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Although most Israelis support the war in Gaza, confidence in the prime minister is low, writes Wyre Davies.
BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNetanyahu is a survivor, but his problems are stacking upPublished5 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warBy Wyre DaviesBBC Middle East correspondent”How many more deaths and disasters will Israel endure under Netanyahu’s watch?” ran a headline in an Israeli newspaper this week.The piece in Haaretz followed a report that held the Israeli prime minister and other senior figures in his administration personally responsible for failures over a stampede that led to the death of 45 people at a Jewish religious festival in 2021.The newspaper, which is frequently critical of the prime minister, pointed out that Mr Netanyahu did not respond directly to the report. Instead, his Likud party suggested that the commission investigating the disaster was itself politically motivated.Commentators across the political divide saw a parallel between the Mount Meron disaster and the 7 October attacks by Hamas, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 taken hostage – specifically Mr Netanyahu’s refusal to accept responsibility.It comes at a time when opinion polls do not make good reading for the prime minister.While he has insisted that “absolute victory” is the only option to end the war, a poll last month by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) found that a majority of both Jewish (51%) and Arab Israelis (77.5%) said there is a low likelihood of achieving his aim to eliminate Hamas.One survey, conducted back in November by Bar Ilan University, suggested that fewer than 4% of Israelis trusted Mr Netanyahu’s decision-making over the war in Gaza.While confidence in Mr Netanyahu is low, most Israelis have consistently supported the war in Gaza. The IDI’s Tamar Herman sees no contradiction in the suggestion that while most Israelis support the conflict and are less supportive of a future Palestinian state, they’re still mistrustful of Mr Netanyahu.He spearheaded unpopular judicial reforms before the Hamas attacks, and then “lost his security credentials after 7 October”, Mr Herman said. The lack of progress in releasing the remaining hostages is also a source of criticism. Last weekend, thousands of relatives of the hostages and their supporters ended a four-day march outside his official residence in Jerusalem. “Our government must ensure, above all else, that they come home, said Yair Mozes, whose 79-year-old father Gadi was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz. “This is the only humane thing that can happen.”Mr Netanyahu says they are a priority, but his decision to not send a delegation to ceasefire talks in Cairo this week was met with derision in parts of the Israeli media.With the hide of a rhinoceros and an absolute conviction in the justness of his cause, Mr Netanyahu dug in even deeper this week.He reiterated that troops would eventually launch an assault on the southern city of Rafah, where an estimated 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. More than 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and much of the territory has been destroyed by Israeli shelling.With more signs of a famine looming, international pressure has only grown.A belligerent Mr Netanyahu told a military graduation ceremony this week that that the military “will continue to operate against all of Hamas’s battalions”.”There is international pressure, and it is increasing,” he said, “but it is precisely when the international pressure increases that we must close ranks among ourselves.”Mr Netanyahu was said to be livid this week when Benny Gantz, his arch-political rival and member of the unity war cabinet, set off on an unannounced and unsanctioned trip to visit key allies in Washington DC and London.Mr Gantz is a former army general and chief of staff, and leads the more centrist National Unity party. If an election were to be held today, polls suggest Mr Gantz would secure enough votes in the 120-seat Knesset to form a coalition government and unseat Benjamin Netanyahu.Some of Mr Gantz’s appeal is simply that he is not Benjamin Netanyahu. He’s a centrist and pragmatist who stands by Israel’s military objectives. The openness with which he was received by senior US and UK officials was widely interpreted back home in Israel as a snub to Mr Netanyahu.Others have criticised Mr Gantz, describing him as a “political parking lot”. Transport minister Miri Regev, a Netanyahu ally, said Mr Gantz’s visit looked like “some kind of subversion, like he’s working behind the prime minister’s back”.Mr Netanyahu is a seasoned political survivor. Both his critics and supporters say he will do almost anything to stay in power and keep his government together. But his slim coalition relies on controversial far-right ministers and religious parties to keep afloat, and it is under strain.In return for their support, the groups insist on financial concessions and the right of Orthodox Jews who are religious students to be exempt from military service. In a country where military service is universal, that has always been a contentious issue. But with Israeli soldiers being killed on active duty in Gaza, it’s a policy coming under