I've been reading comments in Times of Israel strings attached to articles about Biden's decision to temporarily withhold 2,000 pound bombs, and other higher intensity unguided offensive weaponry, to reduce the chance that Netanyahu will to do to Rafah what he's done across Gaza. What Netanyahu has done may well have finally exceeded the line for criminal behavior.
But I have found many of the comments - sad.
Netanyahu is not an honest, trustworthy or sincere player. Netanyahu's primary concern is Netanyahu and ensuring his extremist, fundamentalist coalition holds together. And since core members of his coalition have unmeetable, insatiable demands, Netanyahu has long since lost any control or the primary authority he promised Israel he would exercise when he formed his coalition.
The reason for the war in Gaza is Hamas, and only Hamas, and its savagery which must unconditionally ended. But Israel was particularly ill prepared and Netanyahu's politics and gross political miscalculations were major component pieces.
In his desperation to placate his most extremist coalition members, Netanyahu kept much of the IDF's primary attention on the West Bank and away from Gaza despite the so very many red flags which were flying high in Gaza.
But reality informs there is no chance that Jewish fundamentalists and extremists as Ben Gvir and Smotrich will ever be satisfied until they take back total control of both the West Bank and Gaza. Until they are able able to have Jewish settlers return to Gaza. Netanyahu certainly knows and knows it is not acceptable but continues to cowardly plow forward terrified of losing his coalition.
Netanyahu must resign. For a moment, however, consider a possible alternative reality. Netanyahu may not yet have considered that, in the shorter term, he’d be much better off if he forced a confrontation with the most extreme, fundamentalist members of his coalition and called their bluff to end the coalition. Push them into a position they do bust up the coalition - then - don't look back. If Netanyahu truly thinks there is a way towards his own political redemption in any form, this is about the only path to follow.
Netanyahu could then work on a brand new and more rational 'war' government with the moderate members of the Knesset and government with more thoughtful advisors to include working with them on an equal basis. Core political members of this new government, to include Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, would become primary faces of Israel rather than having Netanyahu the sole representative still issuing threats and ultimatums which a majority of Israel do not support. Netanyahu still does not seem to have a clue about the causal realities of his actions in the past and present.
Accusations that Biden is now 'siding with terrorists;' or will 'sacrifice Israel' are well beyond absurd. I’d expect that folks remember how, not very long ago, Biden had strong support from Israeli citizens? Biden stood beside and with Netanyahu at the start of and well into the war Hamas initiated and likely had higher ratings in Israeli polls than did Netanyahu. Biden has long been an ardent and deeply dedicated supporter of Israel. This, even as Netanyahu played off America's dishonest GOP while aligning with and pandering to Israel's extremist, violent Right.
Netanyahu has been consistently dishonest and manipulative of Biden and, before him, Obama. Perhaps he figured he could continue to play off of America's hypocritical GOP politics. Netanyahu has tried to humiliate and intimidate Biden with help from American special interest groups and politicians. Apparently, Netanyahu thought this to be an indefinite strategy which would allow him and his coalition the free range for the far excessive destruction he has brought to Gaza since last October.
The reality is that Biden's hold on select weapons is temporary and probably more meant as an authentic warning to Netanyahu who seemed to think he could keep talking tough while ignoring the US and the many nations around the world who have long supported Israel.
There can be no security and no victory over Hamas so long as Netanyahu remains in office
To be clear, I've lived in Israel and returning is a possibility. I'm a strong, fervent supporter of Israel. But only Netanyahu could've lost the world's empathy so immediately after 10/7. Only Netanyahu could have led me to finally acknowledge that conditions on select military aid would be the only alternative and way to force Netanyahu to pause and think...if even a little.
Only Netanyahu could've forced Biden, who has long supported Israel, to temporarily hold specific offensive weapons. Netanyahu is not a fool and certainly should have seen this coming. Maybe he thought he could continue to push his scam on the US. If so, he made a serious error on behalf of Israel who is not otherwise lacking for firepower. But Israel also does not need more 2,000lb bombs under Netanyahu's control for use in and on Rafah.
