Netanyahu faces election test amid wars, US strain and corruption case
Israel’s October vote could turn on Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza, as analysts say US pressure has narrowed his options.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Israel’s October general election is emerging as a major test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political survival, Al Jazeera reported. The vote could shape the legacy of Israel’s longest-serving prime minister as he faces criticism over regional wars, relations with Washington and corruption charges.
Al Jazeera reported that Netanyahu, who has spent nearly four decades in Israeli politics, is under pressure after a chain of military and diplomatic crises. The outlet said he reportedly persuaded US President Donald Trump to join a war against Iran on February 28, after which Tehran struck Israel, Gulf states and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel is also fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon, where Netanyahu faces pressure from two directions, according to Al Jazeera. Trump wants to reduce the fighting to protect a US-Iran arrangement and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while many Israelis want the war against Iran and its regional allies to continue.
Pressure from Lebanon and Washington
Political analyst Nimrod Flaschenberg told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu appears to be in serious difficulty. Flaschenberg said the US agreement with Iran has not landed well with Israelis and that the public remains unsure whether events in Lebanon amount to a ceasefire, a withdrawal or something else.
The June 18 memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran commits both sides and their allies to end military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported. It also includes guarantees for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Israel has not publicly committed to leaving Lebanese territory and has continued strikes there, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet reported that about 4,230 people have been killed and 12,179 wounded in the latest conflict since March 2, while northern Israeli towns remain within range of Hezbollah rockets and drones.
Al Jazeera reported that Israel occupies about one-fifth of Lebanon, and a recent poll cited by the outlet found that almost three-quarters of Israelis backed the continued occupation, while just over one in 10 opposed it. A framework agreement signed with Beirut in Washington on Friday has left Israel’s future military presence uncertain.
Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli army chief of staff and Netanyahu’s main challenger, blamed the strain with Washington on Netanyahu’s failure to explain Israel’s Lebanon strategy to the United States, according to Al Jazeera. Former Israeli government adviser Daniel Levy told the outlet that opposition figures are attacking Netanyahu from the right by claiming they have better military or diplomatic answers for Lebanon.
Domestic anger and legal risk
Netanyahu also faces public anger over the absence of an independent inquiry into his government’s failures before and after the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, Al Jazeera reported. The outlet said Israel has faced growing international scrutiny over its war in Gaza and tougher criticism from parts of the US political establishment.
Al Jazeera reported that Netanyahu still faces multiple corruption charges dating to 2019 and could face prison if convicted. Netanyahu has not been convicted in those cases.
Trump has signaled irritation with Netanyahu’s conduct, according to Al Jazeera. The Financial Times quoted Trump on June 7 as saying Netanyahu must follow Washington’s ceasefire agreement with Iran, adding: “I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots.”
Levy told Al Jazeera that Trump and Netanyahu held seven in-person meetings during the first 13 months of Trump’s current term, but none since the Iran war began on February 28. Levy said Netanyahu is likely seeking another meeting with the US president before Israelis vote.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.