Amid Gaza outrage, Europe reaches a turning point on Israel

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Far from European capitals and the ruins of the Gaza Strip, France's leader still found cause to criticize Israel. President Emmanuel Macron opened his keynote speech at a recent Asian security forum in Singapore with a warning about 'double standards' in international politics. European entreaties over the war in Ukraine and the need for global solidarity against Russia's invasion, he said, were hurt by the West's continued support of Israel's campaign against Palestinian militant group Hamas.

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Hamilton Spectator

41 minutes ago

• Hamilton Spectator

Tarnished by Oct. 7, Netanyahu's legacy may be reshaped by war with Iran

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — In the days after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed a shellshocked shadow of himself. He looked diminished and downtrodden by the surprise assault that created a national emergency and caused his public support to plummet. Now, as Israel faces another unprecedented crisis in a war with Iran, Netanyahu appears rejuvenated. With the U.S. lending its support against a threat he has devoted his life to confronting, Netanyahu is demonstrating a resurgent confidence that could signal a new turning point in his lengthy political career. Even as Iranian missiles pound Israeli cities, Netanyahu, 75, has the chance to salvage his sagging political fortunes and reshape a legacy punctured by Hamas' attacks, a corruption trial and a history of divisive rule. If he succeeds, it will cement his reputation within Israel as a political wizard who can rise from the ashes. 'Netanyahu has proven that he is a phoenix,' said veteran Israeli journalist and Netanyahu biographer Mazal Mualem. Netanyahu's troubled legacy is granted a lifeline The war is far from won. Israel is still vulnerable to Iranian attacks, and whatever political boost Netanyahu gains from the latest developments could dissipate by elections scheduled for next year. He is the same polarizing leader he was yesterday. Internationally, he faces an arrest warrant for charges of war crimes in Gaza. He is widely reviled across the Arab world. And after nearly two years of regionwide conflict, many critics see him as a warmonger responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East. But domestically, where Netanyahu's eyes are always focused, his legacy has been granted a lifeline. Many Israelis are attuned to Netanyahu's campaign against Iran's nuclear program, which they view as a major threat to their country and are therefore relieved by the direct involvement of the U.S. military. 'Netanyahu is seen as a very divisive and destructive leader. He is seen as someone who talks a lot and doesn't do anything,' said Aviv Bushinsky, a former Netanyahu aide. 'Today, Netanyahu redeemed himself, big time.' In an early morning video statement after the U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, Netanyahu could barely contain a smile as he thanked President Donald Trump. He said the intervention would 'change history.' It's a stunning turnaround for an Israeli leader who critics and analysts largely wrote off in the days after Oct. 7, when he presided over the deadliest attack in Israel's history. Many hold Netanyahu personally responsible for overseeing policies that enabled Hamas to retain power in Gaza for many years and build up a formidable arsenal. Netanyahu has been buoyed occasionally since then by military successes against Hamas and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. But with the Gaza war dragging on with no end in sight, and dozens of Israeli hostages still in captivity, his approval ratings have remained low. The week-old assault on Iran, highlighted by Sunday's U.S. attack, grants Netanyahu a chance for salvation. Netanyahu's yearslong focus on Iran The war caps a yearslong focus — some would say obsession — by Netanyahu on Iran and its nuclear program. Since his first term as prime minister in the 1990s, and throughout his current, nearly uninterrupted 16-year rule, he has made challenging Iran's nuclear program his life's work. Netanyahu has long portrayed Iran as an existential threat — pointing not only to its nuclear program, but also its development of long-range missiles aimed at Israel and support for hostile militant groups on Israel's borders. Iran became a repeated theme in his speeches to the Israeli and international public. He famously hoisted a cartoon bomb from the dais of U.N. General Assembly as he accused Iran of developing a nuclear weapon. Iran insists the program is for civilian purposes. At the same time, Netanyahu has made no mention of Israel's own widely suspected nuclear weapons arsenal. Netanyahu took significant diplomatic risks to pursue his crusade, including with a 2015 speech to Congress that was organized by Republican lawmakers, angering the Obama administration. During the speech, he railed against a U.S.-led deal on Iran's nuclear program just as negotiators were wrapping up its details. Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the agreement during his first term. Some critics say that it was Netanyahu's laser focus on Iran, and the military and intelligence resources devoted to it, that blinded the Israeli leader and the defense establishment to the threat Hamas in Gaza. Hamas' attack is a stain on Netanyahu's legacy Hamas' attack, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage, blindsided Israel. Netanyahu, who likes to portray himself as a security hawk and the only true guardian of Israel, is seen by many as having promoted a failed strategy in the years preceding the Oct. 7 attack by sending huge amounts of aid into in Gaza under the misconception that Hamas was deterred. In fact, the Palestinian militant group would stage a brutal assault that would crush Israel's vaunted defenses and change the course of history. In the aftermath of Hamas' attack, Netanyahu's public support plummeted. Netanyahu shrugged off accountability for Hamas' attacks, pointing a finger at his security chiefs and rejecting demands for a public inquiry into the failures. He says he will answer tough questions about his role after the war, now in its 21st month. Any political boost from the war could fade by elections Netanyahu's work is not done. The war in Gaza grinds on, and Netanyahu still dreams of seeing a normalization deal between Israel and Arab powerhouse Saudi Arabia as part of his legacy. The question remains whether Netanyahu will rebound politically from the Iran war. Polls taken last week showed that Netanyahu would still struggle to form a coalition if elections were held today. Even if he gets a bump from Sunday's U.S. attack, it's not clear how long that might last. Bushinsky compared Netanyahu's potential political predicament to a world leader he likes to compare himself to, Winston Churchill, who, after leading the allies in triumphantly defeating the Nazis in World War II, did not get reelected in a 1945 vote in part because public priorities shifted dramatically. 'Bibi may be 'King of Israel,' Bushinsky said, using a nickname for Netanyahu popular among his supporters, 'but even a king has his limits.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

