Pressure from the right is to blame

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has bowed to immense pressure from the right wing and ignored Israelis who put hostage releases above everything else.
But the truth is that the fragile ceasefire has been clinging to life ever since it came officially to an end early this month.
Hamas wanted talks on the agreed second phase of the deal, in which all of the hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Netanyahu's negotiators wanted an extension of phase one and there was a disagreement over the presence of Israeli troops.
In the background, Netanyahu is also under pressure from an ongoing corruption court case and public rows with Ronan Bar, the head of his Shin Bet security agency.
He has publicly declared his "distrust" for Bar, who says Netanyahu puts personal loyalty before what is best for Israel.
As well as the corruption case, Netanyahu faces accusations of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Emboldened by Trump's threats of unleashing "hell" on Hamas if the hostages are not released, Netanyahu is surging forward with his grand strategy, further encouraged by the US renewing airstr...