Benjamin Netanyahu: The Politics of Power and the Face of State Terrorism

1. Introduction: Israel’s Longest-Serving Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is seen by many as a guardian of democracy and national security. But to millions across the Arab world and beyond, he represents a face of state-sponsored terror. Throughout his tenure, particularly during his military campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank, Netanyahu has overseen policies that have led to mass civilian casualties, widespread destruction, and alleged war crimes — raising the critical question: Is his leadership merely aggressive politics, or a form of global terrorism?


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2. Netanyahu’s Political Doctrine

Netanyahu’s political ideology centers around ultra-nationalism and hardline security policies. Under the guise of protecting Israeli citizens, he has expanded illegal settlements in the West Bank, resisted negotiations on a two-state solution, and labeled nearly all Palestinian resistance as terrorism.

His "Security First" strategy has enabled systemic oppression of Palestinians, normalizing airstrikes, raids, and curfews. He has often rallied his political base by portraying Palestinians as existential threats — a narrative that not only fuels internal fear but also justifies excessive use of force internationally.


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3. Gaza and Palestine: A Permanent Warzone

Under Netanyahu’s leadership, Gaza has been turned into a blockaded open-air prison, facing repeated and intense military campaigns. Some of the most notable include:

2008–09: Operation Cast Lead

2014: Operation Protective Edge

2021 and 2023: Major bombardments and destruction


In these campaigns, thousands of Palestinians, including women and children, were killed. Civilian infrastructure — hospitals, schools, press offices — were targeted. Israel claimed these were strategic hits on terrorist bases, but human rights groups and video evidence showed otherwise.


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4. Brutality vs. Defense: The Western Media Narrative

Mainstream Western media often presents Israeli military actions as “self-defense.” However, a powerful military superstate bombing one of the most densely populated and impoverished civilian areas raises moral and legal questions.

Netanyahu has skillfully used global platforms to present Israel as a victim of terrorism, while under his command, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have carried out operations that international observers liken to collective punishment — a war crime under international law.


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5. Violations of Human Rights and International Law

Leading international organizations like the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International have consistently accused Netanyahu’s governments of:

Unlawful killings of civilians

Displacement of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem

Destruction of homes without legal process

Expanding illegal settlements

Restricting access to water, healthcare, and food in Gaza


These actions, especially when carried out repeatedly and systematically, are not mere excesses of war — they constitute state terrorism, where a state uses military force to impose fear, oppression, and control over a civilian population.


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6. Global Response to Netanyahu's Policies

Despite numerous allegations and global protests, Netanyahu has continued to receive unshakable political and financial support from powerful allies like the United States, and in some cases, the European Union. Still, global public opinion is shifting:

Mass protests against Israeli actions were seen in the U.S., UK, France, and Canada in 2021 and 2023.

Social media campaigns like #FreePalestine and #NetanyahuWarCriminal have gone viral.

South Africa and several Latin American countries have called for investigations into Israeli war crimes.

Some members of the international legal community have suggested Netanyahu should face the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.


The contrast is stark: while individuals like Osama bin Laden or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi were branded terrorists for non-state attacks, Netanyahu represents a state-driven militarized campaign with global political legitimacy.


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7. Conclusion: Is Netanyahu a Global Face of Terrorism?

Terrorism is typically defined as the use of violence and fear against civilians to achieve political aims. By this definition, Netanyahu’s repeated bombardments, forced evictions, and systematic denial of Palestinian rights fit the description, albeit under the umbrella of statehood.

He may not operate from caves or use guerilla tactics, but the impact of his actions — thousands of dead civilians, generations living under occupation, and the collapse of peace prospects — cannot be dismissed as mere politics.

In the end, terrorism wears many faces, and when the machinery of a powerful state carries out calculated oppression with immunity, that too is terror — only dressed in suits and spoken from podiums.