The News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing increased political pressure over an airstrike blamed on Hezbollah in the Israel-controlled Golan Heights.
Locals say that Netanyahu’s government hasn’t done enough to keep them safe, and the prime minister was met with protests on Monday when he visited the site of the strike, which killed 12 children.
At the same time, politicians are demanding an investigation into whether a far-right cabinet member, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, ordered Israeli police not to intervene after protesters stormed two army bases.
SIGNALS
Israelis are as angry at Netanyahu as they are Hezbollah
Sunday’s airstrike in the Golan Heights has drawn as much ire toward the prime minister as it has fury at Hezbollah, The Jerusalem Post noted. Anger mounted toward Netanyahu for not cutting his trip to the US short sooner, and continued after he opted to fly home, with critics suggesting he only made the decision following the backlash. “There appeared to be as much indignation and anger from some Israeli politicians directed at Netanyahu for not immediately cutting his weekend in the US short as there was at Hezbollah for its terrorist attack,” The Jerusalem Post’s editorial board noted.
Netanyahu’s address in Washington offered no insight
Netanyahu’s address in Washington may have been impressive to politicians in Congress, but offered “nothing” to Israelis at home, Anshel Pfeffer, a columnist for the left-wing Haaretz newspaper, wrote. Netanyahu described Israel’s battlefield triumphs and the extrication of several hostages from Gaza — but had little to say to the families of the remaining hostages, some of whom arrived in Congress to protest the prime minister, according to Pfeffer, who has written a biography of Netanyahu. Meanwhile, descriptions of post-war Gaza, touted by Netanyahu’s team before the address were vague and offered little insight into what lies ahead.
Approval ratings bouncing back after historic lows
Despite the opposition, Israeli opinion of Netanyahu has rebounded following historic lows earlier this year. In a poll conducted by Israeli television station Channel 12, 32% of respondents said they preferred Netanyahu as prime minister over his rivals. The rise in support followed his trip to Washington, where he addressed Congress. However, 48% of survey respondents believe that Netanyahu traveled to the US to pursue his own political goals, rather than for the betterment of the country.