Netanyahu weighs West Bank operation ahead of elections: ‘Politically, it will not help anybody’

AI Summary

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is weighing a possible West Bank operation as Israel approaches a consequential parliamentary election amid renewed violence. Journalist Ben-Dror Yemini argues that military escalation may not improve Netanyahu's electoral prospects, particularly after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks damaged his public standing.

As Israel approaches a consequential parliamentary election amid renewed violence in the occupied West Bank, Yedioth Ahronoth Senior Journalist Ben-Dror Yemini offers a critical assessment of Benjamin Netanyahu's political prospects, the limits of military escalation and the shifting relationship between national security and electoral legitimacy. Since October 7, 2023 "Netanyahu is not popular anymore," Yemini argues, identifying the Hamas-led attacks as a decisive turning point in the Israeli prime minister's public standing.