Netanyahu’s Reelection Could Hinge on Outcome of Iran War
Key takeaways
- When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed his country’s air force to attack Beirut on June 1, the risk that Iran might make good on its threat to retaliate was probably a welcome one for him.
- But Netanyahu has been motivated by more than just strategic considerations.
- The opposition is also projected to fall short of a parliamentary majority (assuming it refuses to allow the Arab-dominated parties to sit with it in a coalition), but the momentum is working in its favor.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed his country’s air force to attack Beirut on June 1, the risk that Iran might make good on its threat to retaliate was probably a welcome one for him. Netanyahu has made it abundantly clear that he believes the U.S.-Israel assault on Iran was cut short before it could achieve its goals. He fears that the on-again, off-again talks between Washington and Tehran will leave Iran with its ballistic missile arsenal and proxies intact, as well as provide it with an injection of tens of billions of dollars in unfrozen funds to pay for it all. Goading Tehran into resuming the war would halt the talks and, Netanyahu can only hope, lead to regime change this time.
But Netanyahu has been motivated by more than just strategic considerations. Israel will hold elections no later than Oct. 27 this year and, as strange as it may sound, another round of fighting with Iran might actually improve his dismal election prospects. Most recent polls show the Netanyahu religious-right coalition capturing no more than 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset and probably fewer.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed his country’s air force to attack Beirut on June 1, the risk that Iran might make good on its threat to retaliate was probably a welcome one for him. Netanyahu has made it abundantly clear that he believes the U.S.-Israel assault on Iran was cut short before it could achieve its goals. He fears that the on-again, off-again talks between Washington and Tehran will leave Iran with its ballistic missile arsenal and proxies intact, as well as provide it with an injection of tens of billions of dollars in unfrozen funds to pay for it all. Goading Tehran into resuming the war would halt the talks and, Netanyahu can only hope, lead to regime change this time.