Netanyahu's political future and what the 'BibiSitters' want from him

Summary

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Consider This from NPR

Episode: Netanyahu's Political Future and What the 'BibiSitters' Want From Him
Date: October 26, 2025
Host: Sasha Pfeiffer
Guest: Anshel Pfeffer, Israel correspondent for The Economist and author of The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the uncertain future of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ("Bibi") amid domestic discontent, international scrutiny, and a fragile ceasefire with Hamas. NPR’s Sasha Pfeiffer speaks with journalist Anshel Pfeffer about Netanyahu’s political standing, the pressures from both his coalition and the U.S. administration, and what these challenges mean for Israel’s direction—and Netanyahu’s own survival as prime minister.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Netanyahu’s Waning Authority and Isolation (00:00 - 02:38)

• At a recent United Nations address, over 50 country delegates walked out in protest of Netanyahu, highlighting his growing international isolation.
• Domestically, Netanyahu faces significant disapproval:
  • Majority of Israelis (over 50%) believe he should resign.
  • Far-right allies oppose the ceasefire and push for aggressive policies in Gaza.
• Netanyahu is caught between international condemnation, public dissent, and internal political pressures.

Quote:
"Recent polling shows that more than half of Israelis believe Netanyahu should resign. Meanwhile, his main allies on the far right strongly oppose the ceasefire and ... push for resettlement or annexation of the Gaza Strip."
— Sasha Pfeiffer (00:47)

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2. The ‘BibiSitters’: U.S. Pressure and Oversight (02:38 - 03:37)

• The U.S. administration, led by President Trump and Vice President Vance, is closely supervising the ceasefire.
• Israeli press dubs visiting U.S. officials the “BibiSitters,” a play on Netanyahu’s nickname, indicating the perception that the U.S. is effectively keeping Netanyahu in check.
• This intense oversight signals that Netanyahu’s traditional power over security and diplomacy is being undermined by external actors.

Quote:
"We've seen the procession of very senior administration officials ... on babysitting duty ... making sure that they don't break out from the ceasefire constraints."
— Anshel Pfeffer (04:41)

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3. Netanyahu ‘In Office but Not in Power’ (03:37 - 06:35)

• Pfeffer distinguishes between Netanyahu’s official role and his actual influence:
  • "In office" but lacking real power due to dependence on radical coalition partners and U.S. intervention.
  • Even foreign policy and security, formerly uncontested domains for Netanyahu, are now under U.S. supervision.

Quote:
"Talking about Netanyahu currently as being in power is inaccurate. He's in office ... but he’s not really in power in the sense that he has power over what's happening ... He needs [coalition partners] to remain in office ... that’s one of the reasons why he prolonged the war."
— Anshel Pfeffer (03:37)

• Pfeffer notes that American generals are now dictating Israeli military actions in Gaza, further reducing Netanyahu's agency.

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4. The Gaza Question and Netanyahu’s Political Survival (06:35 - 07:16)

• The future of Gaza remains unresolved, with Netanyahu historically maintaining the status quo rather than seeking solutions.
• His stance against a Palestinian state continues, but this approach may be losing resonance as his lack of control becomes more apparent to the Israeli public.

Quote:
"Netanyahu’s political survival has always been based on not really changing the status quo ... it’s gradually clearer to Israelis that he’s not in control ... and I think that will continue to erode his support."
— Anshel Pfeffer (06:58)

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5. Prolonging War for Political Gain (07:16 - 08:24)

• Pfeiffer presses Pfeffer on the accusation that Netanyahu has prolonged the war in Gaza for personal political benefit.
• Pfeffer suggests this is part of Netanyahu’s political nature—framing personal interest as national interest, sometimes to a degree extraordinary even among politicians.

Quote:
"Netanyahu ... has an incredible knack of finding what he thinks is Israel's national interest to be exactly what seems to be also in his own political interest ... But I think Netanyahu takes that very natural political instinct to a level that very few other politicians succeed in doing."
— Anshel Pfeffer (07:36)

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Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• UN Walkout and International Isolation
  "Before [Netanyahu] could even begin speaking delegates from more than fifty countries left the room in protest over the war in Gaza, others applauded and cheered them as they walked out."
  — Sasha Pfeiffer (00:00)

• On Netanyahu’s Diminished Authority
  "He chairs the cabinet and he has various responsibilities but he's not really in power ... his share of power is constantly shrinking."
  — Anshel Pfeffer (05:52)

• "BibiSitters" and U.S. Control
  "Senior American officers have been sent here to represent the administration ... very closely monitoring the Israeli operations and making sure that they don't break out from the ceasefire constraints."
  — Anshel Pfeffer (04:41)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – Netanyahu’s UN speech and global reaction
• 00:47 – Israeli polling and far-right coalition positions
• 02:38 – ‘BibiSitters’: U.S. pressure to maintain the ceasefire
• 03:37 – Is Netanyahu still in power? Pfeffer’s analysis
• 04:21 – Trump’s speech in the Israeli Knesset and its impact
• 05:46 – The shrinking scope of Netanyahu’s influence
• 06:35 – The unresolved future of Gaza and status quo politics
• 07:16 – Did Netanyahu prolong the war for survival?
• 08:24 – Conclusion with thanks to guest Anshel Pfeffer

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Summary

This episode paints a picture of a prime minister whose grip on power is extremely tenuous. Benjamin Netanyahu remains in office, but key decisions regarding Israel’s future—especially on Gaza—are now subject to U.S. supervision and coalition infighting. As public support erodes and international isolation grows, Netanyahu's longstanding strategy of maintaining the status quo is coming under increasing strain. The “BibiSitters” moniker for U.S. officials underscores just how much power has shifted away from Netanyahu, raising significant questions about his political survival and Israel’s direction in the post-war era.

