By Jean Baptiste Ndabananiye
Amid an intensifying conflict that is engulfing the Middle East region, criticism mounts against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what some call a “pointless war” that has just rallied Israel’s adversaries against it. With accusations that the escalating military actions are overshadowing the tragic events of October 7, Netanyahu’s approach has raised questions about the true objectives of the conflict.
As the prime minister signals bold ambitions to reshape the Middle East—hinting at a potential regime change in Tehran—concerns grow that the war’s consequences could extend far beyond Israel’s borders. The involvement of regional and world actors, the failure of U.S. diplomatic efforts, and the participation of nations as distant as Iraq and Yemen suggest that a larger geopolitical clash may be unfolding, threatening global stability.
Yehuda Cohen is father of hostage Nimrod Cohen. He has recently told Israel’s Kan news that he holds Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for a “pointless war that has pitted all possible enemies against us. He is doing everything, with great success, to turn the event of October 7 into a minor event.”
Here he is criticizing Netanyahu, for what he considers poor leadership during the conflict. He is bluntly blaming Netanyahu for engaging in a war that lacks a clear purpose or justification and has instead resulted in uniting various adversaries against Israel. Where he states that Netanyahu is “doing everything, with great success, to turn the event of October 7 into a minor event,” Cohen suggests that Netanyahu’s actions in the ongoing conflict are overshadowing or downplaying the significance of what happened on October 7. This implies that the focus has shifted away from addressing or responding to the original event, possibly due to the escalation of the broader conflict.
In the meanwhile, all Israelis don’t harbor Cohen’s viewpoint toward the conflict. The BBC reports “Not all Israelis share Mr Cohen’s particular perspective. Many now see the Hamas attacks of a year ago as the opening salvo of a wider campaign by Israel’s enemies to destroy the Jewish state”. Netanyahu is likely to pursue monumental plans, according to BBC. “After weeks of stunning tactical success, Israel’s prime minister seems to harbour grand ambitions.” It clarifies that in a direct address to the Iranian people, he hinted that regime change was coming in Tehran. “When Iran is finally free, and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think, everything will be different. There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach.”
BBC adds that across the Middle East, others have joined the fight and US intervention to thwart the war has failed. “Dogged US efforts to prevent the crisis from escalating, involving presidential visits, countless diplomatic missions and the deployment of vast military resources, have all come to nothing. Rockets have been fired from far away in Iraq and Yemen.”
Questions to consider
- Do you think Netanyahu’s broader ambitions in the conflict are justified, or do they risk overshadowing the need to address the immediate crisis at home?
- Could the escalation of this conflict, including Netanyahu’s plans targeting Iran, lead to a wider regional or even global confrontation, potentially involving the U.S., the Arab world, Russia, North Korea, or China?
- How should Israel navigate the balance between confronting its enemies and avoiding a situation where the war unites more adversaries against it?
- Russia is considered a significant ally of Iran and we all know its intervention in Syria which has stopped the West’s action there. Will Russia act as a bystander, when Israel and potentially her greatest ally : U.S.A, intervene militarily in Iran, to topple the regime?