Netanyahu's Postponement of Qatar Delegation Sparks Outrage in Israel

A report by Ahmad Abdallah, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine 

The announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, just before his speech in Congress, to postpone the departure of the negotiating delegation to Qatar from Thursday to next week, sparked widespread anger in Israel.

Security and political entities, as well as the families of the hostages, including those who accompanied him to Washington, felt that Netanyahu had deceived everyone on the eve of his departure from Israel when he claimed to permit the negotiating delegation to travel to Doha. 

Later, he reneged on this and even sidelined the deal during his Congress speech, prompting concerned parties to reveal that Netanyahu would not concede any of the disputed points in the negotiations, even ignoring security warnings that his stance could blow up the deal.

The announced support of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for Netanyahu during the Washington talks to advance the deal also seems to have dwindled, especially with reports of deep disagreements between Netanyahu, Gallant, and the negotiating delegation.

Hours after Netanyahu's announcement to continue the war and his vision for the day after, the risk of security escalation on the Gaza and Lebanon fronts increased. Security officials warned of the implications, particularly on the northern front, given Israel's inability to guarantee defense systems against Hezbollah's drones, as stated by former National Security Council Chairman Giora Eiland.

Meanwhile, the army continues its military exercises. The Elan Reserve Brigade completed a specialized drill on Wednesday regarding a ground operation in Lebanon, focusing on maneuvering in a rugged area, advancing on a mountainous axis, engaging in firefights, and scenarios for evacuating the wounded from the battlefield under heavy fire.