Netanyahu ends the ceasefire to save his rule

When the Israeli Knesset passed its 2025 budget last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government breathed a sigh of relief. Had the budget not been approved by March 31, the Knesset would’ve been automatically disbanded, leading to new elections. Polls indicate that Netanyahu and his coalition would have decisively lost.  

What saved Netanyahu was his renewed war in Gaza.  

Negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza had resulted in losing one coalition partner and alienating some members of his own party, risking his government. The ceasefire announcement exacerbated Netanyahu’s problems. His trial for corruption and abuse of office returned to centerstage, as did his Trump-like theatrics responding to prosecutors’ grilling. Reports of his government’s failures from ongoing investigations into the October 7 Hamas attack also plagued Netanyahu.

With his coalition hemorrhaging and personal position weakening, renewing the war in Gaza was a way out. His coalition was restored and budget was passed. He had a distraction from his trial. His cabinet approved his decision to remove the head of Israel’s domestic intelligence agency who faulted him for October 7th. And he was again able to advance legislative efforts to “reform” Israel’s judiciary.

Compounding Netanyahu’s dilemma were the expectations created by the ceasefire agreement. The world witnessed powerfully moving scenes of multitudes of Palestinians trekking northward to return to demolished homes and communities in the north of Gaza. Compassion grew for Palestinians as did revulsion for the gratuitous devastation of Israel’s bombardments.

Other factors weighed heavily on Netanyahu.

Hamas, as expected, overplayed their hand with disgraceful scenes of bravado during hostage releases to demonstrate their control. One might ask Hamas’ leadership, “How many times can you foolishly kick the hornets’ nest before you understand your actions’ consequences?”

Gaza’s Palestinians, who our polling establishes have long had unfavorable views toward Hamas, are now demonstrating their anger at both Israel and Hamas. But the last thing Netanyahu wants is an alternative Palestinian leadership in Gaza that would threaten the conflict’s continuation and his rule.

The ceasefire agreement included three phases, ultimately leading to Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the war’s end. As the negotiations had cost Netanyahu coalition partners, he promised allies that he’d never allow the process to reach phase two. Early in phase one, Netanyahu began seeking an escape, claiming Hamas was violating their agreement and pressing unacceptable demands.

Then came the Arab peace plan to end the conflict. The plan, which would fulfill the agreement’s third phase, called for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an Arab/international peacekeeping force, establishment of Palestinian governance linked to the Palestinian Authority, and a plan to reconstruct Gaza. This Arab plan has won broad international support and, if adopted, would have ended Netanyahu’s reign.

In the face of this, Netanyahu felt compelled to break the ceasefire. The renewed campaign has been a ruthless continuation of genocide. For one month, Israel has withheld all aid and medical personnel from the north of Gaza, starving the area’s Palestinians and forcing their departure. The Israelis have also continued their bombing campaign, killing hundreds. They’ve retaken areas of Gaza, promising annexation to Israel, and exploring forcible eviction of Palestinians from Gaza to sabotage possible Palestinian governance and facilitate Israel’s conquest and annexation of more of Gaza.

While Netanyahu claims his goal is Hamas’ elimination, his real intention is clearly to save himself and his government, and he has a willing accomplice in the Trump administration that has supported Israel’s trashing the ceasefire Trump once boasted as his personal diplomatic victory.

Now, after two months of ceasefire, Palestinians are again victims of slaughter and mass starvation. Instead of the agreement leading to the conflict’s end, the ceasefire, as I feared, turned out to be just a pause or a cruel ruse, sacrificed on the altar of Netanyahu’s political survival.

This story has no good guys, only Palestinian victims. As tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrate opposing Netanyahu for risking the lives of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, Arabs must unite in defence of Palestinians and their own peace plan to end the genocide.

The writer is president of the Washington-based Arab American Institute