While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is often portrayed as a political improviser who seizes opportunities and dodges land mines as they occur to preserve his hold on power, he is in fact guided by a clear and consistent mission, Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn tells the Haaretz Podcast. 

“Netanyahu’s strategy, since the inception of his career, and even before he became a professional politician, has been to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and diminish the Palestinian national movement,” said Benn.

As the war has worn on and with Netanyahu’s latest decision to escalate the conflict in Gaza instead of working to end it, Benn says the contention that the argument that Netanyahu does not really share the ideology of his farthest-right coalition partners – National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich – does not hold up. 

“I've yet to see one area of disagreement between Netanyahu and Smotrich and Ben-Gvir,” Benn said. 

While the premier may “hide behind” excuses of being pushed and pulled by outside forces, Benn believes he has a firm grip on power and knows exactly what he is doing. 

In his wide-ranging conversation with podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Benn also discusses the 20th anniversary of the Gaza disengagement – which Israel’s right blames for the events of October 7, his brewing confrontation with the IDF Chief of Staff over Gaza, and whether Netanyahu can face the voters after essentially abandoning the remaining Gaza hostages.

Read more from Aluf Benn:

Opinion | Why Did the Self-righteous Opponents of Israel's Gaza Disengagement Ignore Security Warnings Before October 7?

Opinion | Don't Give Netanyahu a Free Pass. He Knows Exactly What He Is Doing in Gaza

Opinion | Can You Fight for Israel's Democracy but Collaborate With Its Persecution of Palestinians?

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is often portrayed as a political improviser who seizes opportunities and dodges land mines as they occur to preserve his hold on power, he is in fact guided by a clear and consistent mission, Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn tells the Haaretz Podcast.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Netanyahu&rsquo;s strategy, since the inception of his career, and even before he became a professional politician, has been to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and diminish the Palestinian national movement,&rdquo; said Benn.
As the war has worn on and with Netanyahu&rsquo;s latest decision to escalate the conflict in Gaza instead of working to end it, Benn says the contention that the argument that Netanyahu does not really share the ideology of his farthest-right coalition partners &ndash; National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich &ndash; does not hold up.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I've yet to see one area of disagreement between Netanyahu and Smotrich and Ben-Gvir,&rdquo; Benn said.&nbsp;
While the premier may &ldquo;hide behind&rdquo; excuses of being pushed and pulled by outside forces, Benn believes he has a firm grip on power and knows exactly what he is doing.&nbsp;
In his wide-ranging conversation with podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Benn also discusses the 20th anniversary of the Gaza disengagement &ndash; which Israel&rsquo;s right blames for the events of October 7, his brewing confrontation with the IDF Chief of Staff over Gaza, and whether Netanyahu can face the voters after essentially abandoning the remaining Gaza hostages.
Read more from Aluf Benn:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-08-05/ty-article-opinion/.premium/why-the-israeli-right-is-wrong-to-blame-the-2005-disengagement-from-gaza-for-october-7/00000198-761c-d3a7-af9e-767e597b0000">Opinion&nbsp;|&nbsp;Why Did the Self-righteous Opponents of Israel's Gaza Disengagement Ignore Security Warnings Before October 7?</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-07-29/ty-article-opinion/.premium/dont-give-netanyahu-a-free-pass-he-knows-exactly-what-he-is-doing-in-gaza/00000198-51dd-d8cb-afbf-7ddf80460000">Opinion&nbsp;|&nbsp;Don't Give Netanyahu a Free Pass. He Knows Exactly What He Is Doing in Gaza</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-07-21/ty-article-opinion/.premium/can-you-fight-for-israels-democracy-but-collaborate-with-its-persecution-of-palestinians/00000198-2de0-d5d4-a9fd-6fe7f8710000">Opinion&nbsp;|&nbsp;Can You Fight for Israel's Democracy but Collaborate With Its Persecution of Palestinians?</a>

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.