Netanyahu's "Big Victory"... Middle East Tensions Rise with Israel's Far-Right Rule

Return with Far-Right Allies... Middle East Tensions Rise
US "Hope for Openness and Shared Democratic Values"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] With the victory of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the most hardline right-wing coalition in Israeli history is virtually confirmed to take power, escalating tensions in the Middle East, including Palestine and Iran.

On the 2nd (local time), major foreign media such as The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that with 85% of the votes counted from the Israeli general election held the previous day, the right-wing bloc led by former Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to secure 65 seats out of the 120-seat Knesset, far exceeding half.

This is more than the previous exit poll predictions of 61-62 seats, overturning expectations that the election would be extremely close. The anti-Netanyahu bloc led by current Prime Minister Yair Lapid secured only 50 seats.

If the counting is completed in this state, Netanyahu, who was disgracefully forced to resign last year due to corruption allegations, will succeed in his return after one and a half years. If he completes the four-year term of his third premiership, his total time in office is expected to reach 19 years and 2 months.

As the counting progressed, Netanyahu told cheering supporters at the Likud party election headquarters, "We are close to a great victory." He said, "We will avoid unnecessary adventures and form a stable government that expands the circle of peace."

The number of seats per party may change depending on additional counting results, but Israeli media reported that Netanyahu's coalition victory is certain.

If this victory is confirmed, Netanyahu, who is under prosecution for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, is expected to be acquitted through parliamentary immunity.

The conservative Israeli daily Hayom noted, "If the right-wing bloc maintains its lead in the final count, Netanyahu will be able to form the government he dreams of," adding, "No one will oppose measures to change the judiciary related to Netanyahu's trial."

Amid extreme turmoil marked by five general elections in the past three years, Netanyahu succeeded in returning to power by including far-right parties, resulting in the birth of the most far-right government in Israeli history.

The hardline conservative Religious Zionist Party played a leading role in this election, doubling its seats compared to the March general election last year (based on exit polls).

The Religious Zionist Party is a coalition party of Otzma Yehudit (Israel’s Power), led by hardline conservative politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the Orthodox Jewish party Noam, holding extreme positions such as the expulsion of Arab citizens and expansion of Jewish settlements in Palestine. Ben-Gvir sparked controversy in the 2019 general election with his remarks about expelling Arabs who are not loyal to Israel.

Foreign media expressed uncertainty about the role Ben-Gvir will play in this government, but predicted that policies toward Palestine and the Arab world will become even more hardline as their share increased in this election. Ben-Gvir is likely to take the position of Minister of Public Security, overseeing the police organization.

Bassam Saleh, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said, "This coalition will undoubtedly foster a hostile attitude toward Palestine and make occupation measures even more extreme."

Itamar Ben-Gvir. (Photo by Time of Israel)

In particular, relations with the West, including the U.S. Biden administration, which supports coexistence between Israel and Palestine, are expected to be put to the test.

On the day, the U.S. expressed hope that Netanyahu's return to power would "respect open and democratic societal values."

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, "The U.S.-Israel relationship is based on our shared interests," adding, "We hope all Israeli government officials share open and democratic values, including tolerance and respect for minorities, which are the desires of civil society."

The Times of Israel reported that this statement appeared to be directed at the far-right party Otzma Yehudit.

Although the counting process for absentee ballots remains, both sides seem confident about the election results. Prime Minister Lapid told supporters, "It’s not over until the last ballot is counted," but also urged his party to transfer power.

Foreign media reported that he subsequently canceled his planned attendance at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27, hereafter Climate Change Conference) scheduled for next week.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.