The Path Taken by Netanyahu Leads Israel to Ruin
The current Italian government is among the most pro-Israel administrations in the country’s history. Therefore, recent statements by Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto regarding the ongoing war in Gaza should raise alarm bells among Israelis, particularly within the government.
In an interview with “La Stampa,” Crosetto delivered a clear message to Israeli leaders. He stated that “fighting terrorists is no longer an excuse,” adding, “We need decisions that force Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop.” He further noted that such measures should not be directed against Israel itself, but rather “a means to save its people from a government that has lost its mind and humanity.”
Crosetto is right. The ongoing war in Gaza has inflicted severe damage not only on the lives of Palestinians but also on Israel’s economy, democracy, and global standing. Without an immediate change in course, Netanyahu’s agenda may render Israel internationally isolated for decades to come.
It is true that this round of violence began with Hamas’s attack on Israeli civilians in October 2023. It is also true that this attack involved killings, sexual assaults, and kidnappings, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 civilians. Moreover, approximately fifty individuals (mostly Israelis) remain missing, either as hostages held by Hamas or confirmed dead.
However, what started as an Israeli response to the atrocities committed by Hamas has veered into total destruction. The World Food Programme has warned that a third of Gaza’s population has gone days without food. Although international protests against food shortages have led to an increase in supplies, this boost has had little impact due to the distribution methods encouraged by the Israeli government, implemented by a private company, and overseen by a compliant, albeit reluctant, military.
A recent report from UN experts revealed that starvation now affects at least half a million people in northern Gaza, including the city of Gaza itself. The Israeli government’s proposal in July to create a “humanitarian city” would isolate hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents, while the decision made in August to invade Gaza City, which includes further forced relocations, indicates that the situation will worsen.
Netanyahu’s government insists on continuing its destructive path because its political survival depends on it. The reality is that Netanyahu, weakened by corruption trials, has no way to cling to power except through an endless war. This desire empowers the most extreme elements in his coalition, some of whom openly call for the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank. In their view, starvation and displacement are not unintended consequences but goals.
This ongoing Israeli response is more than a moral catastrophe. As 24 leading academic economists—including 11 Nobel laureates—wrote in an open letter to Netanyahu, Israel stands on the brink of inflicting permanent harm on itself.
Western leaders should not treat Israel’s policies in Gaza as “business as usual.” Continuing to support Netanyahu’s government means empowering a rogue regime, one closer to Russia under Vladimir Putin than to Western democracy. Europe will not remain idle amid immense internal pressure to act to save the people of Gaza. Sanctions against Israel are now more likely than ever, potentially undermining Israel’s trade with the EU, its largest trading partner, and jeopardizing much of the research funding that supports Israel’s thriving technology sector.
Credit downgrades have already begun, borrowing costs are rising, and skilled Israelis are emigrating in large numbers. While the United States may choose to absorb part of these costs for its own strategic reasons, it is hard to see any way to spare the Israeli economy the severe damage from Netanyahu’s policies for many years.
Even the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, which shied away from financing foreign wars, has special reasons to reconsider its support for Israel’s strategy in Gaza. Prominent Israeli economists who have advised Netanyahu and his government for decades have concluded that Israel cannot finance an invasion of Gaza City and “host” more than two million people indefinitely. As seen after the 1982 war between Israel and Lebanon, the deteriorating situation in Gaza will likely cost the United States billions, on top of the over $20 billion already spent on military aid to Israel since October 7, 2023.
The way forward is clearly outlined in the economists’ letter. First, Israel must provide sufficient food and medical aid to keep Gaza’s population alive, and this assistance should be measured by its effectiveness, not just the volume of food entering Gaza that remains out of reach for the people. Second, Israel must abandon any plans to confine Gaza’s population to camps. Third, Israel must publicly commit to fundamental human rights in accordance with international law, even during armed conflict. Finally, Israel should pursue a genuine ceasefire that brings hostages home and ends the fighting, with Western governments using diplomacy, economic measures, and policy to pressure Israel into taking these steps.
Today, Israel stands at a crossroads. It can choose the path of extremism taken by Netanyahu, which will inevitably lead to further accusations of war crimes, international isolation, and national decline. Alternatively, it can heed the warnings from allies and its best minds to reclaim its democratic future.
