Military gains strengthen Netanyahu’s hand, but Israelis remain divided

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A month of Israeli military successes, capped by the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, is boosting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s popularity and strengthening his political hand. Netanyahu, who turned 75 on Monday, has once again shown incredible staying power as a politician, after his popularity suffered in the wake of last year’s Oct.

7 attacks. More Israeli voters would choose Netanyahu to be prime minister over the main leaders of the centrist opposition, according to the results of recent polls, which were conducted before Sinwar’s killing. His rising support among right-wing voters could improve his position as the U.S.

makes a diplomatic push for a cease-fire deal and Israel weighs a response to Iran’s missile strikes on the country earlier this month. After the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, the “assumption in the political system and in his own party was that he is finished," said Yaakov Katz, senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a think tank in Jerusalem.

“The fact that he has gone from overseeing Israel’s biggest security failure to being the preferred leader is a remarkable testament to his political survival skills." The rising poll numbers don’t mean Netanyahu’s political troubles are over. Far from it. Deep divisions in Israel, including over how to win the release of hostages still held in Gaza, would likely make it difficult for him to forge a governing coalition if there were to be new elections, polls show.