With a Gaza Cease-Fire in the Balance, Netanyahu Maneuvers to Keep Power
New York TimesMay 08
Israel Claims to Have Opened Kerem Shalom Crossing
Image copyright: Amir Levy/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The Israeli military said Wednesday that the Kerem Shalom crossing — closed on Sunday after a rocket attack killed four soldiers — "is now open for the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip."
However, aid trucks are still reportedly waiting to enter Gaza, with the US saying that aid could not get through "because of logistical and security concerns" on the ground.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns. However, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has gotten out of hand and must be remedied. Netanyahu must stop politizing negotiations and come to an agreement that gets the hostages back and calms tensions.
Pro-Israel narrative
Israel has reached a decisive point in this conflict. If the nation gives in to international pressure, it will make clear to Israel's enemies that the country is weak and cannot stand up for itself. Such weakness will only encourage another attack like Oct. 7, which is simply unacceptable. Israel must continue to push into Rafah and win this war.
Pro-Palestine narrative
The most consistent obstacle in these negotiations has been Netanyahu and his far-right government. If Netanyahu hadn't been hellbent on salvaging his political career and the Biden administration hadn't been so weak, thousands of lives may have been saved. Either way, the ball is in Israel's court, and everything must be done to ensure the end of this brutal war on Gaza.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that at least 500K Palestinians will be displaced from Gaza before Dec. 31, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.