Recap of Netanyahu’s interview with Politico

Rafah offensive: “We’ll go there. We’re not going to leave them. You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is? That Oct. 7 doesn’t happen again. Never happens again.”

Many of Israel’s allies and international organizations have warned of the disastrous consequences of a potential military incursion into the town on the border with Egypt, which is home to more than one and a half million displaced people. However, Netanyahu’s statements seemed to be addressed to the American president.

Contrary to the public impression that they are trying to create, the IDF brass isn’t keen on entering Rafah, and neither is the government,” Haaretz wrote on Sunday.

But US President Joe Biden had told MSNBC in an unprecedented way the day before that a ground offensive in Rafah was a “red line” for Washington, without outlining the consequences of crossing this line.

Biden nevertheless made it clear that Israel’s defense was a strategic issue and that there was no red line that would make him suspend arms deliveries to the Iron Dome defense system.

While there’s speculation that the US might leverage restrictions on offensive weaponry destined for Israel to pressure its government, there are voices within American politics, such as Bernie Sanders, advocating for the suspension of military aid altogether.

Nonetheless, Netanyahu relies on Washington’s steadfast support for Israel to sustain his military campaign for at least several more weeks.

Hamas and the duration of the war: “We’ve destroyed three-quarters of Hamas’ fighting terrorism battalions. And we’re close to finishing the last part in warfare,” Netanyahu said. Fighting would not “take more than two months.”

Netanyahu put the number of Palestinian fighters killed since Oct.7 at 13,000, arguing that the ratio of civilians killed was 1 to 1.5 per fighter, giving a total death toll of between 26,000 and 32,500 people.

Last week, Biden quoted figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, which put the death toll at over 30,000, adding that the vast majority of these were civilians.

While Washington supports Israel’s objective of eliminating Hamas, the White House called several times last week for a ceasefire to allow a six-week truce and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Some analysts interpreted the American decision to build a temporary port to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza as a sign that the war would continue for a long time.

The Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, also told CNN that the “Netzarim” corridor separating the north and south of the Gaza Strip will be used for at least a year.

This is a signal that the conflict could continue in a different form after the last part of the war, with an occupation of the north and more targeted raids in the south.

Support from Arab countries: “They understand Hamas is part of the Iranian terror axis,” Netanyahu said, without naming the Arab countries, arguing that they understand the continuation of the fight against Hamas, and “even agree with it quietly.”

In the wake of Israel’s war in Gaza, Arab nations found themselves in a delicate position, grappling with how to engage with Tel Aviv while voicing concerns. Despite tensions, they maintained diplomatic ties. Hamas, linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, aligns with Tehran’s “Axis of Resistance.” Meanwhile, regional powers are focusing on post-war efforts, bolstering the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah, sidelined from Gaza since 2007 due to clashes with Hamas.

Used as a diplomatic incentive by Washington to sway Tel Aviv, Riyadh also linked normalization to the acknowledgment of a Palestinian state, though without specifying which entity should extend such recognition.

During an interview with MSNBC on Saturday, Biden said that he engaged in discussions with numerous Arab leaders, spanning from Saudi Arabia to Egypt to Jordan, and they’re all poised to extend full recognition to Israel and start the process of regional reconstruction.

Support from the Israeli population: Netanyahu addressed criticism from Biden, who previously said the Israeli leader is “hurting Israel more than helping it.” Netanyahu retorted that while he didn’t know “exactly what the president meant,” if Biden was saying he was contravening the wishes or interests of Israel, he was “wrong on both counts.”

Since he came to power at the end of 2022, Netanyahu has faced strong popular opposition to the reform of the justice system that his government wants.

While national unity was invoked and respected in the early months of the war, some Israelis are once again intent on expressing their rejection of the most right-wing cabinet in the country’s history, resuming demonstrations calling for the government’s resignation.

Opinion polls predict that in the event of immediate elections, the party of Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet and the prime minister’s main rival, would emerge victorious.

This is a threat that Washington is also playing on, as US Vice-President Kamala Harris received the Israeli leader last week, while Netanyahu has not yet been invited to the White House since his inauguration.

In response to a question from the MSNBC reporter, Biden replied that he could travel to Israel again to address the Knesset. However, the head of state refused to give any further details.

Post-war solution: Rejecting the notion of a two-state solution, Israel’s prime minister reaffirmed his stance against the creation of a Palestinian state, a stance that sets Israel apart from much of the international community.

“The positions that I espouse are supported by the overwhelming majority of Israelis who say to you after Oct. 7: ‘We don’t want to see a Palestinian state,’“ he said.

When questioned about the European perspective that peace hinges on a two-state solution, Netanyahu responded, “ Yeah, they would say it. But they don’t understand that the reason we don’t have peace is not because the Palestinians don’t have a state. It’s because the Jews have a state. And in fact, the Palestinians have not brought themselves to recognize and accept the Jewish state.”

Even in the scenario of a perceived shift in Palestinian leadership and culture, Netanyahu maintained his stance that Israel should retain full security control over all Arab territories west of the River Jordan.

Biden vs Trump: “The last thing I want to do is enter the American political arena,” he said.

While Netanyahu used his interview with Politico to respond to Biden’s recent personal attacks, the Israeli Prime Minister did not wish to take sides in the presidential duel between the Democratic President and Donald Trump that is due to take place in November. Is this a way of keeping the door open to dialogue?

In any case, the gesture is a reminder that Biden did not meet Gantz during his visit to Washington.

This article was originally published in L'Orient-Le Jour. Translated by Sahar Ghoussoub.