Netanyahu has been accused of exploiting the Gaza war for his own gains, and an end to it could cause him problems
\n Gaza
\nDespite the staggering death toll and human suffering that Israel has inflicted on Gaza over the past two years, peace has still come too early for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu \u2013 at least in the eyes of some observers.
\nCritics have accused the Israeli leader of using the war to deflect attention from challenges to his position, and even his freedom. With the ceasefire in Gaza now in place, none of those challenges has gone anywhere.
\nEven the ceasefire \u2013 which Netanyahu has been at pains to present as a victory \u2013 is seen by some, including former Israeli ambassador Alon Pinkas, as stage-managed and forced upon him by a White House running out of patience with the growing financial and diplomatic costs of Israel\u2019s war.
\nSo, if he cannot find another war, what challenges does Netanyahu face before next year\u2019s Israeli elections and beyond, and just how dangerous are they?
\nLet\u2019s take a closer look.
\nWill the Israeli prime minister continue to face international isolation?
\nIsrael has never been more isolated on the international stage than it is now, and for many, Netanyahu has become the face of that.
\nOver the last two years, Israel\u2019s killing of more than 67,000 Palestinians and the scenes of the famine it has inflicted upon Gaza have led to revulsion across the world. In the short term, unless Netanyahu\u2019s government can permanently ban international journalists from reaching Gaza, the increased coverage of what his government has inflicted upon the enclave is likely to cement Israel\u2019s pariah status for some time.
\nHowever, Israel\u2019s growing isolation has been apparent for months and, in September, Netanyahu appeared to be laying the groundwork for it to continue. Setting out his vision for a future \u2018Super Sparta\u2019 \u2013 a reference to the martial ancient Greek state \u2013 Netanyahu painted a picture of economic and diplomatic isolation and continuous warfare.
\nIt did not go down very well. The Israeli stock exchange plummeted almost immediately, and the shekel nosedived against other currencies. The Israel Business Forum, representing 200 of the country\u2019s largest companies, put it quite simply, \u201cWe are not Sparta.\u201d
\nCould the right wing collapse Netanyahu\u2019s coalition?
\nIt could, but Netanyahu is already taking steps to avoid it.
\nThroughout the war, and the public battles over the independence of Israel\u2019s judiciary beforehand, Netanyahu has relied heavily on the support of Israel\u2019s far right.
\nMost obviously, this has been in the form of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, both of whom have objected to the ceasefire while remaining within Netanyahu\u2019s governing coalition, for now.
\nAnticipating their possible departure, Netanyahu is reported to be introducing legislation to exempt ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students from the draft in the hope that this will prompt the return of ultra-Orthodox parties in the parliament to his government, ensuring its survival in the face of any defections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Netanyahu has been accused of exploiting the Gaza war for his own gains, and an end to it could cause him problems Gaza Despite the staggering death toll and human suffering that Israel has inflicted on Gaza over the past two years, peace has still come too early for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu \u2013 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":509516,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-509495","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n