Against odds, Netanyahu revives his fortunes
The Israeli prime minister takes out a terrorist foe, puts Iran’s Soleimani on notice and effectively sinks rival’s chances to form a new government — not a bad week.
Israel’s beleaguered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scored a hat trick this week, reviving his political fortunes with a series of deft policy moves.
It starts with the targeted killing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) leader Baha Abu al-Ata with an Israeli airstrike on his home in Gaza Nov. 12.
In addition to taking out one of Israel’s most implacable terrorist foes, Bibi advanced his interests in two other areas as well: He gave notice to Israel’s most wanted, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, that he could be next, and he appears to simultaneously have sunk rival Benny Gantz’s options of cobbling together a minority government with Arab Joint List support.
Not a bad week for a man still facing possible indictment for corruption, and whose political fortunes may be hanging by a thread.
