By: Mohammed Hassan Published in: *Middle East Eye* Date: July 31, 2024 Source: https://www.middleeasteye.net/video/israel-following-netanyahu-blindly-abyss
"Two assassinations. Two capital cities. Less than 24 hours. One struck an apartment in downtown Beirut, killing a woman and two children - targeting a Hezbollah senior commander. Then just hours later, a strike in the heart of Tehran, assassinating Hamas’s most high-profile figure, and its political chief - Ismail Haniyeh. Israel has claimed the first attack, though not the second - at least not yet - but the repercussions are already starting to be felt - as are fears that we’re barreling towards an inevitable regional war - one that could spiral quickly out of control. This week on The Big Picture Podcast, we sat down with award-winning Israeli journalist and author Gideon Levy about the significance of the two high-profile assassinations. Haniyeh’s killing, in particular, threatens to derail the already fragile ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, which have so far failed to put an end to a horrific 10-month war that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians and 1200 Israelis. It also pushes the United States deeper into a corner. The Biden administration has failed to pull Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the brink but continues to supply him with weapons used against a civilian population in Gaza while undermining attempts to hold Israel to account internationally. Now less than 100 days before an election that could return Trump to the White House - Can the US really afford to follow Israel into a war with Hezbollah - and possibly - a war with Iran?"
