Naftali Bennett, the Current Coalition, and Netanyahu’s Shadow

As the new coalition of different Israeli parties is tested, former PM Netanyahu awaits a chance to return. All the while, Gaza’s status hangs in the balance.

By Jake Austin, 22 June 2021

The coalition government formed earlier this month under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has emerged from its first altercation with Hamas intact. The incendiary balloons from Palestine and rocket response by Israel did not escalate as compared to last month’s violence. Ex-PM Netanyahu, deposed by a collapsed majority in last month’s elections, is likely disappointed - a collapse of this new coalition government would be a prime opportunity to return.

Bennet finds himself beside strange bedfellows as head of the new government. As a former protege of Netanyahu, he has often been described as further right and nationalist and headed the Yamina (“rightward”) party. Yet to form the coalition and step into power, he needed to ally with centrists and parties that regularly fight for Palestinians in the legislature. The result was a slim 60-59 seat majority of patchwork positions, a circumstance that may in fact keep Bennett’s militarist urges in check. If he alienates the leftmost elements of his government, the majority will again collapse and new elections will be held - elections where Netanyahu can stage a comeback. In this way, the ambitious leader’s self-interest may align with Palestinian welfare.

While this government has launched strikes in the past days, no civilian casualties have been reported. Bennett maintains the right of Jewish citizens to settle in the West Bank, but has stated that “Israel has no right to Gaza”. Whether the sanctions and travel controls upon Gaza that have led many to call it “the largest open-air prison on Earth” remains to be seen. Vaccine diplomacy has been attempted as Israel provided vaccinations to Palestine, but lack of trust has led to many being turned down or dismissed.

It is highly unlikely that a two-state solution will occur under the current status quo. Decreased violence in past weeks does not by any means guarantee the longevity of Bennett’s government and we may see elections much sooner than the planned end date in September 2023. As he stated in February of this year, “As long as I have power and control, I won’t hand over one centimeter of the land of Israel.”