Could Israel’s coming election see an end to Netanyahu’s political career?

Upcoming elections in Israel will likely decide the legacy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces mounting pressure over his handling of wars in the region and corruption charges. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is regarded as the ultimate survivor in Israeli politics. But with the upcoming general election, slated for October, he is now confronted with his biggest challenge yet that could see his nearly four-decade political career come to an acrimonious end. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list In the background is a torrent of political events, after Netanyahu reportedly convinced United States President Donald Trump to join him in a war on Iran on February 28, causing Tehran to launch its own strikes on Israel, the Gulf states and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Israel is embroiled in another war with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah to the north. This has seen Netanyahu trapped between US pressure to halt the military offensive in Lebanon and an Israeli public eager to continue the fight against Iran and its regional proxies. Meanwhile, Netanyahu also faces widespread public anger over his failure to hold an independent public inquiry into his government’s failings before and after the Hamas-led attacks into southern Israel on October 7, 2023. …