Endgame Politics

Few politicians have exhibited Benjamin Netanyahu’s talent for political survival.

- BY B. HOPINDER SINGH

Through scandals, elections, wars, and coalition upheavals, he has repeatedly found ways to defy predictions of his demise, by reaching for every available lever to extend his hold on power. Netanyahu’s career is a study in reckless political brinkmanship. More than once, he has stared into the abyss ~ written off after electoral defeats, abandoned by allies, and challenged by rivals, only to reach into his political hat and produce yet another rabbit. Whether through tactical alliances, ideological repositioning, or sheer persistence, he has repeatedly transformed apparent endings into new beginnings, cultivating a reputation as one of the most durable and daring survivors in modern democratic politics.

But now serious questions abound ~ has he finally run out of tricks? The longest serving Prime Minister of Israel (more than 17 years over three separate tenures) may just have bitten off more than he can chew with his initial flattening of the Gaza Strip, subsequent battle with Iran, and the continued onslaught on Lebanon. As a peace treaty between the United States of America and Iran gains traction, where does that leave Netanyahu? Counterintuitively, the path to peace is always strewn with political landmines, as far as Netanyahu and his political appeal is concerned. For decades he has cast himself as the sentinel at Israel’s gates, warning against Tehran's ambitions, Hezbollah’s arsenal, and Iran’s foothold in Syria.