{content: He promised total victory for Israel, but standing next to Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, it was Benjamin Netanyahu who looked defeated. Israel's prime minister was saying all the right things about the peace deal he had just agreed to, but he seemed deflated, his voice hoarse and his energy dimmed, as he praised Trump as 'the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House'. This friendship may come at a significant cost; Netanyahu's far-right allies have threatened to leave his government if he concedes too much to bring the conflict to an end. Coalition partners like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir openly express desires for drastic measures in Gaza, firmly resisting any involvement of the Palestinian Authority and pathways to Palestinian statehood. With heavy caveats, the recently struck deal outlines potential roles for these entities. Trump understands that compelling Netanyahu into this peace initiative risks his coalition; in exchange, he offers the promise of a legacy–to reshape regional relations and potentially foster peace. Prior hints indicated that Netanyahu foresaw this crossroads, with even Israel's president considering a pardon for Netanyahu's ongoing corruption cases, a dynamic playing into the prime minister's reluctance to fully embrace the peace deal. However, the implications remain significant, as Netanyahu finds himself distancing from the notion of a Palestinian state even amid internal political strife. In this fraught climate, the rejection of peace agreements could reverberate against Netanyahu's leadership and the trajectory of Israeli-Palestinian relations. On the flip side, failing to agree to peace could provoke a political backlash worse than cooperating with U.S. demands. Historically, Netanyahu has maneuvered through political landmines to maintain power; this scenario, however, presents a new level of complexity as he must balance national aspirations with the demands of his government and constituents.
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