Iran tops Netanyahu’s priority list; Has Qatar-gate become dangerous for him?

Conflicts Forum’s compilation tracking strategic developments in Israel, 4 April 2025

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[These compilations are drawn from analysis & commentary by leading Israeli political and security commentators, predominantly published in Hebrew — as reports published in Hebrew often provide a different window on Israeli internal discourse].

CEASE-FIRE TALKS REACH DEAD END; IRAN TOPS NETANYAHU’S PRIORITY LIST, writes leading security commentator, Ronen Bergman in Yedioth Ahoronot:

Israel and Hamas are still very far from breakthrough ... "unless the surprise swan from the White House bursts forth again" there is no possibility on the horizon of a deal that will bring all the hostages home, [those] alive and those who are not ... “Only Trump can force a hostage deal on Netanyahu” [said a source] -- "the feeling in the security establishment and intelligence community is that [Dermer] was appointed head of a team of non-negotiation, to make sure that the 'deep state' … will not advance the negotiations too far” … "The more deals there are without a comprehensive deal, the fewer hostages Hamas will have alive, and this reduces the chance that they will give up their advantage and their key bargaining chips and compromise except as part of such a deal," the source said …

Dermer is in charge of extremely important matters for Netanyahu, first and foremost the strategic coordination with the US on the issue of Iran, an issue that "affects the government's conduct, the timetables, the attacks of the Houthis and everything else," according to a senior source … "Not only is the war against Hamas in Gaza at the top of Netanyahu's priority list - above it is the issue of Iran. And not only are the hostages at the bottom of the scale - whoever is responsible on Netanyahu's behalf for implementing the highest priority is also the one responsible for resolving the lowest priority crisis."