Israel's coalition cabinet 'cracks' and US mediates hostage negotiations with Qatar
Reuters reported on the 17th that Israel is experiencing a ‘crack’ within the coalition cabinet that launched Prime Minister Netanyahu’s war cabinet.
The New York Times reported on the 18th that Qatar, a long-time mediator in Hamas hostage negotiations, was highlighted.
Reuters said, “Whatever happens, the day of judgment is coming for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has had a record-breaking political comeback,” and added, “Social polarization over his religious-nationalist coalition’s push for judicial reform this year has sparked strikes by some reservists. “It raised doubts about combat readiness,” he said.
Amit Segal, a political analyst for Israel's top-rated Channel 12 TV, pointed out the contempt showered on some cabinet ministers, saying on Telegram: "It's not too late to fix things. Stop bickering - now."
“It seems like cracks are already appearing within the government coalition,” said Amotz Asa-El, a researcher at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. "It doesn't matter whether you admit it or not. What matters is what the 'middle Israelis' think, that this is a failure and that the prime minister is responsible," he told Reuters.
“He will go, his whole establishment will go with him,” he went on, predicting a similar fate for Netanyahu and his long-dominant, conservative Likud party, telling Reuters.
A poll by Israel's leading Maariv newspaper found that 21% of Israelis want Netanyahu to remain prime minister after the war, 13% said "someone else" and the rest were "undecided."
Opinion polls show that the ruling Likud party will lose a third of its seats in response to the election being held today, while Netanyahu's main rival, Benny Gantz's centrist National United Party, will grow by a third, with the Gantz family rising to the top job. appear.
The NYT said, “For Qatar, a small state with extensive ties to armed groups, desperate and complicated diplomacy led by the United States remains the best option for rescuing hostages in the eyes of many current and former officials,” and “In the talks so far, “Qatar is acting as a mediator between Hamas and U.S. officials, who, like Israel and the European Union, regard Hamas as a terrorist group,” he said.
What makes the talks even more complicated is that people from more than 30 countries are being held hostage, and on the 13th, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference in Doha, Qatar, “Both countries are working intensively to secure the release of the hostages.” He said.
Secretary Blinken visited Israel with Steve Gillen, deputy director of the State Department's Office of Hostage Affairs, which was established in 2015 in response to fierce criticism from American families over the Obama administration's handling of the hostages.
Gillen met with retired Israeli general Gal Hirsh, who was appointed coordinator for prisoners of war and missing persons, the NYT said.
A senior Israeli military official told the NYT, “Based on the U.S. dialogue with Qatar, it is possible that Hamas will release about 50 dual nationals separate from the broader deal.”
“The top priority is to share information about where the hostages are being held,” White House counterterrorism director Christopher Costa told the New York Times.
“There is very little information about the whereabouts of the hostages,” an anonymous senior U.S. official told the NYT.
“Netanyahu has yet to make any statement of personal responsibility, despite acknowledging that his top generals, defense minister, national security adviser, foreign minister, finance minister and intelligence chief failed to anticipate and prevent the worst attack on civilians in Israel’s history,” Reuters said. “Israel has raised its voice against the West for a counterattack.” “The invasion of Gaza could disappear if it becomes mired in increased Palestinian casualties and military losses.”
The war with Hamas has already made Netanyahu's foreign policy of peace with Saudi Arabia and containment of Iran impossible.
“Military planners believe the war in Gaza, which aims to annihilate Hamas, could last for months,” said researcher Asa-El. “Whether the prime minister, who has had a pacemaker fitted and turns 74 this Saturday, will remain in good health is another question,” he told Reuters.