Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in once again as Israel’s prime minister, as the country’s new hard-right coalition took control yesterday.
The coalition will test Israel’s ties with the U.S. and Europe. Many fear that Netanyahu’s partners will undermine Israel’s liberal democracy and stability.
Some expect increased tensions with Palestinians. The coalition has declared the Jewish people’s “exclusive and inalienable right to all parts of the land of Israel” and pledged to bolster settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Others foresee the undermining of Israel’s democratic system.
Netanyahu is currently on trial for corruption, and his new administration is pressing for a contentious overhaul of the judiciary, changes that critics say would curb its power.
Both moves could complicate Israel’s relations with Europe and the U.S., perhaps its most important ally. President Biden said he looked forward to working with Netanyahu but stressed that the U.S. would continue to support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
