Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents his government to the Knesset

Europe 1 with AFP 7:33 p.m., December 29, 2022

After a break in the opposition, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power on Thursday by forming the most right-wing government in the history of Israel which is already causing serious concern.

Winner of the legislative elections of November 1, Benjamin Netanyahu presented his ministerial team to the deputies in the morning, before the holding in the afternoon of a vote of confidence won by a majority of 63 elected officials out of the 120 in Parliament and his performance of oath.

"Thwart Iran's efforts to acquire a nuclear arsenal"

Benjamin Netanyahu notably announced the appointment of former Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen as head of Foreign Affairs.

The day before, he had indicated that Yoav Gallant, a former senior officer considered close to the pro-colonization movement in the occupied West Bank, was going to obtain the Defense.

Putin welcomes Netanyahu's return and wants to strengthen cooperation with Israel

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the return of Benjamin Netanyahu to the head of the Israeli government on Thursday, wishing to strengthen cooperation with Israel "in all areas", the Kremlin said in a statement.

"I hope that the new government under your leadership will continue the line of strengthening Russian-Israeli cooperation in all areas for the benefit of our peoples, in the interests of ensuring peace and security in the Near East," Vladimir Putin said in a message to Benjamin Netanyahu, quoted in the statement.

The government's mission will be "to thwart Iran's efforts to acquire a nuclear arsenal", "to ensure Israel's military superiority in the region", while "widening the circle of peace" with Arab countries, said Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to convene his first ministerial cabinet in Jerusalem on Thursday evening.

Indicted for corruption in several cases, the leader of Likud (right) was ousted from power in June 2021 by a motley coalition before promising a return to business by allying with ultra-Orthodox and far-right parties.

Personalities known for anti-Palestinian remarks

His coalition notably includes Bezalel Smotrich's "Religious Zionism" and Itamar Ben Gvir's "Jewish Force", known for their anti-Palestinian remarks and their positions favorable to the annexation of part of the West Bank, and "Noam " by Avi Maoz, openly anti-LGBTQ.

Despite the presence of this party in the government, MPs elected Amir Ohana as Speaker of Parliament, a first for an openly gay MP in this country.

Hundreds of people, including several wearing the rainbow flag or showing sympathy for the Palestinians, demonstrated Thursday outside Parliament against the new government.

"This is the darkest, most racist, worst government we could ever imagine," said Niv, a protester at the scene.

For Amir Sasson, a 51-year-old salesman living in central Israel, "we must give the new government a chance to prove itself".

"It is certain that there are very important subjects, particularly in the field of internal security in Israel, which must be improved as soon as possible," he told AFP.

Worrying Netanyahu concessions

In this new government, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir are respectively in charge of the settlements in the West Bank and of the Israeli police, whose units also operate in this Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 by Israel.

The Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, recently said she feared reforms reducing the power of judges and a "politicization of law enforcement" which "would deal a serious blow to the most fundamental principles of the rule of law ".

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And the chief of staff of the army Aviv Kochavi said he was worried about the creation of a second post of minister, that of Bezalel Smotrich, within the Defense itself to oversee the civilian management of the West Bank.

For many analysts, Benjamin Netanyahu has multiplied the concessions to his partners in the hope of obtaining legal immunity or the cancellation of his trial for corruption.

"This government is the addition of Netanyahu's political weakness, given his age and his trial, and the fact that we have a new political family, linked to the revolutionary right, which we had never seen with this strength in Israel,” Denis Charbit, professor of political science at the Open University of Israel, told AFP.

Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, who above all wish to strengthen colonization in the West Bank, Palestinian territory where more than 475,000 Jewish settlers already live, "have a very strong thirst for power and they know that what they do not get from here three months, six months, even two years, will not take place", adds Denis Charbit.

The fear of a military escalation

In the wake of the last Hamas/Israel war in Gaza in May 2021 and the recent violence in the West Bank, the most serious since the end of the Second Intifada (2000 to 2005), the fear of a military escalation with the Palestinians is well present.

"There are many red lines: Al-Aqsa, annexation [of the West Bank], the status of Palestinian prisoners (in Israel)... If Ben Gvir as minister goes to Al-Aqsa, that will be a big red line to cross and it will lead to an explosion," Basem Naim, a senior Hamas politician, told AFP.

Israel's ambassador to France resigns

Israel's ambassador to France, Yael German, tendered her resignation Thursday following the November 1 legislative elections that brought to power the new government of Benjamin Netanyahu, the most right-wing in Israel's history.

Yael German posted at midday on Twitter the letter in Hebrew sent to the new head of government.

"Your policy, the statements of your government ministers and the intentions of legislation are contrary to my conscience, my worldview and the principles of the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel," the ambassador said.

Itamar Ben Gvir has already visited the Esplanade des Mosques (Temple Mount for Jews) in recent months, a holy place at the heart of Israeli-Palestinian tensions in East Jerusalem.

Under a historic status quo, non-Muslims can visit but not pray there, but a visit by a serving Israeli minister to the site would be seen as provocation among Palestinians.

"If the government acts irresponsibly, it could cause a security crisis," said outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz.