Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu always said the truce was temporary and used the 'war pause' to grab more land in the West Bank and go after those in Israel who opposed the Kahanist war aims of his far-right coalition

Since Israel's creation, it always wanted to rid itself of the majority of Palestinians who weren't kicked out in 1948. From occupation to genocide and maybe a new Nakba, there's a clear throughline.

In a presser with Netanyahu, the US president said 'Gaza is no place for people to be living' and they should "settle permanently in a beautiful area" outside of Gaza where they can "be happy"

Netanyahu visits Washington in a much weaker position, and Trump will take advantage of that

The real estate mogul and longtime friend of Trump reportedly got tough with Netanyahu to get him to finally sign a ceasefire to end his 15-month-long assault on Gaza

The Israeli premier's political survival skills are renowned, but this time, he is boxed in tightly by Trump, the far right, and the Haredim. March will be an interesting month.

The Israeli prime minister's interests are served by a US president who will acquiesce to his hard-right government's every whim, but in Donald Trump he does not have a nodding dog

Joyous at Iran's lost influence in Syria, Israel could have celebrated with Syrians after Assad's ouster. Instead, it rained bombs down, occupied land, and destroyed Syrian assets. Why? Ask Netanyahu

The state has been through various iterations, each distinct from the others. Understanding them helps explain where Israel is today—and where it may be heading.