Benjamin Netanyahu is back, though he never left. 563 days after losing his prime ministerial seat, Likud leader walked into the Knesset smiling Presented by 37 Governments of Israel, the most radical in the history of the Jewish state. It acquired this designation thanks to the arrival of religious Zionism in the arena, and it is an ultra-nationalist formation that had the third largest number of votes in the last elections and will have key ministries in administering the occupied territories. The ultra-Orthodox parties are also in the new coalition.
In the face of criticism from the outgoing government, Netanyahu, 75, addressed the camera, demanding “respect for the wishes of the voters” and stressing that “this is not the end of democracy or the country.” The first goal set by the conservative politician is “to restore governance, quiet and personal security to the citizens of Israel.”
These words come in the context of violence since 2022 was the deadliest year in the past 20 years in the occupied territories, with 150 Palestinians killed by the army and settlers, according to United Nations data. Among them was journalist Sherine Abu Akhla, a correspondent for Al-Jazeera, who was shot by a sniper in Jenin while she was covering a raid by the armed forces. On the Israeli side, there are 29 deaths.
The formula that Netanyahu advocates for dealing with this situation is to give control of the occupied lands to religious Zionist settlers. The Likud leader, the longest-serving prime minister, legitimizes the racist and violent rhetoric of this group, which is a key ally of the new executive. Bezalel Smotrich He will take over the Ministry of Finance and will be responsible for colonial policy in the West Bank. Itamar bin Juffair He would be minister of national security and control the Border Police, which has been operating in the West Bank since 1967. A dream for these two radical settlers with careers marked by their anti-Arab comments and criminal records of racism.
Netanyahu also referred to the regional context, expressing concern about “thwarting Iran’s efforts to acquire a nuclear arsenal” and “expanding the circle of peace” with Arab countries, a strategy launched under Donald Trump. Abraham Accords That the Jewish state would like to extend to Saudi Arabia.
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Netanyahu’s biggest success in the past 18 months has been driving the persistent threat of a weak unity government led by Mr Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid and, most important of all, to maintain a firm unity within their blocs, in which there was only room for those deputies who were certain that sooner or later their time would come. Regardless of Bibi’s (conservative leader’s) open corruption operation, they all united in the race to regain the government seat. That day came even though hundreds of people gathered at the gates of parliament to protest the image of the new coalition led by a politician who managed to divide Israel.
