Fears Netanyahu Return To Trigger Violence

Jerusalem: Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will receive an official mandate today to form a government that could be the most right-wing in the country’s history, sparking concern at home and abroad.

After a period of unprecedented political gridlock that forced five elections in less than four years, polls on November 1 gave the veteran leader and his far-right allies a clear majority in the 120-seat parliament, likely sealing Netanyahu’s return to power.

Sixty-four politicians recommended that President Isaac Herzog appoint Netanyahu to form a government.

He has “the task of forming the government from the president on Sunday”.

He will have 28 days to form a cabinet. Netanyahu led Israel from 1996 to 1999 and then again from 2009 to 2021. The 73-year-old remains on trial over corruption allegations, which he denies.

Violence has soared between Israel and the Palestinians, and recent months have been the deadliest period in years in the Israeli-occupied West Bank according to the United Nations, with near daily army raids and an increase in clashes and attacks on Israeli forces.

The electoral success of Religious Zionism has raised fears among its political opponents and Arab-Israelis.

Herzog, whose role is largely symbolic, was reported to have tried to convince outgoing PM Yair Lapid and his defence minister Benny Gantz to form a unity cabinet with Netanyahu, in order to keep the right-wingers from entering government. The presidency publicly denied the claims.