An Israeli journalist, Ben-Dror Yemini, admitted that in recent weeks, Israel has found itself on the brink of political and strategic failure — despite its overwhelming military power. According to Yemini, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has succeeded in dragging Israel toward economic and diplomatic collapse, revealing the limits of Israel’s military dominance in the face of sustained resistance.
Yemini explained that Israel’s policy of military pressure failed to extract any concessions. Instead, it led to escalating international condemnation that almost pushed Israel into total isolation before the latest ceasefire agreement arrived as a desperate lifeline.
In his article published in Yedioth Ahronoth, Yemini wrote that Israel’s decision to halt fighting — even under the guise of “defensive purposes” — effectively saved it from collapse, marking a rare public admission of strategic defeat beneath the veneer of military victory.
Trump’s “Peace Plan” and Netanyahu’s Reluctant Signature
Commenting on the peace plan recently announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Yemini argued that it could achieve for Israel through diplomacy what it failed to secure by war.
However, he added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who remains wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes — did not sign the agreement “of his own free will.” Rather, he was compelled to do so, as it contained recognition of the Palestinian right to self-determination, which implies the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
In Yemini’s assessment, “Israel may have won the battle, but it has lost the war.” He noted that Israel’s strategic achievements against Iran and Hezbollah have begun to erode, largely due to the severe reputational damage inflicted on its global image.
Mounting Economic and Diplomatic Isolation
The journalist highlighted that vital military equipment no longer flows into Israel as freely as before, as the war’s brutality triggers moral outrage worldwide. He pointed out that port workers across multiple countries have refused to handle Israeli-bound shipments, including military cargo, causing delays and shortages that signal the emergence of a deeper economic crisis.
Yemini stressed that Gaza has achieved victory on the international stage — not only through steadfast resistance on the battlefield, but through the global movement of solidarity that has arisen across universities, media platforms, social networks, and trade unions. This growing shift in public opinion, especially in the United States, has compelled even President Trump to apply pressure on Tel Aviv to reconsider its approach.
Losing the Media and Moral War
According to Yemini, Tel Aviv’s failure to repeatedly initiate ceasefires — a move that could have painted Hamas as the aggressor — was a grave strategic mistake. By neglecting this, he argued, Israel lost multiple political and media battles, allowing the Palestinian narrative to gain global credibility and moral authority.
He concluded that Israel’s most difficult mission now is to rebuild its shattered diplomatic standing, a long-term task that the current government is unlikely to accomplish.
Despite expressing doubts about Trump’s ability to “save Israel from itself,” Yemini conceded that at this moment, he is the man Tel Aviv needs — a statement reflecting Israel’s dependency on Washington’s political cover rather than genuine confidence in its own strategy
