On the latest episode of the Daily Mail’s Deep Dive podcast, host Chris Pleasance sits down with Middle East correspondent Natalie Lisbona, fresh from her exclusive interview with Benjamin Netanyahu.
With Israelis heading to the ballot box in just under three weeks’ time, and the party of the country’s longest-serving prime minister trailing in most polls, the episode takes listeners inside the battle for Israel‘s future.
Diplomatic correspondent Guy Azriel, of Israeli news channel i24NEWS, joins Lisbona to explain how Israel’s democracy works and how big an electoral threat Netanyahu truly faces.
The episode also features previously unheard audio from Lisbona’s interview with Netanyahu, in which he takes Britain’s Labour government to task over its recent sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Azriel told Deep Dive that Netanyahu faces ‘major challenges’ heading into what has been billed as one of the most consequential elections in the country’s history, the first since the October 7 terror attacks dealt a heavy blow to his image as ‘Mr Security’.
He said: ‘Netanyahu is, of course, the magician of Israeli politics, always managing to find a way to remain in power.
On the latest episode of Deep Dive, host Chris Pleasance sits down with Middle East correspondent Natalie Lisbona, fresh from her exclusive interview with Benjamin Netanyahu
With Israelis heading to the ballot box in just under three weeks’ time, and the party of the country’s longest-serving prime minister trailing in most polls, the episode takes listeners inside the battle for Israel’s future
‘Having said that, we are talking about the first elections since October 7th, since this major war.
‘These elections are going to be primarily about the war: how Israel as a state looks to the rest of the world. Also, on its ability to defend itself.
‘For many of his voters, the question is: ‘Who is best suited to deal with the challenges post October 7th?’ In that respect, Netanyahu still has some strong arguments against his political rivals.’
Pollsters are tipping former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, who quit Netanyahu’s war cabinet over the handling of the war in Gaza, as his greatest challenger.
Azriel described Eisenkot as a ‘very moderate guy’ who may prove to be less hawkish than Netanyahu over the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Donald Trump, the correspondent suggested, would likely prefer to see Netanyahu continue as Israel’s leader, with the pair sharing the same goals on Iran despite not always seeing eye to eye over a potential peace deal.
‘Trump and Netanyahu enjoy a long-lasting friendship and a very powerful cooperation,’ he said.
‘Perhaps the anticipation by some Western leaders is that Gadi Eisenkot would be easier to push or manipulate to go with a policy that is not as hardline. This is something that Israeli right-wing voters would not like to see.
‘Trump and Netanyahu share the same goal when it comes to Iran even though the Americans went for a deal.
‘There’s no diplomatic solution in sight to the Iranian problem. I don’t see anything other than a return to war, unless this economic pressure is able to dethrone this regime. Trump trusts Netanyahu on that front.’
He accused Andy Burnham’s government of caving to domestic pressure and appeasing an ‘Islamist leftist alliance’.
Donald Trump, diplomatic correspondent Guy Azriel suggested, would likely prefer to see Netanyahu continue as Israel’s leader
On Britain, Lisbona reflected on how scathing Netanyahu was about the government’s recent actions towards Israel, from recognising a Palestinian state to sanctions on West Bank settlements
‘He said that under Burnham, Britain was a rogue state, and he really did not mince his words,’ Lisbona said.
‘Netanyahu says that the British government’s behaviour is mind-blowing.
‘At the heart of his argument is what he sees as a contradiction. Britain and Israel have historically had a really, really close relationship, particularly on security and intelligence.
‘He told me that Israel’s intelligence had saved many British lives. Israelis find it mind-blowing that Britain can continue benefiting from Israeli intelligence and security cooperation, while the Government continues to attack them.’
Listen to Netanyahu’s criticism of Labour, plus analysis of Israel’s upcoming election, by searching for Deep Dive wherever you get your podcasts.
