Even prior to Donald Trump’s presidency, I had already identified him as America’s top security threat. Today, I am firmly convinced that Israel is facing its own No. 1 security threat in the form of its Trump-like prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Bibi,” as he is widely known, appears to have little concern for the erosion of Israeli democracy, the potential strain on Israel’s close relationship with the United States, and the possibility of inciting another violent uprising among Palestinians in the West Bank, known as the third intifada. Like Trump, Netanyahu seems solely focused on retaining power, and he is willing to implement radical policies to appease his coalition of far-right extremist parties.
President Biden, a true ally of Israel, has been attempting to steer Netanyahu away from this destructive path, but his efforts have been in vain. Last week, Biden spoke with Netanyahu over the phone and extended an invitation for a meeting, which would have been their first since Biden took office in December. Biden’s gesture was intended as a conciliatory move, but it disappointed Israel’s opposition parties.
However, there are clear discrepancies in the accounts of the Bibi-Biden call, highlighting the ongoing discord between the two leaders. The White House emphasized that President Biden had cautioned Netanyahu against pursuing “further unilateral measures” to expand West Bank settlements and stressed the importance of a broad consensus before proceeding with judicial reforms. In contrast, the Israeli version of the call focused on Netanyahu’s favored topics of Iran and counterterrorism, as noted by Haaretz.
The White House reportedly grew frustrated with Netanyahu’s misleading messaging. To clarify the president’s position, Biden enlisted New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman “to ensure that Biden’s stance is perfectly clear to all Israelis.” Friedman relayed Biden’s message that Netanyahu’s coalition should halt its rush to implement a “constitutional overhaul” without any semblance of national consensus.
Unfortunately, Netanyahu’s fervent Republican supporters are undermining Biden’s positive influence and baselessly accusing him of being anti-Israel. Republicans appear just as eager to enable Netanyahu’s assault on Israeli democracy as they were to support Trump’s assault on U.S. democracy. Notably, both Trump and Netanyahu face multiple criminal charges, with Netanyahu’s trial currently ongoing and Trump’s impending.
Netanyahu’s proposed judicial overhaul bill, which had previously been put on hold due to large-scale protests, is now progressing rapidly through the Knesset, despite continued protests and threats from Israeli military reservists, including elite fighter pilots and commandos, to refuse duty if the bill passes. On Monday, the Israeli parliament passed the initial stage of the law. Opposition groups have vowed to continue fighting against the government’s plans.
Their resistance is warranted. Israel stands to lose one of its few safeguards against majority-based tyranny as the Israeli Supreme Court will no longer possess the authority to override legislation judged “unreasonable.” The court has faced backlash from the right for overturning mass exemptions for ultra-Orthodox individuals from military service, limiting the expansion of illegal West Bank settlements, and blocking Netanyahu’s appointment of a convicted tax evader, fraudster, and bribe taker to his cabinet.
In the near future, Netanyahu and his far-right cabinet may have free rein to implement even more of their ultranationalist agenda, despite their tenuous electoral majority. This will not only harm Israeli democracy but also jeopardize Israel’s security.
Last month, the Israeli cabinet granted Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a staunch advocate for settlements, nearly complete control over the future growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Smotrich has previously denied the existence of a Palestinian nation, history, and language. Furthermore, after a violent attack by Israeli settlers on the Palestinian village of Huwara, Smotrich crudely stated that the village should be eradicated. His alarming objective is to double the number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank from 500,000 to 1 million, further fueling an already volatile situation.
Almost 30 years after the signing of the Oslo Accords, Palestinians are losing hope of achieving their own nation. Gaza is under the control of the religious extremists of Hamas, while the West Bank is governed by the corrupt and inefficient officials of the Palestinian Authority. Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, is 87 years old and has been in power for 18 years despite winning a four-year term in 2005. The Palestinian Authority’s power is further weakened by the continuous Israeli military occupation, which requires permission from Israeli authorities for Palestinian security forces to travel between towns.
Extremists have taken advantage of this power vacuum, particularly in the city of Jenin, where Palestinian security forces are unable to operate effectively. Jenin is effectively ruled by militias affiliated with Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or local gangs. Iran is supplying weapons to these fighters in an attempt to create a “fourth front” for Israel, in addition to the threats already emanating from Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. Violence in the West Bank is increasing, alongside terrorist attacks within Israel.
Recently, the Israel Defense Forces launched a major operation in the Jenin refugee camp, supported by airstrikes, to dismantle explosives, seize weapons, destroy underground hideouts, and confiscate “terror funds.” This operation, the largest in the West Bank since the height of the second intifada in 2005, resulted in the deaths of 12 Palestinians, one Israeli soldier, hundreds of Palestinian injuries, and the displacement of thousands. While the operation may have been necessary to prevent further attacks, it could also fuel more anger and despair among Palestinians.
According to a U.S. security official, for the Jenin operation to have a lasting impact, two key actions must occur. Firstly, Palestinian security forces must permanently return to Jenin to disarm the militias (they briefly entered when Abbas visited on July 12). Secondly, Israeli settler violence needs to cease. This American official emphasized that when settler violence stops, genuine progress can be made towards security and stability.
The Netanyahu government did demonstrate one positive step in pledging increased support for the Palestinian Authority following the Jenin operation. However, it remains doubtful that a government so indebted to extremist settlers will be able to rein in their actions.
Israel finds itself in a strategic conundrum regarding the West Bank and the Palestinian territories. The absence of a clear strategy, aside from a de facto annexation through creeping settlement growth, is a tragic situation, according to Chuck Freilich, a former Israeli deputy national security adviser. Freilich sorrowfully states that misguided messianic beliefs are jeopardizing the Zionist dream of a predominantly Jewish and robustly democratic Israel.
As Israel celebrates its 75th anniversary, it has much to be proud of, including unprecedented prosperity and strength. However, it also faces an unexpected dilemma, where its own leaders pose the gravest security threat to the state. Biden is attempting to reason with Netanyahu, but the prime minister shows no signs of heeding reason. The destructive and misguided policies of Netanyahu are likely to exact a heavy toll on both Israelis and Palestinians.
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