Netanyahu Confronts New Political Dilemma as Allies Push for End to Gaza War

U.K. suspends trade talks with Israel as pressure from allies leads Israel's prime minister to change calculations

- Dov Lieber

Mounting pressure from Israel's allies, including the U.S., to wrap up the war in Gaza is confronting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a dilemma: end the conflict and risk the collapse of his government, or plow on and sacrifice international support.

On Tuesday, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Britain was suspending free-trade talks with Israel and summoned Israel's ambassador, saying that the 11-week block on aid to Gaza has been cruel and indefensible. Israel said the talks were already stalled.

The U.K. government also sanctioned two settler outposts and three individuals in the West Bank. "Israel's actions are intolerable," Lammy said.

Israeli allies France, the U.K., and Canada earlier this week had called on the prime minister not to pursue the new ground offensive that he says will involve capturing all of the strip.

Israel's European allies and Canada said Monday they would "take further concrete actions" if Netanyahu expanded the war and suggested they would consider targeted sanctions in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

But crucially for Netanyahu, the White House made clear Monday that President Trump wants the war to end, just a day after Israel said it had begun a new offensive in the Palestinian enclave.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump "wants to see this conflict in the region end. He wants all hostages to be released." Netanyahu's office didn't respond to a request for comment on the White House statement.

The U.S. pressure is forcing the Israeli prime minister to alter his calculations as he weighs whether to continue prosecuting the war in Gaza. Up to now, he has chosen to fight on in pursuit of his ultimate war aim of ridding the Palestinian enclave of Hamas.

Recent U.S. statements and the specter of sanctions threaten his ability to do so with a free hand.