Pro-Israel lawmakers in both parties are losing confidence in Netanyahu

[Eugene]

Source: NBC News

Pro-Israel lawmakers in both parties are losing confidence in Netanyahu

“It’s really hard to defend Bibi or to justify his political strategy in all of this,” said one House Republican. “There’s real distrust, there’s real questions about his ability to lead."

Jan. 20, 2024, 9:30 AM EST
By Scott Wong and Andrea Mitchell
WASHINGTON — Pro-Israel hawk

WASHINGTON — Pro-Israel hawks in both parties on Capitol Hill are sounding the alarm that they are losing confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the war against Hamas.

While progressive lawmakers have consistently been critical of Netanyahu and Israel’s counterassault in the Gaza Strip that has leveled buildings and killed thousands of Palestinian civilians, it’s significant that pro-Israel lawmakers who serve on key national security panels are now voicing frustration about Netanyahu’s leadership, albeit quietly.

Three of the lawmakers who spoke to NBC News said they are even questioning whether the 74-year-old prime minister has a strategy to end the bloody war in Gaza and have suggested that the unpopular Netanyahu may be deliberately trying to prolong it in order to remain in power.

“It’s really hard to defend Bibi or to justify his political strategy in all of this,” said one House Republican who deals with national security issues and requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. “From a personal level, I think it’s to his political benefit to stay engaged in conflict, whether that’s with Hezbollah or whether that’s in Gaza. Any type of cease-fire or peace agreement, rebuilding effort or off-ramp is detrimental for him politically, and I think that factors in on what he’s doing.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/israel-allies-congress-losing-confidence-netanyahu-hamas-war-rcna134718

[dutch777]

1. As bad as Bibi is, given internal Israeli politics, I wonder if anyone better could rise to the PM position?

The few names I have seen floated would be caretakers at best and just as beholding to the far right, "No Two State Solution, No Way!" groups that have stymied any real progress and gotten Israel into this no win situation and seem perfectly happy with an ongoing war stance. They need an energetic and charismatic leader that can speak logic and sense and get them out of this increasingly vicious cycle of tit for tat violence. I appreciate Biden trying to talk sense into Bibi but unless we are willing to basically blackmail Bibi and Israel with no more aid and no more diplomatic cover until you seriously sit down and in good faith negotiate a two state solution, nothing is going to change.

As the IDF is basically bulldozing and bombing Gaza into a parking lot, the recent ideas floated by a number of Israeli politicians to have many other countries agree to each take some number of Palestinian refugees, a strategy is becoming clear. While some accuse Israel of genocide, the real goal may be more we will so disperse the Palestinians that 1) they aren't close enough to hurt us and 2) they will lose coherence as a people over time. For the average Palestinians part, if they find a foreign country to take them, they may not have much choice than to go. Economically and in all key infrastructure Gaza is moving quickly to being totally or at least functionally destroyed. It is doubtful many nations will want to pony up money to try much rebuilding Gaza and even if they do, the Israelis know how to keep things so locked down there is no real hope of a life with economic or other opportunity. At best it will be a welfare refugee camp again.

[Lonestarblue]

2. The solution to giving the Palestinians a safe place is to force the illegal settlers in the West Bank to leave and

move Palestinians into that space until Gaza can be rebuilt for them. Yes, I know it will not happen, but Israel has stolen that land. Why should they get to keep it?

[dutch777]

4. It is a mess. From British and others' decisions in the 1940s to the creeping Israeli settlements a lot was ignored...

...or ill conceived to get to where it is today. The Israelis won't change/move with just talking as long as we otherwise support and shield them. And the Palestinians won't stop spinning out groups that undertake episodic and increasingly violent attacks and other unrest. A current political and regional Gordian Knot.

[BComplex]

3. It's way past time to get rid of Netanyahu. He's a war criminal. He was a war criminal long before this

Hamas attack happened. And there has been evidence we've read about on DU, and that we've heard on the news, that he knew about it in advance.