'Trump & Netanyahu are on a clear collision course' -- as political pressures close in on Netanyahu

Conflicts Forum’s compilation tracking strategic developments in Israel, 25 January 2025

Netanyahu is on shaky ground in terms of his ability to deliver on the ceasefire deal as political constraints and pressures from within — and from the US — intensify. As Ben Caspit notes:

“When approving the hostage deal last week, Netanyahu committed to ending the war in Gaza. However, in a bid to maintain his coalition, he also assured Smotrich that Israel would resume fighting in the Strip until Hamas is defeated”.

Quoting a senior Israeli political source, Caspit writes:

"Trump and Netanyahu are on a clear collision course. [Trump] has no interest in giving up on completing the deal for the release of the hostages and ending the war in Gaza. [Yet] Netanyahu surely knows that beyond the second stage of the deal, making the ceasefire permanent and evacuating the Philadelphi Corridor will bring down the government immediately … Netanyahu promised the opposite … [Ben-Gvir] opted to ditch the government [and] Smotrich continues to agitate from the inside — for now.