Washington Post

an hour ago

• Washington Post

As it attacks Iran's nuclear program, Israel maintains ambiguity about its own

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel says it is determined to destroy Iran's nuclear program because its archenemy's furtive efforts to build an atomic weapon are a threat to its existence. What's not-so-secret is that for decades Israel has been believed to be the Middle East's only nation with nuclear weapons , even though its leaders have refused to confirm or deny their existence.

Yahoo

an hour ago

• Yahoo

Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures rise, oil falls as markets reverse course after US strikes on Iran

US stock futures turned higher on Monday, with oil prices paring gains as markets grew cautiously optimistic over Iran's next move after the US entered the Middle East conflict at the weekend. Futures tied to the S&P 500 (ES=F) climbed 0.3%, while those on the tech-heavy Nasdaq (NQ=F) rose roughly 0.4%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) edged up 0.1%. Stocks are reversing course after President Trump's decision to join Israel's attacks on Iran threw a fresh bout of uncertainty into the market. Futures on the major US gauges initially retreated, while oil jumped over 4% as investors rushed to grapple with the aftereffects of the weekend strikes. "Markets appear to be treating the US strikes on Iran as a contained event for now, rather than the start of a broader war. The muted haven flows suggest investors are still assuming this is a one-off escalation, not a disruption to global oil supply or trade," Saxo strategist Charu Chanana told Reuters. Trump said late Saturday that the US had struck Iran's three main nuclear enrichment facilities, claiming the sites had been "totally obliterated" — a claim that has since been questioned. He threatened Iran with more attacks if the country did not quickly seek peace talks. The focus now is on Iran's next step — both militarily and diplomatically. Its foreign minister on Sunday said it reserves "all options," while its parliament has reportedly voted to block the Strait of Hormuz — though Iran's leaders have yet to make a final decision. The spike in crude prices is now unwinding as jitters about disruption to energy supplies ease. Experts are skeptical that Iran will follow through on its threat to close the waterway, through which around one-fifth of global oil and gas flows. Brent crude (BZ=F) futures pulled back on Monday, trading at near $77 a barrel after jumping over $80 after the US strikes. US benchmark WTI crude futures (CL=F) also lost hold of gains, slipping to below $74 a barrel. Wall Street is watching oil prices closely, given a shock could have ramifications for the US economy, potentially triggering higher inflation that could spur the Federal Reserve to delay interest-rate cuts. Elsewhere in markets, bitcoin (BTC-USD) retreated, last under the $100,000 level, and gold (GC=F) ticked lower amid a softening in the haven demand that has driven this year's sharp rally. Gold pushed higher with the world in limbo as the US joined Israel's attack on Iran over the weekend. No formal response has been issued by Iran, with wider fallout expected. Spot gold climbed 0.2% to $3,375.04 an ounce taking it to within $125 of its record high as investors sought safe-haven assets in a tumultuous economic situation. Gold then sank 0.5% despite broader haven demand. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Wall Street is closely watching escalating tensions in the Middle East after President Trump confirmed that the US launched a surprise strike on Iran's nuclear sites late Saturday, marking the country's official entry into the two-week-old conflict. Markets have held mostly steady in the aftermath of the escalation, although US stock futures fell across the board when trading opened Sunday evening. Additionally, bitcoin (BTC-USD) prices, often viewed as a barometer of risk appetite, dropped over 1.6% to trade around $100,500 a coin. WTI crude (CL=F) and Brent (BZ=F) futures jumped, trading near $76 and $79 a barrel, respectively, as uncertainty looms over the potential closure of the critical Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing threats from Iran. The latest surge follows oil's third consecutive week of gains on Friday. "We wouldn't be surprised to see this spark a risk-off reaction in US equities and will be watching the futures closely on Sunday evening and Monday morning," Lori Calvasina, head of US equity strategy research at RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a Sunday evening note to clients. "It has been and remains our belief that the longer and broader the conflict becomes, the more challenging it could be for US equities," Calvasina added. "These escalations come at a tricky time for US equities, as the S&P 500 has looked fairly valued to us (perhaps a bit overvalued) from a fundamental perspective, with more room to run from a sentiment perspective." The analyst said her three main concerns include: first, the risk that rising national security uncertainty could weigh on equity valuations; second, the possibility that renewed geopolitical tensions could stall the recovery in sentiment that began after the early April tariff lows; and third, the potential for a spike in oil prices, which could fuel inflation concerns. In terms of sectors, Energy (XLE) tends to outperform when oils prices rise, while Consumer