WASHINGTON, March 19. /TASS/. Israel’s decision to resume strikes on the Gaza Strip stems from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s shaky political situation as his government largely relies on far-right parties that call for the complete destruction of the Palestinian movement Hamas, the Washington Post writes.
According to the newspaper, Netanyahu’s desire to keep his government from collapsing was one of the main reasons behind the resumption of attacks.
Israeli politicians and experts interviewed by the paper point out that the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) will have to make a decision on the national budget by March 31. If lawmakers fail to reach an agreement, the government will have to dissolve and a new election will have to be called. According to the Washington Post, legislators from the far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties that are part of the coalition government threatened to vote against the new budget, insisting on the resumption of military operations in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has found himself at odds with a number of senior officials in the country’s intelligence agencies, including Israel Security Agency Director Ronen Bar, who argued for putting a priority on the release of hostages over prolonging the war. In such a situation, the prime minister initiated Bar’s dismissal, which also requires support from the coalition partners.
The Washington Post notes that Netanyahu’s move to resume strikes has cemented the ruling coalition. Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the far-right party Otzma Yehudit (or Jewish Power) that had withdrawn from the coalition due to the ceasefire deal with Hamas, welcomed Israel’s return to "intense fighting" and announced that he would rejoin Netanyahu’s government.
Avi Melamed, a former Israeli military intelligence official, pointed out that "Netanyahu’s government is hanging by a thread, and it depends on the far right." "And they have been very clearly pressuring him not to stop the war, but to resume the war," he added, as cited by the newspaper.
Aaron David Miller, a former US Department of State official, noted that Netanyahu not only was motivated by domestic political considerations but also felt reassured by support from US President Donald Trump.
On March 18, the Israel Defense Forces carried out large-scale strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the move was due to Hamas’s rejection of proposals put forward by mediators and US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff. According to the Israeli authorities, the goal of the operation is to ensure the release of all hostages held in Gaza. Hamas, in turn, blamed Israel and the US for the resumption of military activities.