The horrific events of October 7 and the strategic consequences for Israel continued when the Netanyahu government steadfastly ignored the need to investigate the major policy and security mistakes that led to the outbreak of war in the first place. This was not the hallmark of leadership but rather characteristic of Netanyahu’s maneuvers to evade any State Commission of Inquiry for Israel’s greatest national security failure, and the impending judgment of his criminal trial before the Israeli elections scheduled for autumn 2026. 

This tragedy was compounded by Netanyahu’s failure to adopt a comprehensive policy that would diplomatically consolidate some of the impressive military gains in the ensuing multifront war. Instead of ending the war in January 2025 (or earlier) when Hamas and Hezbollah had been severely weakened, the Houthis contained, two major Iranian missile attacks disrupted, and the Assad regime brought down in Syria, he continued the hostilities until October 2025, eroding most of the previous military achievements and delaying the release of the hostages.

Ultimately, the ceasefire in Gaza only took effect after Netanyahu ordered an airstrike against Doha, and President Trump forced him to publicly apologize to the Qataris. The American resolve to end that war and ensure the return of all the hostages, both living and deceased, was decisive. The 10-month delay cost the deaths of more than 80 soldiers (according to official governmental records) and increased the trauma and suffering of the remaining hostages.

As the war continued in Gaza during 2025, Netanyahu decided on June 13 to preemptively strike Iran citing intelligence reports that Iran was close to assembling a nuclear weapon and building intercontinental ballistic missiles After that operation Netanyahu claimed that Israel........

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