Netanyahu prolonging wars to serve political, personal interests, says Israeli newspaper

Israeli newspaper Haaretz said Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging wars in Gaza and Lebanon to serve his political and personal interests.

“It’s impossible not to suspect that the bloodshed is meant to serve the prime minister’s political and personal goals,” the newspaper said in an editorial.

Haaretz argued that Netanyahu is reigniting the wars in Gaza and Lebanon following what it described as the failure of the war with Iran and its halt by US President Donald Trump.

The newspaper pointed to developments in southern Lebanon, where hundreds of thousands of residents were ordered to leave areas south of the Zahrani River after the Israeli military declared the area a combat zone and announced plans to intensify operations against Hezbollah.

It said recent developments, including assassinations in Beirut, signal a severe escalation and suggest an attempt to draw Hezbollah into an all-out war with Israel.

The editorial also highlighted Netanyahu’s announcement that he had instructed the military to expand Israel’s control in Gaza from 60% to 70% of the territory.

“Under the guise of ‘cease-fires’ in Lebanon and Gaza that it did not obey for even a moment, the army is expanding the area of both combat zones,” the newspaper said.

According to Haaretz, Israel presents the escalation in Lebanon as an effort to stop Hezbollah drone attacks, while in Gaza the objective is to undermine Hamas’ growing consolidation of power.

“Instead of finally recognizing the limits of force, the government orders the military to intensify the strikes and deepen the occupation,” it said.

Haaretz described the war in Lebanon as “futile and pointless,” saying no one knows its objectives, where it will lead or how long it will last.

“Such a war must end immediately. Every additional day is another day of needless killing,” the editorial said.

The newspaper called for reducing the scope of military operations, withdrawing troops from Lebanon and pursuing direct negotiations with the Lebanese government.

Haaretz also warned against renewed escalation in Gaza.

“What Israel failed to accomplish during a war lasting over two years with indiscriminate mass killings and the systematic destruction of entire towns, villages, neighborhoods and refugee camps, won’t be accomplished in another cycle of destruction and killing,” it said.

The newspaper urged support for Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative and called for efforts to restrain further military escalation.

“A war that has no objectives beyond counting the bodies of the other side is a war that will never be satisfied,” the editorial said. “The sooner it is ended, in Gaza and in Lebanon, the less damage it will cause.”

A ceasefire agreement in Gaza took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, following two years of war that killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and wounded over 172,000 others, according to Palestinian authorities.

Since the ceasefire entered into force, more than 900 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli violations of the agreement, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office.