Opinion: Dealing with Netanyahu only after the war could be dangerous

The time has come for the Israelis to negotiate, but with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Now that the war against Hamas has entered a new phase, with the announcement that several brigades of soldiers will leave Gaza and that the war will be long and of lower intensity, with more targeted combat, the Israelis can turn their attention to urgent matter of the Prime Minister who has failed in his most important job: keeping the country safe.

In the coming days, weeks and months, Israelis will have to make extraordinarily difficult decisions that will define the country's course for the years to come.

Decisions must be made under the guidance of a leader who enjoys widespread popular support, trust and legitimacy; someone who can bring people together and inspire trust. It goes without saying (and this is something confirmed by multiple surveys) that Netanyahu is not that person.

Throughout his long political career, Netanyahu has been willing to put his own interests ahead of those of the country. He did this most damagingly in 2022, when the only way to achieve a majority and become prime minister was to bring into his coalition far-right politicians who had been true pariahs until then. With this same coalition exerting pressure, Netanyahu supported reform of the judiciary law that later threatened to destroy the country. And that was before the calamity of October 7th.

Now, it's time for Bibi, as he is known, to step aside for the country's sake.

Perhaps by voluntarily stepping down from power – which would undoubtedly be painful for him – Netanyahu can begin to cleanse some of the thick stain from his legacy.

The terms of the negotiations would be quite straightforward. Netanyahu is expected to resign in exchange for immunity from charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery – charges he vehemently denies.

Even before Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on October 7, murdered some 1,200 people (the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust), kidnapped more than 240, and launched a calculated campaign of rape, mutilation, and sexual violence; Even before what was unquestionably one of the worst days in Israel's history, Netanyahu had already created divisions in the country unseen since the founding of the modern State of Israel.

The prime minister's deal with extremist parliamentarians from his coalition – Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich – negotiated as a last-ditch effort to maintain power and possibly stay out of jail, included a proposed judicial review that would severely undermine the power of the courts , opening a path for all kinds of changes in the character of the country.

Hundreds of thousands of citizens took to the streets, protesting week after week for eight months. The demonstrations ended only after Hamas attacked and attention turned to helping the families of hostages and the tens of thousands of Israelis evacuated from their homes to make room for troops preparing for war.