increasing pressure.Defence Minister Yoav Gallant – also seen as a possible replacement for Mr Netanyahu – is known to be actively seeking to overturn the policy. And the former head of the Shin Bet internal security service, Nadav Argaman, told a security conference in Tel Aviv this week: “An Israeli citizen is someone who serves the state as it determines, meaning either military service or national service.”Mr Netanyahu cannot be all things to all people. When the war ends, there will be an inquiry into the events of 7 October, and who knew what, when.Mr Netanyahu will come under intense scrutiny over what warnings his government was given and his subsequent response. If any findings are highly critical of his role, as many observers think they will be, he may not be able to dismiss them as easily as he dealt with this week’s Mount Meron report. 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The future is messy and dangerousBowen: US sets clearer red lines for Israel as ceasefire endsWhen this truce ends, the decisive next phase of war beginsRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warIsraelPalestinian territoriesGazaTop StoriesArmy’s top IRA spy ‘cost more lives than he saved’Published1 hour agoFertility clinic licence suspended over concernsPublished1 hour agoWest Bank violence: ‘My child’s destiny was to get killed’Published6 hours agoFeaturesWhy does International Women’s Day matter?Did State of the Union change how voters see Biden?Weekly quiz: Which billionaire hired Rihanna to celebrate a wedding?Singapore sting: How spies listened in on German generalMH370: The families haunted by one of aviation’s greatest mysteriesPride, pilgrims and parades: Africa’s top shotsWhy did the IRA not kill Stakeknife?’I’m really shy’ – The return of Gossip’s Beth DittoHow are the child benefit rules changing?Elsewhere on the BBCThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerDid one man from Iraq make Norway rich?Meet the man behind Norway’s rise to oil richesAttributionSoundsCan new evidence solve aviation’s greatest mystery?Ten years after the Malaysian Airlines flight disappeared, new technology may explain whyAttributioniPlayerHow Trump’s golf dream turned into a nightmare…His controversial golf development in Aberdeenshire was greenlit with awful consequencesAttributionSoundsMost Read1Boy, 11, found driving BMW towing caravan on M12TV star shaken after Jaguar brakes fail during drive3Meghan: ‘We’ve forgotten our humanity’ online4Fertility clinic licence suspended over concerns5Keegan: ‘I’d have probably punched Ofsted staff’6Five killed in Gaza aid drop parachute failure – reports7US says UFO sightings likely secret military tests8’Bearman already marked out as potentially a special one’AttributionSport9Army’s top IRA spy ‘cost more lives than he saved’10Constance Marten: I carried baby’s body in a bag
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaCould you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Could you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersCloseJury selection is under way in Donald Trump’s New York City hush-money trial, with hundreds of people selected as potential jurors.They must answer a questionnaire to determine, among other things, if they can be impartial about the former president.The BBC asked some of those questions to Manhattan residents.SubsectionUS & CanadaPublished50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreCould you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New Yorkers. Video, 00:02:16Could you be a fair juror for Trump? We asked New YorkersSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished50 minutes ago2:16Up Next. A view from inside court for Trump’s blockbuster trial. Video, 00:01:15A view from inside court for Trump’s blockbuster trialSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished19 hours agoUp Next1:15Press, police and protesters: Outside Trump courthouse. Video, 00:01:12Press, police and protesters: Outside Trump courthouseSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished1 day ago1:12Trump’s ‘perp walk’ moment explained in 60 seconds. Video, 00:01:00Trump’s ‘perp walk’ moment explained in 60 secondsSubsectionUS & CanadaPublished31 March 20231:00Editor’s recommendationsCopenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fire. Video, 00:01:03Copenhagen stock exchange engulfed by huge fireSubsectionEuropePublished12 hours ago1:03Moment spire collapses at Copenhagen stock exchange. Video, 00:00:43Moment spire collapses at Copenhagen stock exchangeSubsectionEuropePublished11 hours ago0:43Dormice ladders built in the Forest of Dean. Video, 00:00:51Dormice ladders built in the Forest of DeanSubsectionGloucestershirePublished1 day ago0:51Liz Truss: The world was safer under Trump. Video, 00:00:35Liz Truss: The world was safer under TrumpSubsectionUK PoliticsPublished22 hours ago0:35Huge fires blaze along Miami highway. Video, 00:00:33Huge fires blaze along Miami highwaySubsectionUS & CanadaPublished12 hours ago0:33Watch: Georgia opposition leader punches MP during debate. Video, 00:00:34Watch: Georgia opposition leader punches MP during debateSubsectionEuropePublished21 hours ago0:34Wheelie bins fly and a caravan overturns in strong wind. Video, 00:00:24Wheelie bins fly and a caravan overturns in strong windSubsectionStoke & StaffordshirePublished1 day ago0:24Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazzi. Video, 00:00:28Hannah Waddingham calls out demanding paparazziSubsectionEntertainment & ArtsPublished1 day ago0:28Endangered California condor chicks hatched in LA. Video, 00:01:28Endangered California condor chicks hatched in LASubsectionUS & CanadaPublished1 day ago1:28
