Why White House Envoys Fail to Sway Netanyahu Amid Perpetual Conflict

US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner visited Israel on Monday and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The primary focus of the discussion was reportedly US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, which the Israeli leader rejected last week after Hamas accepted it. Despite claiming to have had a 'good meeting', Jared Kushner did not seem to achieve much progress, downplaying the Israeli rejection in an interview with Fox News.

Such initiatives from the White House to jump-start the stalled peace plan for Gaza—amid growing criticism that the Board of Peace is failing—are unlikely to work. Benjamin Netanyahu will not step back from his insistence that Hamas must disarm first before Israel fulfils any of its commitments, holding the same obstructive position on Lebanon. The ultimate goal of the Israeli prime minister is to delay future negotiations and the closing of any deal because he gains no political benefit from ending Israel's wars.

As long as Benjamin Netanyahu can keep Israel fighting in conflicts with Iran, the Palestinians, Hezbollah, or Syria, he can project the image of 'Mr Security'. Maintaining this persona before the elections in October is vital, especially given that opinion polls show 45 percent of Israelis oppose a peace deal for Gaza, 37 percent want a return to fighting, and 17 percent want the status quo. Additionally, two-thirds of Israelis want the occupation of parts of southern Lebanon to continue for a 'security belt', and nearly half want major military action against Iran to continue.

For Benjamin Netanyahu's supporters, his failure to vanquish enemies does not matter; he is still viewed as the only politician with the toughness to face a hostile world. Furthermore, prolonging conflicts allows him to strategically shape his criminal trial by requesting recesses for political meetings, medical examinations, and office trips.

While Benjamin Netanyahu pushes for perpetual war, he remains unconcerned about warnings from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) regarding fiscal costs, despite conflict boosting the Israeli stock exchange and defence companies. Ultimately, neither OECD warnings nor special visits from White House envoys can dissuade a prime minister whose political survival depends entirely on war.