could be effective.”
