Martin Indyk, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel, called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign from his position amid Israel’s ongoing war with the militant group Hamas. The 72-year-old former diplomat made his response to Netanyahu in a Sunday post on X, where he accused him of being a “clear and present danger” to Israel.
Martin Indyk, the former U.S. ambassador to Israel, has joined the chorus of voices calling for the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as the war in Gaza enters its eighth week. Indyk, who served as the U.S. envoy to Israel from 1995 to 1997 and from 2000 to 2001, and who also led the U.S. peace efforts in the region under the Obama administration, made his response to Netanyahu in a Sunday post on X, where he shared a link to a New York Times report on how Netanyahu was aware of neighboring country Qatar sending millions of dollars each month to the Gaza Strip.
In his post, Indyk said that Netanyahu was “the father of Hamas,” and that he had encouraged and enabled the Qatari payments to the militant group, which rules Gaza and launched the Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and wounding thousands more. Indyk said that Netanyahu had used Hamas as a “strategic asset” to weaken the Palestinian Authority, which is backed by the U.S. and Israel, and to avoid making any concessions for peace. Indyk also said that Netanyahu had failed to prevent or prepare for the Hamas attack, and that he had dragged Israel into a costly and destructive war, without a clear strategy or an exit plan.
Clear Danger
Indyk concluded his post by saying that Netanyahu was a “clear and present danger” to Israel, and that he should resign “before he does even more damage to Israel.” Indyk also said that he hoped that the Israeli public and the political system would “wake up” and “change the government.”
Indyk’s post has sparked a heated debate on X, with some users supporting his views and others criticizing him. Some users praised Indyk for his courage and honesty, and agreed that Netanyahu was responsible for the war and the suffering of the Israelis and the Palestinians. Others accused Indyk of being biased and ignorant, and defended Netanyahu as a strong and capable leader, who was defending Israel from the Hamas threat.
Indyk is not the only former U.S. official who has called for Netanyahu’s resignation. Last week, former Secretary of State John Kerry, who also led the U.S. peace efforts in the region under the Obama administration, said that Netanyahu had “lost the trust of the Israeli people,” and that he should step down “for the sake of Israel and the region.” Kerry also said that Netanyahu had “squandered” the opportunity for peace, and that he had “undermined” the U.S.-Israel relationship.
Netanyahu, who has been in power for more than a decade, has faced growing criticism and pressure from the Israeli public, the media, the opposition, and even some of his allies, for his handling of the war and the crisis. Netanyahu has also faced corruption charges and a political deadlock, which have prevented him from forming a stable government. Netanyahu has rejected the calls for his resignation, and has insisted that he is the only leader who can protect and lead Israel in these difficult times. Netanyahu has also blamed Hamas and its supporters, such as Iran and Turkey, for the war and the violence, and has vowed to continue the military operation until Hamas is defeated and deterred.
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