Will the Iran War Be Netanyahu's Undoing?

"Just when his career appears to be buried under the weight of indictments, or his coalition fatally fractured, he reappears, seemingly unscathed, with a new lease on power. Today, as Israel finds itself locked in a multifront war with Iran and its proxies, Netanyahu is once again attempting his favorite trick: transmuting a national existential crisis into a personal political lifeline."

"Netanyahu has been in the dock for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust since 2020. During that time, he has attempted to intimidate and disempower Israel's judiciary and pressured Isaac Herzog, the country's president, to grant him a pardon. Last week, thanks to the Iran war, that push got some backup from none other than Donald Trump."

"By law, the prime minister's coalition needs to pass a budget by the end of this month in order to avert mandatory new elections. For a time, Netanyahu seemed likely to miss this deadline. The reason: The ultra-Orthodox parties, which hold 18 of the coalition's 64 seats, refused to back the budget unless the prime minister passed legislation officially exempting yeshiva students from military service."

Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly escaped political crises throughout his career by converting national emergencies into personal political advantages. Currently facing corruption charges since 2020 for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, Netanyahu is using Israel's war with Iran and its proxies to pressure for trial dismissal and coalition stability. He has attempted to intimidate the judiciary and sought presidential pardons. Donald Trump recently supported Netanyahu's position, urging him to focus on war rather than court proceedings. Domestically, Netanyahu uses the war crisis to manage coalition pressures, particularly from ultra-Orthodox parties demanding military service exemptions for yeshiva students in exchange for budget support.

Read at The Atlantic