This segment from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver presents a critical profile of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that his political career has been primarily defined by a singular focus on maintaining power. The video traces his rise from a proponent of revisionist Zionism to Israel's longest-serving leader, highlighting his staunch opposition to the Oslo Accords and his alleged role in inciting the political climate that led to Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. Oliver details Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trials, the lavish lifestyle and controversial behavior of his wife Sara, and his strategic shift to form a coalition with far-right extremists like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. The segment argues that Netanyahu's long-standing policy of allowing funds to flow to Hamas was a deliberate gamble to divide Palestinians and avoid negotiating a two-state solution, a policy that contributed to the security failures of October 7th. The host concludes that Netanyahu's decisions to prolong the war in Gaza are motivated more by his desire to avoid a potential prison sentence than by Israel's security, positioning his removal from power as a necessary step toward ending the conflict and securing the return of hostages.
A Critical Look at Benjamin Netanyahu's Career and Motivations
0:01:32 Netanyahu's Public Persona: Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister, has built his political brand on being the only leader capable of keeping Israel safe. His supporters have described him as a necessary "belligerent" and a strongman leader who isn't a "sucker."
0:03:56 Current Unpopularity: Despite his carefully crafted image, Netanyahu and his coalition are deeply unpopular in Israel, with polls showing they would lose a current election. He has faced sharp criticism from former political allies who call him a "danger to the state of Israel."
0:05:39 Rise to Power: Netanyahu grew up influenced by his father's "revisionist Zionism," which emphasized military strength. He first gained political prominence by campaigning aggressively against the Oslo Accords, a framework for peace with Palestinians.
0:07:10 Role Preceding Rabin's Assassination: The video highlights Netanyahu's participation in rallies where then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was depicted in a Nazi uniform and marchers called for his death. Many, including Rabin's widow, blamed Netanyahu for inciting the anger that led to Rabin's assassination by a far-right extremist in 1995.
0:08:48 View on U.S. Influence: In a secretly recorded 2001 video, Netanyahu stated that America is "something that can be easily pushed" in the right direction, a belief that has guided his diplomatic strategy.
0:09:56 The Abraham Accords: Netanyahu considers these accords, which normalized relations with several Arab states, his greatest foreign policy achievement. However, critics argue the strategy was designed to marginalize Palestinians by removing their cause as a precondition for regional peace.
0:12:04 Corruption Charges: Netanyahu is currently on trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three separate cases. Allegations include accepting nearly $300,000 in gifts (cigars and champagne, using code words "leaves" and "roses") and arranging quid-pro-quo deals with major news outlets for positive coverage.
0:14:30 Sara Netanyahu's Scandals: His wife, Sara, has been accused of abusing household staff, misspending public funds on lavish items (including $100,000 on meals from celebrity chefs), and was recorded in an infamous, screaming meltdown over a minor media slight.
0:17:57 Alliance with the Far-Right: To hold onto power, Netanyahu formed a government with extremist figures, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (convicted of supporting a terrorist group) and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (a self-described "proud homophobe").
0:22:04 Judicial Overhaul and Protests: In 2023, Netanyahu's government pushed for a judicial overhaul to weaken the Supreme Court, a move that served the interests of his extremist partners and his own legal defense. The effort sparked massive, nationwide protests across Israel.
0:23:32 Strategy of Empowering Hamas: The segment argues that for years, Netanyahu deliberately allowed Qatar to funnel money to Hamas in Gaza. His goal was to keep Palestinian leadership divided between Hamas and the more moderate Palestinian Authority, thereby weakening the case for a Palestinian state.
0:26:36 Prolonging the Gaza War for Political Survival: Reporting suggests Netanyahu has repeatedly extended the war in Gaza against the advice of his own military, caving to threats from his far-right coalition partners who have vowed to bring down the government if the war stops. This is presented as a strategy to delay a political reckoning and stay in power.
0:27:17 Extremist Post-War Plans: Netanyahu's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has openly discussed plans for the annexation of Gaza, chillingly referring to the mass destruction as the "demolition phase" of an "urban renewal" project that could become a "real estate bonanza."
0:30:42 Protests and Public Anger: Many Israelis are furious, believing Netanyahu is sending soldiers to die and commit war crimes not for Israel's safety, but "to make Bibi safe."
0:32:46 The Final Argument: Oliver concludes that while the conflict is complex, Netanyahu's personal desperation to avoid prison is a primary driver of the current suffering in Gaza. His removal from office is framed as a critical step toward bringing the hostages home and ending the violence.