Discretionary (XLY) and Communication Services (XLC), along with Entertainment, Media, and Interactive Media, tend to lag behind the broader market, Calvasina noted. Citi analyst Stuart Kaiser agreed that sharply higher oil prices remain "the channel for geopolitical risks to impact stock markets," identifying crude prices "well above $80 a barrel" as a critical threshold for concern. Kaiser added that options markets are now pricing in a 10% chance that oil surges 20% over the next month, up from just 2.5% two weeks ago, reflecting mounting tail risks as the conflict deepens. Still, the analyst pointed to resiliency in stocks amid the volatility, saying, "Markets powered through extreme oil volatility and unstable geopolitical headlines to post a risk-on week." Oil prices rose Sunday evening, with investors taking stock of the US entry into the Israel-Iran conflict and how Iran might respond. Much of the focus has turned to Iran's status as a major oil producer and whether it might seek to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas flows. Iran's parliament reportedly pushed for the strait's closure, though it left the ultimate decision up to Iran's top national security body. That may be by design, as Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul details: Read more here. Futures tied to the S&P 500 (ES=F) fell 0.6%. (NQ=F) futures dropped 0.7%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) lost around 0.6%. Oil, both Brent (BZ=F) and WTI, rose over 3%. Gold pushed higher with the world in limbo as the US joined Israel's attack on Iran over the weekend. No formal response has been issued by Iran, with wider fallout expected. Spot gold climbed 0.2% to $3,375.04 an ounce taking it to within $125 of its record high as investors sought safe-haven assets in a tumultuous economic situation. Gold then sank 0.5% despite broader haven demand. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Wall Street is closely watching escalating tensions in the Middle East after President Trump confirmed that the US launched a surprise strike on Iran's nuclear sites late Saturday, marking the country's official entry into the two-week-old conflict. Markets have held mostly steady in the aftermath of the escalation, although US stock futures fell across the board when trading opened Sunday evening. Additionally, bitcoin (BTC-USD) prices, often viewed as a barometer of risk appetite, dropped over 1.6% to trade around $100,500 a coin. WTI crude (CL=F) and Brent (BZ=F) futures jumped, trading near $76 and $79 a barrel, respectively, as uncertainty looms over the potential closure of the critical Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing threats from Iran. The latest surge follows oil's third consecutive week of gains on Friday. "We wouldn't be surprised to see this spark a risk-off reaction in US equities and will be watching the futures closely on Sunday evening and Monday morning," Lori Calvasina, head of US equity strategy research at RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a Sunday evening note to clients. "It has been and remains our belief that the longer and broader the conflict becomes, the more challenging it could be for US equities," Calvasina added. "These escalations come at a tricky time for US equities, as the S&P 500 has looked fairly valued to us (perhaps a bit overvalued) from a fundamental perspective, with more room to run from a sentiment perspective." The analyst said her three main concerns include: first, the risk that rising national security uncertainty could weigh on equity valuations; second, the possibility that renewed geopolitical tensions could stall the recovery in sentiment that began after the early April tariff lows; and third, the potential for a spike in oil prices, which could fuel inflation concerns. In terms of sectors, Energy (XLE) tends to outperform when oils prices rise, while Consumer Discretionary (XLY) and Communication Services (XLC), along with Entertainment, Media, and Interactive Media, tend to lag behind the broader market, Calvasina noted. Citi analyst Stuart Kaiser agreed that sharply higher oil prices remain "the channel for geopolitical risks to impact stock markets," identifying crude prices "well above $80 a barrel" as a critical threshold for concern. Kaiser added that options markets are now pricing in a 10% chance that oil surges 20% over the next month, up from just 2.5% two weeks ago, reflecting mounting tail risks as the conflict deepens. Still, the analyst pointed to resiliency in stocks amid the volatility, saying, "Markets powered through extreme oil volatility and unstable geopolitical headlines to post a risk-on week." Oil prices rose Sunday evening, with investors taking stock of the US entry into the Israel-Iran conflict and how Iran might respond. Much of the focus has turned to Iran's status as a major oil producer and whether it might seek to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas flows. Iran's parliament reportedly pushed for the strait's closure, though it left the ultimate decision up to Iran's top national security body. That may be by design, as Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul details: Read more here. Futures tied to the S&P 500 (ES=F) fell 0.6%. (NQ=F) futures dropped 0.7%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) lost around 0.6%. Oil, both Brent (BZ=F) and WTI, rose over 3%. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data