Israel: mass protests for hostage deal
The largest protests since 7 October have taken place in Israel after the army recovered the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel under Rafah. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered on Sunday to demand that a deal be struck with the radical Islamic organisation Hamas to free the remaining 101 hostages. A general strike on Monday was ended by court injunction. Can the public outcry bring a change of course?
A war needs a realistic goal
The demonstrators have recognised something that Netanyahu is still refusing to acknowledge, Welt writes:
“Netanyahu doesn't want to talk about the future of Gaza. He is refusing to present an exit scenario for the war - for fear of losing his radical coalition partners. Israelis have a wide range of opinions on the future of Gaza. But more and more of them are rejecting an aimless permanent war. That is why, according to polls, Netanyahu would clearly lose his majority if elections were held today. ... But the battle-hardened Israeli population already knows: a war without a realistic goal cannot be won.”
Internal reconciliation is the key
El Mundo calls for a change of course within Israel:
“The mass demonstrations, followed by a general strike, have revealed deep rifts in Israeli society, divided between those who demand negotiations with Hamas and those who want to bring the terrorist group to its knees. ... Among the hardliners are Netanyahu's radical coalition partners, who accuse the demonstrators of 'fulfilling the dream of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar'. ... The tension in the Israeli cabinet is adding to the turmoil in a deeply divided country. ... Time is running out to rescue the hostages from the Gaza Strip. Political quarrels must be overcome, internal reconciliation sought and a diplomatic way out of the conflict found.”
No end in sight
The protests stand little chance of bringing change, Le Temps sighs:
“Is the end of this terrible war finally in sight? Despite the spectacular images of the mobilisation, sadly this does not seem to be the case. ... Yes, some people are now putting a deal for the release of the hostages above a complete defeat of Hamas. ... But the voices in favour of continuing the fighting are still very loud. ... This is largely due to the dirty game that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is playing with the hostages, which has further radicalised a public already deeply shocked by the deadly attack of 7 October. Today, razing Gaza to the ground and establishing Israeli control over the territory are no longer just the dream of the far right.”
A personal battle for Netanyahu
Commenting in La Stampa, political scientist Alessia Melcangi also sees little hope of change:
“Why won't Netanyahu give in despite numerous attempts at negotiation? Certainly, the attack on 7 October struck at the heart of what Israel takes for granted, namely its own security, and it damaged the prime minister's image, hence his harsh response. However, many in Israel believe that Netanyahu is putting his personal interests above those of the hostages and the country. The end of the war could lead to an investigation into his government's responsibility for the attacks in October and to early elections. In addition, the court cases pending against Netanyahu could be resumed.”
Turkey could help
For Posta the protests are a positive sign that the hardliners both in Israel and in Iran are losing influence:
“It seems that the most important development that could make Netanyahu's job even more difficult is taking place within Israel. ... Could the growing discontent in Israel spell the end for Netanyahu? The demonstrations that began in Tel Aviv and spread throughout Israel could lead to a new paradigm. Turkey is one of the most influential powers that could contribute to this new perspective, which is also linked to the decline of Iran. Tomorrow's meeting in Ankara between Erdoğan and al-Sisi [the first official visit of the Egyptian President to Ankara, taking place on 4 September] could contribute to the emergence of new solutions.”