There’s a long way to go to end this war on Netanyahu’s terms. But is time on his side?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has set Israel’s Defence Force a mission impossible: to free the remaining Jewish hostages and “destroy Hamas”.
Andrew Bolt
Don't miss out on the headlines from Andrew Bolt. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Time’s running out for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who’s just dug deeper into a war he cannot win.
Netanyahu last week ordered intensive bombing of Gaza ahead of a fresh ground offensive, and set Israel’s Defence Force an impossible task: to “complete the mission” by freeing the remaining Jewish hostages and “destroying Hamas”.
Hundreds more Palestinians have since been killed, to add to tens of thousands in 17 months of war, which started with Hamas slaughtering 1200 Jews, but is Hamas anywhere near destroyed?
When it released some hostages during the ceasefire in February, hundreds of Hamas terrorists sporting green bandannas still emerged from tunnels.
Now a poll by the respected Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank suggests it will have many recruits to come.
It shows 57 per cent of Palestinians still support Hamas, even though the war it started has left Gaza in ruins, and 73 per cent think releasing all the hostages won’t end the war.
Not that Hamas is likely to any time soon.
On the weekend, it said it might free nine more hostages for a 60-day truce and the end of Israel’s aid blockade.
But Hamas still holds 57 hostages, many dead.
There’s a long way to go to end this war on Netanyahu’s terms.
But is time on his side?
Two weeks ago, US President Donald Trump abruptly ordered an end to the American bombing of Houthi extremists in Yemen who were firing missiles at Israel and ships using the Suez Canal.
Trump claimed “they gave us their word that they wouldn’t be shooting ships anymore”.
Wrong: the Houthis promised only to stop firing at American ships, not Israeli targets.
Trump then signed massive arms deals with Saudi Arabia and even Qatar, which he once correctly noted funded the extremist Muslim Brotherhood and hosts Hamas headquarters.
Grateful Qatar gave Trump a $600m luxury Boeing.
Trump even praised new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as “attractive” and promised to lift US sanctions on Syria.
But Israel doesn’t want Syria made stronger, and doesn’t trust Sharaa, who headed al-Qaeda in Syria and as recently as last year was still wanted by the Americans, with a reward of $10m.
Trump hasn’t suggested his commitment to Israel is weakening.
But there’s a pattern now of him losing patience with wars and ending them by calling old enemies his friend.
Originally published as There’s a long way to go to end this war on Netanyahu’s terms. But is time on his side?
Join the conversation
Bolt: Suicide is not just cruel to survivors but socially contagious
With the passing of Adam Selwood we see the real burden is the pain those left behind by a suicide must carry for the rest of their lives.
Read more
Bolt: Give Ley the chance to fix what’s broken
Sussan Ley is being treated like a here-today, gone-tomorrow lightweight, but let’s see then how she handles things. She may not succeed, but to bury her already is unfair.
Read more