New York Times article claims, “Netanyahu Prolonged the War in Gaza to Stay in Power,”
In a sharp rebuke to a New York Times Magazine article titled “How Netanyahu Prolonged the War in Gaza to Stay in Power”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Saturday issued a strongly worded response, rejecting the report’s claims and accusing the publication of defaming the Israeli leadership and military.
“The NYT article of July 11, 2025, rehashes long-discredited claims of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s political opponents,” the statement read. “It defames Israel, its brave people and soldiers, and its Prime Minister.”
The response emphasized that Netanyahu’s decisions during the Gaza conflict were strategic and instrumental in what it called “one of the greatest military comebacks in history.” Among the claimed achievements under Netanyahu’s leadership were the destruction of Hezbollah’s missile stockpiles, the elimination of key Hamas and Hezbollah figures, strikes on Assad’s armaments, and decisive action against Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.
Addressing accusations that Netanyahu prioritized political survival over peace, the statement insisted the Prime Minister “was never concerned with his political survival, but with his country’s survival.” It further asserted that Netanyahu rejected ceasefire proposals not for political gain, but because Hamas demanded Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, which would have enabled the terrorist group to regroup and rearm.
The Prime Minister’s Office also challenged the article’s reporting on internal dissent, stating that “senior officials, whose anonymous politically motivated supporters are widely quoted throughout the article, have since been replaced.” It added that some of these officials had publicly expressed doubt that any hostages would be recovered—a prediction Netanyahu’s office says he proved wrong by securing the return of 205 out of 255 hostages so far.
Notably, the statement highlighted that Netanyahu proceeded with acceptable hostage release deals even when coalition partners voted against them or left the government, framing such actions as proof that national security—not politics—drove his decisions.
The NYT article, based on more than 110 interviews with Israeli and foreign officials, alleged that Netanyahu deliberately withheld a six-week ceasefire plan in April 2024 and manipulated war dynamics to shore up political support. It portrays him as obstructing peace efforts for personal political gain.
Netanyahu’s office dismissed these conclusions as misleading and politically motivated, asserting that his actions were aimed solely at securing the future of “the one and only Jewish state.”
