Joe Biden’s ceasefire proposal could sink Benjamin Netanyahu

Joe Biden’s introduction of the three-stage deal to end the war in Gaza was a clever rout to bypass Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden has lost confidence in Netanyahu’s readiness to present things to the Israeli public, and to his own cabinet, in an honest and truthful way. By presenting the terms of the deal clearly and independently from Netanyahu’s spins, Biden was in full control of the message, in the hope that the Israeli public will back the deal and make it impossible for Netanyahu to back out of it.

Netanyahu has spent the past eight months manoeuvring between the demands from far-right members of his coalition, who oppose deals with Hamas, and centrist members who are pushing for a deal that will release the hostages. Each side has repeatedly threatened to leave the coalition and topple the government. Netanyahu has desperately tried to save his government, even at the price of damaging relations with Biden and other allies, undermining war efforts and negotiations for a ceasefire deal.