US intelligence report: Netanyahu’s leadership ‘in jeopardy’

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE LATEST GLOBAL THREAT ASSESSMENT  FROM U.S. INTELLIGENCE PUTS PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IN A TOUGH SPOT. HIGH-PROFILE U.S. OFFICIALS LIKE CIA DIRECTOR WILLIAM BURNS SAY NETANYAHU’S SUPPORT IS SLIPPING, AND HIS HOLD ON THE PRIME MINISTER POST “MAY BE IN JEOPARDY.”

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, NETANYAHU’S POSITION AS LEADER AND HIS COALITION’S FUTURE, MADE UP OF FAR-RIGHT AND ULTRA-ORTHODOX PARTIES THAT HAVE TAKEN A TOUGH STANCE ON PALESTINIAN AND SECURITY ISSUES, COULD BE AT RISK

NETANYAHU’S HARD STANCE ON SECURITY AND RELUCTANCE FOR PEACE TALKS WITH HAMAS HAVE LED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE LOSING TRUST IN HIM, INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS SAID. THIS JANUARY, THOUSANDS HIT THE STREETS OF TEL AVIV, CALLING FOR HIM TO STEP DOWN. DESPITE THESE PROTESTS AND TALKS OF A UNITY GOVERNMENT WITHOUT HIM, NETANYAHU IS HANGING ON, HOPING TO TURN THINGS AROUND WITH A DECISIVE WIN OVER HAMAS —SOMETHING THE REPORT SHOWS COULD BE HARD TO DO.

“ISRAEL PROBABLY WILL FACE LINGERING ARMED RESISTANCE FROM HAMAS FOR YEARS TO COME, AND THE MILITARY WILL STRUGGLE TO NEUTRALIZE HAMAS’S UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH ALLOWS INSURGENTS TO HIDE, REGAIN STRENGTH, AND SURPRISE ISRAELI FORCES.”

HE’S ALSO DEALING WITH PRESSURES FROM HIS OWN TEAM, INCLUDING BENNY GANTZ, A MEMBER OF ISRAEL’S WAR CABINET AND CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL UNITY PARTY, AND DEFENSE MINISTER YOAV GALLANT, BOTH OF WHOM ARE MAJOR POLITICAL RIVALS OF NETANYAHU. POLLS ARE SHOWING GANTZ COULD BEAT NETANYAHU IF AN ELECTION WERE HELD TODAY.

THIS INTERNAL RIVALRY COMES AT A TIME WHEN NETANYAHU’S ALSO CLASHING WITH THE U.S., ESPECIALLY OVER HOW HE’S HANDLING GAZA, LIKE THE PROPOSED ATTACK ON RAFAH THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS WARNED AGAINST.