Most of the news that concerns us and our region is currently under the influence of intense political disputes or unprecedented disinformation campaigns. This includes the electoral happenings in the United States, as well as political campaigns in Israel. There's rampant Israeli, Hamas, and Iranian deception, along with actions from Hezbollah regarding the war in Gaza and Israeli operations in Lebanon, in addition to misleading Houthi campaigns, particularly on social media.
What matters to our region now, and to all parties involved, is focusing on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will be free and at large until the upcoming U.S. presidential elections in November. Why should we keep our eyes on Netanyahu at this moment? He visited Washington and delivered a speech in Congress after bombing Hodeidah with warplanes, conducting a fierce attack akin to incinerating the port of Hodeidah and its oil depots, in retaliation for a drone strike on a building in Tel Aviv.
He did this without significant or notable international reactions, and then went to Washington despite the ongoing war in Gaza and the escalating situation on the Lebanon front, giving a "clapping" speech without firm positions, but rather electoral objections, all in front of the U.S. administration and Congress. After all this, Netanyahu met with both President Biden and Vice President Harris, as well as former president Trump.
During his stay in the U.S., Reuters reported that Israel seeks to modify a plan aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, a plan presented by President Biden. All of this indicates to us that Netanyahu is acting without concern for international pressures, specifically what is said to be U.S. pressures. I am convinced that after Biden announced he would not run for a second presidential term, the last thing Netanyahu cares about now is Washington or the U.S. administration.
Thus, Netanyahu is now acting as if a green light has been given to him on an open road, up until November, as the United States has not only entered what is known as the "crazy season" or the presidential election period, but has become even more complicated with Kamala Harris’s candidacy to compete against Trump. Netanyahu has understood this well, as has Iran, which has entered a state of complete silence, and likewise Hezbollah, which seems to have decided to involve the Houthis in the catastrophe, noting that the Houthis are still shocked by the extent of the blow.
Therefore, Netanyahu will now move freely, without real political pressures, and his actions may become more unrestrained with the developments leading up to the U.S. elections, where no one can now stop Netanyahu on the ground in Gaza, or externally regarding political pressures. All of this poses a danger to Gaza, the Palestinian state project, and also to Lebanon, which is effectively in a state of war with Israel that continues to target Hezbollah, both in Lebanon itself and even in Syria.
It is certain that Netanyahu seeks to lay the groundwork for dealing with the next U.S. president, whoever that may be, and he is not willing to make any concessions now, especially since he sees greater chances for Trump. Therefore, the advice is: keep your eyes on Netanyahu now.
