AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Shalom Yerushalmi, a Zionist political analyst, said Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to his beloved American city is no longer as it used to be, and he does not dare to spend even one night in New York, for fear that he might be arrested. Yerushalmi, in an op-ed published on The Times of Israel website, acknowledged that "Israel" has become hated throughout the world, and the situation is not improving but the opposite. The recent victory of the extremist right and left parties in Germany is defined in "Israel" as an existential and vital threat to the Jewish community and "Israelis."
He claimed that the treatment of Israel is mixed with hypocrisy and duplicity, and even "in many parts of the world, there is a tendency to erase the events of October 7, as if the war and destruction in Gaza were merely a malicious action by the 'Israeli' government and army. Some Israelis also contribute to displaying this 'distorted' image."
This Israeli analyst, sharply criticizing the performance of the occupying regime's Prime Minister, added, "However, a leadership with global standing—as Netanyahu sees himself and promotes such an image in this election—should have considered mid-term and long-term international reactions. Netanyahu, after decades of ruling, continuous learning, and extensive experience around the world, should have understood this political existential war being waged against us and planned for the military and security battle accordingly."
He wrote, "A leadership that asks the people to choose it because of 'being different' should have used the 'widespread support' and 'immense sympathy' of the world for Israel immediately after October 7, not quickly squandered it." Yerushalmi added, "Military battles in Israel have always been short and effective, because it was recognized that we are not prepared for a long war and facing large parts of the world.
The one who called for a swift end to the war and the return of the prisoners in 2024 is today forced to hide in the face of Netanyahu's [political] campaign and seek justifications." In late March 2024, hundreds of pilots and flight crews (current and former) signed a petition calling for an immediate halt to the war.
These pilots reflected the opinion of a large part of Israeli public opinion, but Netanyahu attacked them swiftly and forced Halevi, the then-Chief of Staff of the army, to bar dozens of them from reserve service. The op-ed continues, "Netanyahu also insisted on continuing the war for fear of the resignation of two ministers (Smotrich and Ben-Gvir) and the fall of his government."
In those days, Israel reached a crossroads. Netanyahu knew well that if he stopped the war and freed the prisoners, our situation in the world would be endangered, because he estimated we might have to enter the war again from scratch. He was fully aware of this sensitive moment.
This analyst also noted that Netanyahu, who considers himself a great political strategist, should have planned in advance for a short and targeted war, but his war continues.
He continued his sharp criticism of Netanyahu's cabinet and its decisions, writing, "In this regard, Israel Katz, Israel's Minister of War, three days ago, three years after the October events, once again warned about the abduction of military personnel and civilians by Hamas and threatened the entire region, from Iran to Erdogan, that if necessary, he would destroy Gaza and drive millions of the remaining residents south, as if we are now in October 2023, not October 2026!"
The author concluded by stating, "An official investigation committee must examine Netanyahu's political miscalculation and the reasons and process of its emergence, from the time when the whole world was aligned with us until the occurrence of this tsunami [of tensions and crises]."
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