Why is Israeli media blaming PM Benjamin Netanyahu for the war with Hamas?

The Israel-Hamas war has entered its seventh day, with nearly 3,000 casualties. The global community is deeply concerned about the escalating crisis in the Middle East.

Despite the United States and the United Kingdom supporting Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to bomb the Gaza Strip in response to the terrorist attack by the militant Hamas group on October 7, 2023, Netanyahu is facing significant backlash in the country.

Details from a recent survey, as published by the Jerusalem Post, revealed the following key points:

What

• 56% of Israelis believe that Netanyahu should step down as the PM of Israel.
• 86% of the respondents, including 79% of coalition supporters, attribute the surprise attack from Gaza to a failure of the country's leadership.
• 92% of the people express that the ongoing war is causing heightened anxiety among the populace.
• 94% of the respondents hold the government responsible for the security failure that enabled the attack on the country.
• Israeli lawmakers have also begun criticizing Netanyahu for initiating this war.
• Additionally, Israeli lawmaker Ofer Cassif, a member of Knesset and part of the leftist Hadash coalition, previously warned that the situation would "erupt" if the Israeli government, including PM Benjamin Netanyahu, did not change its policies towards Palestinians.

Why

• According to an editorial published by the Haaretz, a leading Israeli publication, the primary figure accountable for the current situation is PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
• The piece, dated October 8, 2023, highlights that Netanyahu's uncompromising foreign policy, which disregarded the existence and rights of Palestinians, triggered the war.
• Furthermore, it emphasizes Netanyahu's systematic efforts to suppress the Palestinian National Movement in both Gaza and the West Bank, at a cost acceptable to the Israeli populace.
• The continuous Jewish attacks on Palestinians at the revered Al Aqsa mosque over the years acted as a catalyst for the Palestinian retaliation.
• Netanyahu's government failed to foster any confidence among the Palestinian people, exacerbating the conflict instead of resolving it.

The big picture

• The larger perspective portrays Benjamin Netanyahu as treading on a perilous path, making it increasingly challenging to reverse his actions.
• The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has escalated into a full-blown war, likely to have profound consequences on both sides. Moreover, the entire Arab world stands in solidarity with Palestine, including India, which has made its stance clear in support of the establishment of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine.
• With his coalition supporters losing faith in his leadership, the war has become a significant obstacle for Netanyahu. It appears that there is no viable path for a peaceful resolution, especially with only the UK and the US backing his extreme policies.