Bribery charges and US plan to dominate new Netanyahu term
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s record fifth term is likely to be dominated by corruption allegations, scrutiny of his election promises and the unveiling of US President Donald Trump’s long-awaited Middle East plan.
In the closing days of a campaign that was driven more by personalities than policy, Netanyahu seized international attention by promising to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Some political analysts saw the right-wing leader’s pledge as a bid before Tuesday’s election to siphon votes from far-right rivals who have long advocated annexation of the West Bank, where more than 400,000 Israeli settlers live, among 2.9million Palestinians.
Settlements, which Israel’s B’Tselem rights group says cover about 10% of the West Bank, are one of the most heated issues in efforts to restart peace talks, frozen since 2014.
The Palestinians and many countries consider the settlements illegal under the Geneva conventions that bar settling on land captured in war. Israel disputes this.
Netanyahu’s words drew immediate condemnation from Palestinians and created an expectation among some settlers, at least, that he would deliver if re-elected.
“May the dream of annexation come true,” said Itzik Gideon, a 65-year-old resident of the settlement of Maale Adumim near Jerusalem. “I think we will get more building permits here in Maale Adumim, it will do us much good.”
After Netanyahu’s re-election, Palestinians voiced fears that the Israeli leader would now feel emboldened. “Regrettably, Israelis overwhelmingly voted for candidates that are unequivocally committed to entrenching the status quo of oppression, occupation, annexation and dispossession in Palestine,” said Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s executive committee. “Israelis chose to entrench and expand apartheid.”
Whatever Netanyahu’s intentions, the annexation promise is likely to go on the backburner at least until Trump releases his administration’s long-awaited Mideast plan.
“There is certainly no point in making any unilateral step before we hear what the American president’s plan is,” Tzachi Hanegbi, a government minister and senior Likud legislator, told Israel Radio on Thursday.
Aside from policy concerns, Netanyahu’s political future may also depend on the outcome of three corruption cases that attorney-general Avichai Mandelblit plans to indict him on. Netanyahu faces allegations of wrongfully accepting $264,000 worth of gifts from business leaders and dispensing favours to try to secure positive coverage in the media. He denies any wrongdoing, but could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
“If the indictment against Netanyahu is confirmed there is likely to be significant policy deadlock,” said Jack Kennedy, a senior analyst at data compiler IHS Markit. “Netanyahu would likely be under far greater obligation to secure the support of the smaller members of his coalition.”