Two epithets have accompanied Benjamin Netanyahu for decades: ‘the Angel of Destruction’ and ‘the Ringleader’. Though forged in different political fires, together they encapsulate the essence of a trajectory that has fundamentally reshaped Israeli politics – a legacy likely to haunt the national discourse long after his tenure ends.

The term ‘Angel of Destruction’ was famously coined by former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir following Netanyahu’s signing of the 1997 Hebron Protocol, which transferred parts of the city to Palestinian control. Shamir employed the phrase to underscore what he perceived as Netanyahu’s lack of ideological commitment to the doctrine of ‘Greater Israel’. In retrospect, Shamir’s assessment appears prescient. Over the years, Netanyahu has demonstrated a striking flexibility – if not a profound inconsistency – regarding the core political principles traditionally associated with the Likud movement.

Netanyahu’s record includes negotiations with Yasser Arafat, indirect talks with Syria over a possible withdrawal from the Golan Heights, repeated parliamentary support for Ariel Sharon’s Gaza disengagement plan, and, ultimately, the 2009 Bar-Ilan speech endorsing the principle of a two-state solution. Yet, these moves were routinely masked by rhetoric portraying him as the steadfast defender of national interests, standing firm against the perceived ‘weakness’ of the Left.

A panoramic view of Netanyahu’s career suggests not merely ideological pragmatism, but the........

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