WHILE supporters of progressive politics worldwide may have rejoiced over Lula da Silva’s trumping of incumbent rightist leader Jair Bolsonaro in the Brazilian presidential election, the news coming out of Israel means these celebrations will be short-lived. In keeping with the global trend of an ascendant far right, former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears ready to clinch another term, this time supported by a coalition populated by characters that make no attempt to hide their extremism. Among the parties that will make up Israel’s new government is Religious Zionism, an outfit that boasts lawmakers who champion illegal settlements; make a hero of Baruch Goldstein, the American-Israeli terrorist that mowed down 29 worshippers during 1994’s Ibrahimi mosque massacre in Hebron; and who seek to demolish the Al Aqsa mosque in order to make way for the ‘Third Temple’. So extreme are the members of Mr Netanyahu’s team that even the American and British governments — both of whom go out of their way to reject criticism of Israel — have raised their eyebrows over the composition of the incoming Israeli cabinet. Meanwhile, the Palestinian prime minister has said the new coalition reflects “growing extremism and racism in Israeli society”.

While the outgoing Israeli administration was no friend of the Palestinians, the new rulers are likely to usher in a fresh wave of anti-Arab violence. Nearly all previous Israeli regimes have unleashed savage bloodshed upon the occupied territories. But the new set-up — members of which have expressed genocidal views about Arabs — will likely make it a priority of the Zionist state to push Palestinians over the edge, especially with some of the most extreme lawmakers, such as Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezazel Smotrich, jockeying for key ministries including public security and defence. If Mr Netanyahu relents, God help the Palestinians. Israel’s Western friends must do more to ensure these violent men are restrained, while Tel Aviv’s newfound Arab allies should ask themselves how they feel about dealing with lawmakers who support the extermination, or at least the total subjugation, of the Palestinians.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2022