[ad_1] Jury selection is under way in Donald Trump’s New York City hush-money trial, with hundreds of people selected as potential jurors. They must answer a questionnaire to determine, among…
BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityUKEnglandN. IrelandScotlandAlbaWalesCymruIsle of ManGuernseyJerseyLocal NewsFirst product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealedPublished11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Meghan pictured at a polo match in Florida last weekBy Sean CoughlanRoyal correspondentA first glimpse of the new business venture from the Duchess of Sussex has been teased on social media, with pictures of a jar of strawberry jam.In a bid to preserve a sense of mystery, the jam from the new American Riviera Orchard brand seemed to be spread among friends and influencers.Fashion designer Tracy Robbins posted a picture of the jam on Instagram.It was numbered “17 of 50”, suggesting the number of recipients of this first fruit of the new business.The arrival of Meghan’s new California-based lifestyle brand had been signalled on social media last month and this suggests that it will be selling food products.What do we know about Meghan’s new brand?Five things about Harry and Meghan’s brand revampWhy did Harry and Meghan leave the Royal Family?There seemed to be have been something of a re-launch for Meghan and husband Prince Harry’s brands and businesses this year, beginning with the overhaul of their regal-looking website under the sussex.com label.Their latest projects seem to be moving away from a previous focus on their time as working royals, such as their Netflix film Harry and Meghan and Prince Harry’s memoir Spare.The hint about the strawberry jam from Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard brand seems to fit with the couple’s latest Netflix plans.Meghan is going to launch a Netflix show which will “celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining, and friendship”.Prince Harry will be involved in another Netflix venture showing the inside track on the world of polo. That’s the equestrian sport, not the mints.Delfina Blaquier, married to Prince Harry’s polo-playing friend Nacho Figueras, also posted a picture of the new jam, with hers labelled “10 of 50”.The social media trail for American Riviera Orchard evokes a sense of the couple’s home in California – and this soft launch for the jam show pictures of the jars in a sunny basket of lemons.It’s not known how much items from the new lifestyle brand will cost. Although there are already plenty of other royals getting into jams. Visitors to the gift shops in royal palaces can get a Buckingham Palace Strawberry Preserve for £3.95 or Windsor Castle Fine Cut Seville Orange Marmalade, also for £3.95.On both sides of the Atlantic they seem to be conserving their finances.Related TopicsUK Royal FamilyMeghan, Duchess of SussexMore on this storyWhat we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandPublished16 MarchMeghan launches surprise new lifestyle brandPublished14 MarchTop StoriesMPs back smoking ban for those born after 2009Published8 minutes agoMuslim student loses school prayer ban challengePublished2 hours agoBowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelinePublished7 hours agoFeaturesJeremy Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifelineIranians on edge as leaders say ‘Tel Aviv is our battleground’A really, really big election with nearly a billion votersWhat is the smoking ban and how will it work?Martin Tyler: I nearly lost my voice foreverWho are the millions of Britons not working?How to register to vote for the local elections ahead of midnight deadlinePlaying Coachella after cancer emotional, says DJHow the Alec Baldwin fatal film set shooting unfoldedElsewhere on the BBCFrom weight loss to prolonging lifeIs intermittent fasting actually good for you? James Gallagher investigatesAttributionSoundsCould Nina shake up the unspoken rules of modern dating?Brand new comedy about love, friendship and being your own selfAttributioniPlayerWill the UK introduce tough anti-tobacco laws?Under new plans, anyone turning 15 from this year would be banned from buying cigarettesAttributionSoundsCan William Wisting find the truth?The Norwegian detective returns, tackling more grisly cold casesAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Nursery boss ‘killed baby she strapped to beanbag’2Birmingham Airport flights disrupted by incident3Muslim student loses school prayer ban challenge4First product of Meghan’s lifestyle brand revealed5MPs back smoking ban for those born after 20096Police told to shut down right-wing Brussels conference7Historic Copenhagen stock exchange goes up in flames8Bowen: Iran’s attack on Israel offers Netanyahu a lifeline9Marten a ‘lioness’ who ‘loved her cubs’, court told10Sons of McCartney and Lennon release joint single
[ad_1] The jars of strawberry jam, labelled America Riviera Orchard, have been shared with friends and influencers.