Channel 12: Netanyahu Under Crushing Pressure, Escaping Disgrace

By Al-Ahed News, Hebrew Media

Recent events and the growing wave of “Israeli” protests demanding a new agreement in Gaza—one that ensures the return of captives held by Hamas—have pushed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into yet another crisis. This comes ahead of a possible full-scale invasion of Gaza, an issue fueling sharp divisions within “Israel”.

In this context, former “Israeli” prime minister Ehud Barak—who previously served as minister of war, foreign minister, and chief of staff—told Channel 12 that it is time to speak frankly about the rush toward the Gaza “operation”, which the chief of staff himself described as a “death trap”.

Barak argued that “Hamas cannot be intimidated by killing more innocent Gazans or by destroying the entire city. Nor can there be a ‘total extermination’ of its members, who are embedded within a community of millions. Such a goal is simply unachievable.”

He stressed that “Hamas has nothing to lose from destruction and bloodshed—both only deepen ‘Israel’s’ entanglement before the world. Very soon, this will also become clear to US President Donald Trump, whom Netanyahu has misled up until now, just as he has misled many within our own ranks”.

Barak continued: “Hamas actually wants ‘Israel’ to fall into this trap. The side under pressure is not Hamas, but Netanyahu. Today, Hamas signals readiness to respond to the deal proposed by US envoy Steve Witkoff under heavy mediator pressure. This is not because it is under duress, but so that if an operation begins in Gaza, it will be clear to all that Hamas was prepared to release the captives—yet ‘Israel’ chose to walk into the ‘death trap’ anyway”.

According to Barak, “Netanyahu is fleeing the shame that fell upon him on October 7. He knows he has lost the reasonable majority of the ‘Israelis.’ We saw this in the massive demonstration on Sunday. In his despair, he is doubling down, gambling in a way that could bring disaster.”

He added: “It will take many years to repair the material and political reality and the collapse of internal solidarity in ‘Israeli’ society caused by Netanyahu’s madness—a collapse he continues to deepen. The blow to ‘Israel’s’ moral standing worldwide will take a generation or two to mend”.

Turning to “Qatargate,” Barak stressed that it is time to face facts. He asked: “What difference does it make that Qatar is not an ‘enemy state’? Pakistan, North Korea or even Egypt are not ‘enemy states’ either. Any prime minister who discovered that his closest aides were serving another country for cash would have been forced to resign within days. At the very least, he would have dismissed them immediately and instructed the Attorney General, Shin Bet, and police to open a full investigation into activities that amount to treason.”

In conclusion, Barak asserted: “From analyzing these two issues—the Gaza operation and ‘Qatargate’—it is clear that the root of the current collapse lies in Netanyahu’s continued rule as prime minister. The captives will not be returned through the extermination of Hamas; rather, they will be lost in such a campaign, which by its nature can never be ‘absolute.’ It must be stated plainly: the captives are being sacrificed and abandoned to their fate by Netanyahu alone”.