Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday for the first time openly admitted that Israel is entering “some kind of isolation,” as international pressure grows because of the war in Gaza and the far-right policy of his government.
“We are entering some kind of isolation and we will increasingly have to adapt to an economy with characteristics of self-sufficiency,” Netanyahu said at the Ministry of Finance conference.
The admission marks a sharp departure from the government’s repeated denials of growing diplomatic alienation despite months of warnings.
Israeli media quoted Netanyahu at the same conference, saying that the country is now living “in some kind of political isolation” and that it must act accordingly.
He added that Israel must produce its own weapons in order to avoid dependence on the outside world.
Several Western countries, including the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, and Canada, have already, in recent months, stopped exporting weapons to Israel. Others – among them France, Australia, Spain, Norway, and the UK – announced plans to recognize Palestinian statehood at the meetings of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly later this month.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned Netanyahu’s comments as “crazy.”
“Isolation is not destiny. It is the product of Netanyahu’s wrong and failed policy. He is turning Israel into a third-world country and is not even trying to change course,” he posted on X.
Yair Golan, head of the opposition Democratic Party and former deputy chief of the army, also sharply criticized the prime minister’s statements.
“Netanyahu greets Israelis for the new year with this message: In order to preserve my throne, I need eternal war and eternal isolation. You will sacrifice the country, the economy, the future of your children, and your ties with the world,” he said on X.
“Our answer to this despised man: This year we will change you and save Israel,” he added.
The Israeli army continues the brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, having killed nearly 65.000 Palestinians since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
In November of last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide lawsuit before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) because of the war in the enclave.
