Enough is Enough: Benjamin Netanyahu Needs to Resign
Netanyahu's refusal to resign amid corruption charges and prolonged conflict is undermining Israeli democracy.
In case it hasn’t been stated clearly enough: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must resign. He should have stepped down back in 2018, the moment Israeli police recommended that he be indicted on corruption charges. That he’s still in office—dragging out his criminal trial while clinging to power—is a disgrace.
Netanyahu is addicted to power in the same way the racist, convicted felon in the United States is addicted to power. His continued leadership does Israel no favors. Delaying accountability only prolongs the inevitable. It also undermines faith in Israel’s democratic institutions.
To be clear, unlike Mandy Patinkin and his family, I do not blame Netanyahu for the global rise in antisemitism. That blame rests solely with the bigots who hate Jews, not with the leader of the Jewish state. If your instinct is to hold Netanyahu responsible for antisemitism, you're not seeking justice—you’re looking for a scapegoat. Criticize Netanyahu all you want (and there is plenty to criticize), but do it without invoking antisemitic tropes or holding the Jewish people collectively responsible.
Now, more than 660 days after October 7, Israel remains at war with Hamas. While Hamas must absolutely be held accountable for its barbarism, Netanyahu has used this war to serve his own political survival. He’s dragged out the conflict rather than working toward a strategic endgame. What, exactly, does “total victory” mean? Is it appeasing the far-right Kahanists in his coalition who dream of resettling Gaza? Or is it defeating Hamas and bringing the remaining hostages home?
The Israeli public is not blind. Polling shows growing dissatisfaction with Netanyahu's leadership. Israelis want the war to end—but not at the cost of abandoning hostages or leaving Hamas armed. And yet, as painful as it is to say, the complete disarmament of Hamas is unlikely without serious international pressure, including from the United Nations. One must ask: does Hamas even want a negotiated resolution, or are they simply playing for time?
On NBC’s Meet the Press this past Sunday, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said, “I think President Trump has come to believe, and I certainly have come to believe, there’s no way you’re going to negotiate an end of this war with Hamas.” On that point, Graham is correct.
We all know why Phase 2 of the hostage deal never came to pass: Netanyahu feared that halting the war would mean losing his coalition—and with it, his grip on power. Every major Israeli leader has accepted responsibility for the catastrophic failures that enabled October 7. Every one of them, that is, except Netanyahu.
The time for excuses has long passed. It’s time for accountability. It’s time for Benjamin Netanyahu to resign.