Seven weeks after his victory in the Israeli parliamentary elections, Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has presented his new cabinet. The former long-term head of government is also counting on right-wing extremists for his return to power after a year and a half. His reform plans raise concerns about democracy in Israel.
In addition to Netanyahu’s right-wing conservative Likud party, the far-right Religious-Zionist Alliance and two strictly religious parties will be represented in the coalition. It is the most right-wing government Israel has ever had. Part of the alliance is also an openly homophobic politician.
The new government wants to make sweeping political changes that could also play into the hands of Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial. A number of controversial legislative changes have already been implemented that are seen as a condition for a joint coalition agreement. An override clause must also be maintained. This would allow a majority of Israel’s parliament to pass laws even if the Supreme Court rules them as illegal. Before the new government is sworn in, a legislative change is planned that would allow the leader of the strictly religious Shas party, Arie Deri, to become interior minister despite a conviction for tax violations.
Bezalel Smotrich of the far-right Religious Zionist Party is also considered a staunch advocate of settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. He himself will become finance minister, but his party must also have a strong influence on the governance of the West Bank in the future. Smotrich wants to legalize more Israeli settlements. Itamar Ben-Gvir, convicted of supporting a terrorist organization, becomes Minister of National Security. He wants to gain more influence over the police by changing the law. He would also be responsible for the border police, which is mainly active in the West Bank. This means “direct scrutiny by a minister whose ideology is clearly racist and anti-Palestinian,” explained University of Haifa law professor Alexandre Kedar.
The outgoing government’s legal adviser, Galit Baharav-Miara, delivered a sensational speech urging citizens to be more vigilant. The reform the new government is pushing for, which it described as “lightning legislation”, jeopardizes the country’s democratic system. Without an independent judiciary, Israel would be “a democracy in name but not in essence,” she warned. Netanyahu, on the other hand, is a statesman and tries to allay concerns. In view of his controversial coalition partners, he emphasized in an interview with an American radio station that he is the one who sets the direction for the government. “You join me. I don’t join them.”
Hamas: New government seeks religious war
The leader of Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Jihia al-Sinwar, has accused the new government of seeking a “religious war”. He spoke of an “open confrontation” and called on President Mahmoud Abbas’ more moderate Palestinian Authority in the West Bank to end security cooperation with Israel.
In an open letter to Netanyahu, leading figures in Israel’s successful high-tech sector have warned of the devastating effects on the economy. Their concern: weakening Israeli democracy could deter foreign investors and harm the IT sector in particular. The dynamic start-up scene is considered the main driver of the Israeli economy.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