Transcript

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

About a month ago israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu took the podium to address the member countries of the united nations before he could even begin speaking delegates from more than fifty countries left the room in protest over the war in gaza others applauded and cheered them as they walked out.

[Anshel Pfeffer]

Please order in hall.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

A few weeks later after israel and hamas struck a delicate ceasefire deal us special envoy to the middle east steve witkoff commended netanyahu in a speech in tel aviv's hostage square and the crowd booed at the mention of his name.

[Announcer]

To prime minister benjamin netanyahu.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

Recent polling shows that more than half of israelis believe netanyahu should resign meanwhile his main allies on the far right strongly oppose the ceasefire and they want to push for resettlement or annexation of the gaza strip at home and abroad netanyahu appears increasingly isolated after more than two years of an unpopular war and deepening public disapproval and pressure from his own coalition does netanyahu still have a political future from npr i'm sacha pfeiffer.

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[Sasha Pfeiffer]

It'S consider this from npr as of today a fragile ceasefire between israel and hamas remains in place that's even as both sides accuse each other of violations president trump's latest actions make it clear that his administration is intent on preserving the ceasefire the last week that determination was on full display when a delegation of high level us officials including vice president vance arrived in israel to pressure the israelis to keep the truce together the israeli press gave the group a nickname bibi sitters it's a reference to benjamin netanyahu also known as bibi netanyahu is israel's longest serving prime minister he's held his position for most of the last sixteen years and he's been accused of deliberately extending the war in gaza so how much longer will netanyahu be able to remain in power we put this question to anshelfeffer he's the author of the turbulent life and times of benjamin.

[Anshel Pfeffer]

Netanyahu i think talking about netanyahu currently as being in power is inaccurate he's in office he is the prime minister that's his title he chairs the cabinet and he has various responsibilities but he's not really in power in the sense that he has power over what's happening as you said quite rightly he prolonged the war and most israelis believe that he prolonged the war for political reasons and those political reasons are that he's at the mercy of a very far right very radical coalition he doesn't control his coalition he needs them to remain in office to be prime minister and that's one of the reasons why he prolonged the war for so long well.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

Let'S hear actually a piece of sound from president trump because after the ceasefire trump made a speech in the israeli parliament the knesset where he commended netanyahu.

[Anshel Pfeffer]

You are a very popular man you know why because you know how to.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

Win what effect did that speech and trump's comments have on prime minister netanyahu's.

[Anshel Pfeffer]

Position at home i think israelis have a very sophisticated filter when they listen to someone like trump and they know that they know how unpopular netanyahu is right now in most polls he's got support of less than a third of the israeli population and trump is giving him this soft soap treatment but everyone also seeing at the same time how the trump administration is making it very clear to netanyahu that he doesn't have any freedom to maneuver when it comes to this ceasefire we've seen the procession of very senior administration officials who have been in jerusalem this week on babysitting duty we've seen how senior american officers have been sent here to represent the administration and to be at this new sort of headquarters which is supposed to coordinate operations in gaza but actually what it's doing is very closely monitoring the israeli operations and making sure that they don't break out from the ceasefire constraints.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

You described netanyahu as in office but not in power what do you think netanyahu has power over right now well.

[Anshel Pfeffer]

He has right now more and more limited power because if we saw in the last three years that many parts of policy of the israeli government are controlled by his coalition partners whether it's domestic policy whether it's policing and so on at least he was in charge of israel's diplomacy and the highest level of security decision making but now we see that there are american generals here in israel right now basically dictating to the israeli army what they can and can't do in gaza so even that level of power is being taken away from him so it does seem that his share of power is constantly shrinking.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

If the ceasefire holds there's still the issue of what to do with the palestinians what to do with the wreckage of gaza in your book you wrote that netanyahu has done little to find solutions to the conundrums of israel's occupation of the palestinians and netanyahu said there will be no palestinian state how much does resolving that issue or maybe leaving it unresolved matter to his political survival.

[Anshel Pfeffer]

Daniel'S political survival has always been based on not really changing the status quo i think the question of what happens in gaza over the next few months is important because it's gradually clearer and clearer to israeli that he's not in control of what's happening there and i think that will continue to erode his.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

Support you have said that you agree with accusations that netanyahu prolonged this war for the sake of his political survival this may sound like a naive question but i think for some people it's unimaginable that you would allow so much death and destruction on both sides to continue just to try to remain in office or remain in power you believe.

[Anshel Pfeffer]

That'S what's happening well when you put it in that way it does sound very cynical and very cruel but netanyahu like a lot of politicians has an incredible knack of finding what he thinks is israel's national interest to be exactly what seems to be also in his own political interest interest now like i said that is very that's not something rare for politicians i've yet to hear a politician say well this is very bad for me politically but it's international interest and therefore i'll do it it always seems to be that politicians find their preferred version of what national interest somehow always works to their political benefit but i think netanyahu takes that very natural political instinct to a level that very few other politicians succeed in doing.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

That'S anshel pfeffer the israel correspondent for the economist and the author of the turbulent life and times of benjamin netanyahu.

[Anshel Pfeffer]

Thank you thank you for having me.

[Sasha Pfeiffer]

This episode was produced by gabriel sanchez and avery keatley with audio engineering by jimmy keeley it was edited by ahmad daman our executive producer is sami yenigun it's consider this from npr i'm sascha pfeiffer.

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