Palestine Israel

[chrisp_1927]

There are some radicals in this new coalition, but it's a lot more representative than the stitch ups that benji used to cobble together. The settlement expanders also can't hide in the background now. Under Netanyahu (especially in trumps term) they could push their agenda and gain big concessions at coalition forming time, then retreat into the shadows and watch someone else do their dirty work.


Bennett, Lieberman and Abbas aren't my cup of tea, but they are pragmatists and they will negotiate. Yair Lapid has a tough job to keep it all on track. Hopefully Bennett doesn't try to tear the coalition apart towards the end of his 2 years as Pm.


Of course, thank f*ck that Israel is well defended. Because let's be honest, if this Israel coalition can work constructively with an Arab party. Hamas and Islamic jihad will do whatever they can to mess it up via terrorism. If at any stage it looks like the Israeli government want to start exploring another peace strategy, then hamas and IJ will probably attempt to start another suicide bombing campaign.

[jon1959]

There are some radicals in this new coalition, but it's a lot more representative than the stitch ups that benji used to cobble together. The settlement expanders also can't hide in the background now. Under Netanyahu (especially in trumps term) they could push their agenda and gain big concessions at coalition forming time, then retreat into the shadows and watch someone else do their dirty work.


Bennett, Lieberman and Abbas aren't my cup of tea, but they are pragmatists and they will negotiate. Yair Lapid has a tough job to keep it all on track. Hopefully Bennett doesn't try to tear the coalition apart towards the end of his 2 years as Pm.


Of course, thank f*ck that Israel is well defended. Because let's be honest, if this Israel coalition can work constructively with an Arab party. Hamas and Islamic jihad will do whatever they can to mess it up via terrorism. If at any stage it looks like the Israeli government want to start exploring another peace strategy, then hamas and IJ will probably attempt to start another suicide bombing campaign.

The coalition only has opposition to Netanyahu to hold it together, and has stated already that it will avoid Palestine-Israel conflict issues (though how is a question as they are being played out on the streets of Israeli towns and Jerusalem, as well as the West Bank and Gaza) and focus on basic budget and state service issues. It is totally contradictory and unstable - spanning the centre left to the far right of the Knesset. Unless it morphs quickly into something else - and unless Bennett abandons his expansionist and racist ideology - it must surely collapse fairly soon. It might last long enough for Netanyahu to face the courts again and permanently lose his grip on power - but I doubt much more.

Interesting that you see the main threat to peace in this situation as Hamas - not daily land theft, murder (by occupation forces and/or settlers - who seem to work hand in glove), detention without trial for hundreds of Palestinian adults and children, destruction of homes, crops and water supplies, apartheid state ideology and policies, elimination by Israel of any territorial basis for a future 2 state solution (still the 'answer' for most of the world), attacks on people wanting to pray at the Al Aqsa mosque, continuing blockade of Gaza (with Egypt) and the aftermath of a 'mowing the grass' campaign to destroy homes, hospitals, schools, the only Covid vaccination centre and much else in Gaza - alongside some Hamas military targets.

Hamas is an authoritarian, often brutal and contradictory organisation - but it was formed in response to Israeli aggression against Palestinians and is democratically elected. It is certainly part of the problem - and may have committed war crimes with its rocket attacks on civilian targets - but any provocations or crimes that come from Hamas are dwarfed by those of Israel. David v Goliath and David is a Palestinian!