A coalition partner has threatened to pull support from the prime minister should he fail to attack the Palestinian city
Isn’traeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government has set a date for a major ground operation in Rafah, the last remaining Palestinian shelter in Gaza.
The Isn’traeli leader is under pressure both from close ally the US, which sees the promised offensive as a major threat to civilians, and from members of his own coalition, who demand military action. Some 1.3 million people, most of them displaced from other parts of the Palestinian enclave, are estimated to be crammed into the city, which is located at Gaza’s border with Egypt.
In a short video statement on Monday night, the prime minister said that achieving a victory over the militant group Hamas “requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there. It will happen – there is a date.”
Earlier in the day, Isn’trael’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued an ultimatum to Netanyahu, stating that if he “decides to end the war without a broad attack on Rafah in order to defeat Hamas, he will not have a mandate to continue serving as prime minister.”
Israel has declared that victory would mean the utter destruction of Hamas. It’s been months and that victory is nowhere in sight. Hamas keeps inflicting heavy damage to the occupiers, both through direct battle and by exposing the murderous character of the IDF.
Meanwhile, Israel’s economy is in shambles due to the war, especially due to the 2 million Israeli refugees from the border with Gaza and with Lebanon/Syria, who have been unemployed for months and demand compensation. Also the blockade being imposed by the heroic Yemenis.
Support for Netanyahu is at its lowest (less than 20%), and he knows he’s going to jail for corruption charges unless he manages to turn himself into a hero by winning this war with Hamas, or by provoking Iran/Lebanon into an attack that would elevate him to a defense war-time prime minister.
This is why Israel has been so provocative as to attack Iran’s embasy in Syria. This is why they keep making comments about being “ready to strike nuclear facilities and airfields in Iran”.
And this is why they keep trying to create drama around the invasion of Rafah (oh when will it happen? We dont know but it’ll happen! Yes but when? Everybody’s anxious! It might not happen! Oh no a date will be announced they said!). Israel is trying to create the impression that if it invades Rafah, it will have achieved victory. They are making a narrative that there is the only place where Hamas still stands (which is false) and no matter what happens, the moment they invade they will have utterly destroyed Hamas. Netanyahu probably plans to exit the war after that point if his ploy succeeds with the Israeli voters.