I support Biden's decision and hope Netanyahu realizes not to push Biden any further. I also know that hoping the GOP don’t make blazing fools of themselves is asking for far to much. The problem is not remotely Biden. The problem for Israel is Netanyahu and his apologists.
Israel is not at any risk if it doesn't carpet bomb Rafah as it has other areas of Gaza. Netanyahu is less operating for Israel's future but much more for himself; to keep his extremist coalition with Smotrich and Ben Gvir placated with Death.
But, again, there is no chance for victory and Hamas' defeat until Netanyahu resigns and takes his coalition with him
Netanyahu's disconnect and destruction of Gaza is losing the war, and maybe the battle, too, while profoundly compromising Israel and keeping Hamas relevant. Frankly, I find Hamas being able to sit at the table and 'negotiate' prior to its unconditional surrender and release of every single hostage, both alive and dead, remarkable. Hamas' representatives to these talks should be arrested as international war criminals on the spot.
I'd equate this process to the Allies having decided to 'negotiate' with Hitler in 1944. Only Netanyahu could have created these bizarre, violent and poorly controlled conditions for Israel. He could have shut down Hamas' risk to Israel decades ago but chose to build it up instead based on terrible hard Right politics and a lack of foresight on behalf of the future of the State of Israel (and the Palestinians).
I have written for years that Netanyahu represents a bigger risk to Israel's current security and future stability than Hamas, Iran and the PA combined. I hadn't expected this to play out so desperately, dramatically, deadly or clearly. Netanyahu, Ben Gvir and Smotrich are accountable and must resign.
ADDENDUM:
I wanted to offer an update since information keeps coming in and include a reference to a thoughtful comment from @noofsh who wrote how the trajectory should change for the better once Biden defeats Trump in November but that so many lives will still be lost in the interim.
I agree with this observation and believe it only further strengthens the need for us to use our numbers to ensure that Biden beats Trump every which way but loose in November. But I also think it worth identifying that Biden is truly making a very real and what I am certain is a personally difficult effort despite the obvious, and sometimes absurdly imposed, political risks.
I’ve been particularly stressed by and annoyed with constant media breying about how Democrats have been ‘turning away from Biden’ due to Gaza. Though I’m not certain about how this has been documented by the media, a reality is that anything which remotely strengthens Trump is inexcusable.
And the deep, even deadly, irony is remarkable.
That many of the same 'centrist Democrats' who were righly horrified by Netanyahu's destruction of Gaza to include Senator Sherrod Brown, Senator Jacky Rosen and Senator Richard Blumenthal — among others — are now engaged in bad political performance art and wringing their hands over the fact that Biden is not going to let Netanyahu carpet bomb Rafah is, frankly, disturbed and disturbing
The first and primary problem remains the Iranian proxy genocidal terrorist organization, Hamas, who must be taken apart. Biden's limited but very important action in no way impedes the IDF’s objective in this regard. But a second primary problem is that there is no peace for Israel or Palestinians, there is no security for Israel or Palestinians so long as Hamas remains in Gaza — and — Netanyahu remains in office while hard pandering to his extremist coalition.
Netanyahu's conduct, along with these same, confused American 'centrist Democrats' are only giving further succor to Hamas. The premise that a cross-section of Democrats are 'moving away' from Biden is truly nuts. Anything that builds votes for or in any way supports Trump would be a catastrophe for this country, for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Biden must be supported and reality better prioritized. Biden must win big time come November. And it's time for these ‘centrist Democrats’ to show political courage and use some of their political capital. It’s also time for the GOP to end their own nonsensical political performance art in the realization that, again, Netanyahu does not need to carpet bomb Rafah to defeat Hamas
Sorry, but one more thing...Biden’s action to (temporarily) restrict 2,000 pound bombs, and other unguided destructive offensive weapons, in order to keep them out of Netanyahu’s hands, is NOT remotely connected or at all similar to the reason Trump was impeached for the second time. It’s time for folks to stop making this inaccurate reference. Trump’s second impeachment was for his well documented and fully corroborated attempt to extort President Zelenskyy of Ukraine into finding dirt on a political rival (Joe Biden by way of Hunter Biden).