Recently, Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin emerged as the most potent examples of this populist authoritarian leadership style. These striking similarities point to the complicated political environments of Israel and Russia. Both leaders are currently under arrest warrants for alleged war crimes, functioning under the ever-present shadow of international justice. They brazenly cast out these big strategic dreams for their states, but almost completely ignore the rights of adjacent countries and populations.
Both Netanyahu and Putin now find themselves heavily scrutinized by the international community. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued warrants for their arrest. These warrants, in turn, arise from charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated during their command. They know how to cowboy up and ride out their serious misdeeds. This is indicative of a top-down governance approach that favors nationalistic feeling over global responsibility.
While Netanyahu calls for expanding a “greater Israel,” Putin desires to rebuild a resuscitated Soviet imperium. This expansionist ideology drives their actions on the international stage, frequently trampling the most basic tenets of human rights. Netanyahu’s denial of Palestinians’ right to an independent state stands in stark contrast to the principles asserted by Israel’s founders, perpetuating a cycle of conflict. In much the same way, Putin’s rejection of Ukraine’s sovereignty has brought about a decade of destruction and unrest which have further destabilized the area.
Like Xi, both leaders are masters at wielding patriotic fervor to quash domestic dissent and demonize foreign naysayers. As Netanyahu has often scapegoated dissenters as antisemites or sympathizers of terrorists, so too has Putin targeted critics as Russophobes. This divide and conquer strategy prevents real change while it lets them consolidate power and distract from their own failures, keeping the opposition at bay and divided.
This preference for perpetual conflict quickly becomes a familiar drumbeat in their administrations. Under Netanyahu’s watch, the military campaign has gone far beyond Gaza. Netanyahu has widened the conflict to Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria. This strategy is meant to shore up his standing at home by casting himself as the ultimate strongman during crises. Now reports are circulating that Putin is preparing to bomb Iran. Such a step would deal a near-fatal blow to fragile nuclear talks that remain tepidly underway between Tehran and Washington.
Yet the recent escalation in violence reveals Netanyahu’s conviction. He thinks that the crimes of Hamas on 7 October 2023 give him free reign to operate above questions of legality or immorality. The unknowns in these decisions are far-reaching, but their consequences are nothing short of catastrophic. It is civilians—particularly children—who pay the highest price of these unnecessary conflicts. Both leaders are culpable for the indiscriminate killing, maiming, and traumatizing of thousands of innocent civilians to this day. Their militarized tactics are to blame for creating this horrific death toll.
Netanyahu and Putin’s ties go beyond a mere political connection. In a recent congenial phone call, they both congratulated each other on the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat. This response reveals a joint sensitivity of their roles as commanders caught under fire from the onslaught of international outrage. This turn of events underscores their collective outpouring from the international community. Both leaders have proudly but foolishly steered their nations toward a pariah status and moral purdah.
Remarkably, the consequences of their actions have prepared the ground for enormous geopolitical consequences, now unfolding. Netanyahu’s disproportionate military campaigns and rejectionism at the peace table have cost Israel significantly in the broader international community. Yet look at how rapidly Putin’s actions have divided the United States and Europe. In reaction, Russia is under greater sanctions and mounting diplomatic isolation.