Between Eid and Passover: Netanyahu’s Ceasefire Approach to Ceasefire Under Scrutiny.

Written by Elijah J. Magnier:

It has become increasingly clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has little regard for the holy observances of Ramadan and the blessed Eid al-Fitr. His indifference has deprived the Muslims of Gaza of the opportunity to locate their missing family members, to assess their demolished homes or to enjoy a brief respite from the constant threat of death shadowing them due to the Israeli-Zionist aggression in the Gaza Strip. One wonders if Netanyahu will show similar disregard for the Jewish holiday of Passover or Pesach in Hebrew, the holiest Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites’ exodus from ancient Egypt and their miraculous sea crossing led by the prophet Moses. The holiday begins on the 22nd of this month. Will Netanyahu avoid reaching even a tentative ceasefire agreement after unsuccessful negotiations in Cairo and Doha? Or will Netanyahu opt for a stalemate and give his troops a holiday to recover before the fighting resumes? The prospects of a prisoner exchange deal seem still remote at best.

The Israeli army has won tactical victories in northern, central and southern Gaza. But these have been met with sophisticated counter-measures by the Palestinian resistance, resulting in tactical setbacks that have evolved into a state of military and political fatigue for Israel and for Netanyahu personally. The Gaza conflict has become a quagmire, and Netanyahu is now being blamed for the deteriorating situation – a marked shift from before the conflict, when his concerns were primarily legal, as he faced allegations of corruption and efforts to limit judicial autonomy. He is now accused of failing to protect settlers, of failing to prevent the events of 7 October, of contributing to the deaths of three Israeli prisoners killed by Israeli forces after a daring escape, and of endangering more lives by refusing to negotiate their release. Such actions have made Israel a pariah “state”, condemned by friend and foe alike.

Netanyahu and his government’s hardline partners are determined to pursue their goals regardless of the well-being of the hostages and the dehumanised Palestinians. They have launched heavy military operations in Gaza and expanded settlements amid war, even as international voices call for a ceasefire and catalogue their transgressions. This strategy serves to placate extremists within the government, who have threatened to resign if the conflict ends, by sanctioning the seizure of 8,000 dunams of West Bank territory – the most significant illegal land annexation since Israel’s creation in 1948.

Despite intense political pressure from the United States, which has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and empowered the Israeli negotiating team, Netanyahu has shown little willingness to enter into a swap deal with Hamas. His intransigence on critical issues, such as allowing Palestinians to return to the north and establishing a permanent ceasefire, contradicts the core demands of the Palestinian resistance and reveals Netanyahu’s strategic evasions. In addition, Netanyahu has further escalated tensions by attackingand destroying an Iranian diplomatic consulate in Syria and ordering the assassination of members of the World Kitchen mission while crossing Deir al-Balah. These actions have led to widespread condemnation of Israel and its increasing isolation without affecting the continued supply of military aid from the US and Germany.