Netanyahu’s far-right alliance in Israel

Ahead of the upcoming elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has forged an alliance with two far-right parties – far-right, pro-settler Jewish Home Party and extremist Jewish Power Party. The Jewish Power Party is an offshoot of Kach Party which was banned and considered to the be a terrorist organization in Israel and USA. According to experts, the Jewish Power Party is like Ku Klux Klan of Israel. (1)

In addition to the decision to join forces with right-wing extremists, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud Party has faced criticism also because of their reluctancy to increase transparency in the new ways of political campaigning, particularly in online media. Also, parliament speaker of the Likud Party Yudi Edelstein has reportedly rejected calls to employ an international body to monitor the upcoming elections. (2)

References:

1) “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of Trump, just united with a political party that experts say is like the KKK” Business Insider 22.2.2019

https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-netanyahu-trump-ally-extremist-political-party-jewish-power-2019-2

2) “Israel election committee asks Facebook to implement transparency tools: report” i24News 4.2.2019

https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/194622-190204-israel-election-committee-asks-facebook-to-implement-transparency-tools-report

Hardliners campaigning in Israel

The political campaigning is heating up before the upcoming elections in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to win the elections and continue as a Prime Minister, even though he is facing several charges of corruption (1). His biggest challenger is a newcomer, former army general Benny Gantz and his new “Israel Resilience” party (2).

Gantz caused uproar by saying that he wants Israel to end rule over Palestinians and because of his statement that was interpreted by hardline right-wingers as willingness to support some sort of unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank which would be similar to Israel’s pullout from Gaza in 2005. Prime Minister Netanyahu attacked his rival by warning of “Abbas-Gantz conspiracy”:

“The problem is that Abbas is satisfied, because Benny Gantz said today that he would carry out a second disengagement in Judea and Samaria, and Abbas wished him success in the election. This is why we have to go together, win these elections and prevent this. This is what election is really about: whether there will be a left-wing government led by Gantz or a Likud government led by me.” (2, 3)

The new far-right party “The New Right Party”, founded by former leading members of “The Jewish Home Party” (3, 4), said in their statement:

“He (i.e. Gantz) wants to expel more and more Jews from their homes during a unilateral disengagement from Judea and Samaria. Benny Gantz must not be Israel’s next defense minister. As we said: A ‘New Right’ or a weak Left.” (2)

References:

1) “The Corruption Cases Against Netanyahu” The New York Times 2.12.2018

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/02/world/middleeast/netanyahu-cases-guide.html

2) “Anyone but Bibi: In Israel, ex-general stirs hope of change” AP News 8.2.2019

https://www.apnews.com/d86043ffdc2a47b2849c9c97bdfc01ec

3) “Netanyahu warns of Abbas-Gantz conspiracy” Jerusalem Post 6.2.2019

https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Gantz-says-Israel-should-not-control-others-praises-disengagement-model-579829

4) “Bennett, Shaked’s ‘New Right’ party said set to unite with Jewish Home” Ynet News 30.12.2018 

https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5437031,00.html