In the midst of war, Benjamin Netanyahu is a liability who can only make things worse. He must go | Simon Tisdall

The so-called international community must also make up for its neglect of Israel-Palestine: there has to be a ceasefire

• Simon Tisdall is a foreign affairs commentator. He has been a foreign editor and US editor for the Guardian

Why is Benjamin Netanyahu still prime minister of Israel? More than any other single political leader, on either side of the Israel-Palestine divide, he is responsible for the spiralling tensions, divisions and anger that preceded this horrific catastrophe. Disastrously, Israelis and Palestinians are again at war. Yet Netanyahu's first duty was to prevent such an eventuality. He has failed miserably, and the measure of his failure is the unprecedented number of civilian dead. He promised security. He created a sea of tears. If he has any integrity left, any shame at all, he should not wait for the inevitable inquests. He should resign immediately.

Netanyahu's long political career has been characterised by fear and confrontation. Now, typically, his vengeful response to the weekend's atrocious Hamas onslaught is to pledge yet more violence, greater escalation. He warns Gaza's besieged people to leave their homes as Israel's aerial bombing intensifies and its ground forces assemble en masse. But they are locked in on all sides. Where should they go? Into the sea? This is not a rational, humane or sustainable policy. Netanyahu continuing in power, fighting to justify and excuse his own mistakes, will only make matters worse.