Netanyahu's strategy and intentions: Undermining the two-state solution with Hamas

Benjamin Netanyahu aimed to alter the course charted by his predecessors, from Yitzhak Rabin to Ehud Olmert, effectively making the two-state solution seem unattainable. 

In pursuing this goal, he saw a potential partner in Hamas. This discussion gained momentum after Hamas launched a significant attack against Netanyahu on October 7, 2023.

In 2019, the Haaretz newspaper revealed that Netanyahu disclosed part of his strategy during a meeting with Likud party Knesset members: "Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state should support strengthening Hamas and transferring funds to the movement. This is part of our strategy: isolating Gazans from the West Bank Palestinians."

Amid efforts to undermine Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas evolved into an organization with which Israel held indirect negotiations through Egypt. 

Furthermore, Israel allowed the entry of bags containing millions of Qatari dollars into Gaza through its crossings since 2018 to maintain the fragile ceasefire with Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, according to The Times of Israel.

Returning this year, Tzipi Livni, head of the opposition bloc in Israel, made noteworthy statements. She claimed that Netanyahu was not acting forcefully against Hamas; instead, he bolstered the movement by channeling Qatari funds to them to ensure their temporary silence and abstention from launching rockets.

Observers go even further, suggesting that Netanyahu could have eliminated Hamas's rule in Gaza during Operation Protective Edge in 2014 but chose not to do so.

What are Netanyahu's true intentions behind this strategy?

A government investigation committee is to be formed after the war concludes. This committee will delve into the intricacies of Netanyahu's priorities.

As the ongoing conflict unfolds, many questions remain regarding the long-term implications of his policies and their impact on the Israel-Hamas relationship.