For Haaretz columnist Amir Tibon, the renewed fighting in Israel with hostages still in captivity, as scandal unfolds around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, represents a “nightmare scenario.”

Speaking on the Haaretz Podcast, Tibon reviewed the turbulent events of the past week with host Allison Kaplan Sommer – from the arrest of two of Netanyahu’s top aides in the deepening Qatargate affair and the questioning of the prime minister himself, to the botched attempt to replace embattled Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. 

Tibon pointed to the fact after the two-month reprieve of a cease-fire and hostage release in the first stage of the deal that Netanyahu subsequently abandoned, “we now find ourselves with59 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the tunnels of Gaza; Israeli troops on the ground; rockets are being fired at northern, southern and central Israel. And instead of dealing with the security needs of the country, we have a prime minister who is running from court to the police investigation. If I had written this three years ago in Haaretz as a scenario of what will happen under Netanyahu, everybody would have dismissed it as hateful anti-Bibi material – a nightmare scenario that will never come true. But this is what is happening right now."

Tibon added that Netanyahu’s lightning-quick reversal of his decision to appoint former naval commander Eli Sharvit as Shin Bet director was driven by “dissatisfaction” with his choice by the far-right wing of his own Likud party. The Prime Minister attributing the flip-flop to pressure from the Trump administration, he said, was “an absolute lie.” 

For Haaretz columnist Amir Tibon, the renewed fighting in Israel with hostages still in captivity, as scandal unfolds around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, represents a &ldquo;nightmare scenario.&rdquo;
Speaking on the Haaretz Podcast, Tibon reviewed the turbulent events of the past week with host Allison Kaplan Sommer &ndash; from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-03-31/ty-article/.premium/two-netanyahu-aides-arrested-over-connection-between-pms-office-and-qatar/00000195-eb4e-d1f1-a7d5-fbeed2ef0000">arrest of two of Netanyahu&rsquo;s top aides</a> in the deepening <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/ty-tag/qatargate-00000195-f0ff-dfc7-a5dd-f5ffd77e0000">Qatargate affair</a> and the questioning of the prime minister himself, to <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-04-01/ty-article/.premium/what-netanyahus-twisted-decision-making-process-means-for-israelis-security/00000195-f1c9-d1f1-a7d5-f1ed96a50000">the botched attempt</a> to replace embattled Shin Bet chief <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-03-22/ty-article/.premium/four-scenarios-how-israels-high-court-can-rule-on-netanyahus-ouster-of-shin-bet-chief/00000195-bf68-d469-a595-bffc76440000">Ronen Bar</a>.&nbsp;
Tibon pointed to the fact after the two-month reprieve of a cease-fire and hostage release in the <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-01-24/ty-article-magazine/.premium/explained-what-we-know-about-the-israel-hamas-cease-fire-and-hostage-deal/00000194-9928-dc39-a5fc-9bf905460000">first stage of the deal</a> that Netanyahu subsequently abandoned, &ldquo;we now find ourselves with <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/haaretz-explains/2023-10-22/ty-article-magazine/hostages-held-by-hamas-the-names-of-those-abducted-from-israel/0000018b-55f8-d5d2-afef-d5fdd04e0000">59 Israeli hostages</a> held by Hamas in the tunnels of Gaza; Israeli troops on the ground; rockets are being fired at northern, southern and central Israel. And instead of dealing with the security needs of the country, we have a prime minister who is running from <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/haaretz-today/2025-03-31/ty-article/.highlight/from-watergate-to-qatargate-following-the-money-to-benjamin-not-a-crook-netanyahu/00000195-ecde-dfc7-a5dd-edfeda430000">court to the police investigation</a>. If I had written this three years ago in Haaretz as a scenario of what will happen under Netanyahu, everybody would have dismissed it as hateful anti-Bibi material &ndash; a nightmare scenario that will never come true. But this is what is happening right now."
Tibon added that Netanyahu&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-04-01/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-rescinds-nomination-of-new-shin-bet-head-amid-likud-backlash/00000195-f043-dfc7-a5dd-f5fb07190000">lightning-quick reversal</a> of his decision to <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-03-31/ty-article/.premium/tapping-a-submissive-yes-man-inside-netanyahus-decision-on-next-shin-bet-chief/00000195-ec24-da7e-adb7-fdbc40a40000">appoint former naval commander Eli Sharvit</a> as Shin Bet director was driven by &ldquo;dissatisfaction&rdquo; with his choice by the far-right wing of his own Likud party. The Prime Minister attributing the flip-flop to pressure from the Trump administration, he said, was &ldquo;an absolute lie.&rdquo;&nbsp;

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.

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