Benjamin Netanyahu’s long political career has been defined by survival — political, legal, and moral. But the qualities that once made him a formidable tactician have now turned toxic. With the International Criminal Court indicting him for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and his government blocking aid to starving civilians while ordering military strikes that violated the sovereignty of another nation, Netanyahu has led Israel to the brink of diplomatic ruin. The Knesset must act to remove him and replace him with a moderate leader willing to rebuild Israel’s moral credibility, restore humanitarian principles, and commit to a two-state solution.
In a move that shocked even some within his security establishment, Netanyahu reportedly ordered Israeli forces to carry out lethal strikes inside Qatar, killing Hamas representatives who were directly engaged in ceasefire negotiations. The attack not only breached Qatari sovereignty but also exposed Netanyahu’s duplicity — negotiating publicly while eliminating the very people across the table. For a nation already under scrutiny for alleged crimes against humanity, this reckless act undermines any pretense of good faith and reinforces the image of a government unbound by law or conscience.
At home, Netanyahu remains defiant, dismissing the ICC’s indictment as politically motivated and doubling down on military aggression. Abroad, Israel faces growing isolation. The ICC charges — which include the use of starvation as a weapon, deliberate targeting of civilians, and systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure — mark an unprecedented moment in Israel’s history. Never before has a sitting Israeli prime minister faced such sweeping international condemnation. His indictment, paired with his defiance, has left Israel estranged from its allies and morally adrift.
The recent interception of an international aid flotilla carrying food, medicine, and relief workers — among them the peace and climate activist Greta Thunberg — underscored the depth of this moral collapse. Rather than facilitating humanitarian relief for Gaza’s desperate population, the Israeli Navy treated the flotilla as an enemy incursion, detaining its passengers and seizing the supplies. The world watched in disbelief as a democratic state used military force against civilians whose only mission was to feed the starving. Netanyahu’s government defended the action as a matter of “national security,” a phrase that has become synonymous with cruelty and fear.
Israel’s tragedy is that it remains hostage to Netanyahu’s ego and political survival. He has made himself inseparable from the state, and in doing so, he has imperiled its moral foundation. The Knesset must now summon the courage to act — not for partisan advantage, but for the preservation of Israel’s soul. Removing Netanyahu would be more than a political correction; it would be a moral awakening. The time has come for a leader who values humanity as much as security, who recognizes that true strength lies not in domination but in decency.
That new leadership must take immediate, visible steps: open humanitarian corridors into Gaza, allow the unfettered flow of food and medicine, and engage sincerely with international partners to end the blockade that has reduced an entire population to despair. Most crucially, Israel must embrace the only path to lasting peace — a two-state solution that acknowledges Palestinian sovereignty, dignity, and self-determination.
Israel cannot bomb its way to safety, nor can it isolate itself into moral purity. To reclaim its place in the family of nations, it must rediscover the compassion and justice that once defined its democratic ideals. Benjamin Netanyahu has shown he is incapable of that vision. His removal by the Knesset is not merely a political necessity — it is a moral imperative.
Only by turning the page on Netanyahu’s era of fear and deception can Israel begin to rebuild trust, both within its borders and across the world it has so deeply alienated.