When Benjamin Netanyahu returned to office as prime minister at the end of 2022, his coalition government, the most right-wing in Israel’s history, ushered in a divisive new era of political polarization, pushing ahead with reforms to overhaul the judiciary in an effort to consolidate power. But the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 and Israel’s subsequent declaration of war have brought the country to a critical inflection point, undermining Netanyahu’s carefully crafted image as “Mr. Security” and raising questions about his political future.
What would it take to start a new Israeli-Palestinian peace process that could actually have the prospect for enduring success? MEI has asked a group of regional and U.S. experts to weigh in.
The Middle East Institute (MEI) hosted an on-the-record briefing titled 'The Debate Inside Israel' on Tuesday, November 21st, 2023, featuring Eran Etzion, former Deputy Head of Israel's National Security Council, and Nimrod Goren, MEI Senior Fellow for Israeli Affairs. The briefing delved into the growing internal debate in Israel over the country’s war aims and its handling of the conflict with Hamas, including discussions on calls for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's resignation, the effectiveness of the war cabinet, and the response to the October 7 Hamas attack.