On December 29, 2022, a new government in Israel was sworn in. Benjamin Netanyahu, who had previously served as Prime Minister twice for a total of 15 years, successfully established a coalition of right-wing parties. Political analysts and Middle Eastern citizens have subsequently expressed concern that the region will be destabilized by the extremely religious right-wing agenda being introduced in Israel. In the past, Netanyahu formed a coalition with both central and right-wing parties, but his current policies and promises are significantly more extreme. Just days after being sworn in, the Prime Minister publicly renounced the United Nations (UN)’s decision to look into Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and expressed his support for the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The political system under which Israel operates is based on control of the Israel parliament, known as Knesset, which requires a majority coalition of at least 61 Knesset members. However, this number has never been achieved by one party alone, and inter-parliamentary cooperation has always been required. In the past, Netanyahu, as head of the right-wing party Likud, worked with central and right-wing parties to create a coalition that would best support his party’s agenda. Despite Netanyahu’s track record, the most recent election painted a different picture, with the leading party partnering with major far-right religious parties to maintain a majority, leading to the current uncertain situation.

Israel’s Shift to the Religious Right

Prior to Netanyahu’s election, the ruling party had been relatively unprecedented in its governing of the country. Rather than following one political ideology, there was an attempt to create a cross-party coalition with representation across the political spectrum. The coalition employed an unusual system for determining the Prime Minister. It allowed the two leaders of the most prominent parties in the coalition to take turns being Prime Minister, each intending on serving for two consecutive years. This attempt, however, failed a little over a year into the first Prime Minister’s term, when a left-wing party left the coalition, leaving them with only 60 members. The entire Knesset was then dissolved, and a new election was announced, leading to Netanyahu’s most recent victory.

The four right-wing parties who allied with Likud are religious parties, meaning they hold the fundamental belief that the State of Israel has the right to ownership over the entirety of Israel and Palestine, as well as several other highly-contested areas within the region. As a result, these parties exert their political power in a highly biased manner, such as supporting Israeli settlers who seek to build property on lands under the control of the Palestinian authorities, along with other religion-based policies. Spokespeople for the representatives have also stated that they will seek exemptions for military service for religious citizens, among other benefits.

As argued by political commentator Nadav Elimelech, the Knesset’s shift to the far right may have been caused by the disintegration of the previous government, whose failure likely disillusioned the Israeli voters. Elimelech points out that, despite hopes for a less politically divided future, citizens were left disappointed in the wake of the collapse of the government and turned back to a familiar party leader with experience in managing a coalition for its full term.

Changes in the Middle East

Due to the controversial manner in which Israel declared its independence, it has historically been “the black sheep” in the Middle East. As the only Jewish nation in the world and positioned near many Islamic nations, it is no surprise that conflict has arisen. However, Israel’s reputation started to change when it sought to strengthen political ties with neighboring countries, starting with peace agreements. Most recently, in 2020, Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a normalization agreement, leading to the UAE halting its boycott of Israel and investing billions of dollars in the country’s economy.

As a result, Palestinian activists are worried about future conflict and the attention it would receive from social media. Journalist and activist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin pointed out that, if Israel continues to receive more support from powerhouses in the region, it could lead to Palestinians experiencing an increase in violence under the Israeli occupation. Social media awareness alone may not be able to help citizens facing a potential escalation in hostility in the region. Palestinian social media users have stated that the outcome of the election was predictable, but that the results could be much worse moving forward, describing an air of uncertainty and fear within the community.

Uncertain Future

Palestine still has allies in the Middle East, however, and awareness of the Israeli occupation has reached many people worldwide, especially due to the rise in online activism in recent years spearheaded by younger users. Activists advocating for Palestine are once again attempting to call online attention to the region in hopes of keeping the situation calm in the face of the UN’s decision to investigate the occupation and Netanyahu’s term as Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, Israeli media seems to be split on the issue. Some outlets have condemned Netanyahu’s decision to partner with ultra-orthodox parties, while other outlets have hailed his victory as a return to “normal life” in Israel. Due to Israel’s controversial nature, a media bubble has grown in the country over time, leaving little room for mainstream discussions regarding the legitimacy of Israel’s control of Palestine. This bubble may now burst as many disillusioned citizens are fearing the consequences of the current government.

The situation in the region has once again shifted drastically, and the outcomes of these changes are yet to be seen. Already there has been retaliation on both sides, including a shooting in Jerusalem that has led to government officials suggesting the loosening of gun laws so that Israeli citizens will be able to “fight back.” As a result, some claim that this government could be the one to bring the current chapter of the Israel-Palestine conflict to a close, one way or another, which would likely change the Middle East forever. As such, the most recent Israeli election may be one of the most important the country has ever seen, thus the country should be observed more closely in the coming years.