The Man Who Would Be King

Netanyahu would rather chew his arm off than heed the clamor that he resign

David Cameron's return as “foreign secretary” a few days ago was treated by the British media as a shock, coming seven years after he resigned as prime minister because the voters defied him and chose to ditch the European Union. His gamble on a Brexit referendum backfired and within hours he walked away, looking somewhat glum but with his head held high.

On this troubled Thanksgiving Day, Cameron visited Israel to tour the sites of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre amid reports of an imminent pause in the fighting and an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for some Israeli hostages held in Gaza (including infants). Many an Israeli took a moment to ruefully contrast the somewhat dignified Brit to their own ever-scheming Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fiercely ignoring a clamor for his resignation on account of the biggest disaster in Israel's history.

The difference stems in part from the contrast in political traditions; no Knesset member ever referred to a rival as a "right honourable gentleman." But Netanyahu takes things to another level.