The Inside Story Podcast Could the Iran war keep Netanyahu in power for longer?
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Mar 17, 2026 Alon Pinkas, former Israeli ambassador with deep diplomatic experience; Dahlia Scheindlin, Tel Aviv pollster and electoral analyst; Mitchell Barak, political strategist and ex-aide to Netanyahu. They discuss Netanyahu's political resilience. They explore high public support for war versus low trust, the muted opposition response, wartime unity and the role of international opinion.
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Netanyahu's Political Durability
- Benjamin Netanyahu remains politically resilient and hard to bet against despite setbacks.
- Mitchell Barak recalls media preparations for Netanyahu's obituary years ago, saying it's always too early to write his political death sentence.
War Support Without Full Trust
- High Israeli Jewish support for the war coexists with low personal trust in Netanyahu's overall leadership.
- Dahlia Scheindlin notes about 80% support for the war but only ~38% trust in Netanyahu generally and ~50–64% trust specifically on war management.
Opposition Concedes The Iran Debate
- The Israeli political opposition has largely failed to contest Netanyahu's Iran doctrine.
- Alon Pinkas observes opposition leaders echo Netanyahu's talking points instead of asking strategic questions about endgames and consequences.