Valery Rubin, Tel Aviv
As you know, Netanyahu faced the prospect of ending his 12-year tenure as prime minister after the leader of the Israeli centrist party Yesh Atid (“There is a future!”) Yair Lapid announced last Wednesday, the last day of the mandate. that he managed to form a ruling coalition after the March 23 elections.
The new government, yet to be sworn in in the Knesset, is a patchwork of left, liberal, right, nationalist and religious parties, as well as - for the first time in Israel's history - an Arab Islamist party. Netanyahu, who is currently indicted on a number of criminal charges, warns in his online posts that this is a "dangerous left-wing government" and that his supporters are taking active steps to prevent him from coming to power.
Some right-wing electorate groups are unhappy with Naftali Benet, head of the small ultranationalist settler party Yamina (New Rights), with only 6 seats in parliament, which is to replace Netanyahu in a power-sharing pact with Lapid, taking first in the rotation as prime minister... It fell upon him hail critical publications in the media, accompanied by attacks on social media for his alliance with the Israeli Arabs. Before the elections, Benet promised that he would never join the ruling coalition if it relies on the "Arab list".
Let's return, however, to the warning from the mouth of the head of Shin Bet. “We have recently seen an increase in highly aggressive and inflammatory speech, especially on social media”, - said Nadav Argaman, without mentioning any names. However, these names are known to the special services. "This discourse can be interpreted among certain groups or individuals as a discourse capable of violent and illegal actions, which may even cause physical harm", - he said. For florid statement betrays anxiety: how to not repeat custom assassination and - la Yitzhak Rabin. The atmosphere in the country today is very similar to the one that thickened on that ill-fated autumn evening in the Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv in 1995. And then, according to a number of political observers, the main beneficiary behind the scenes was none other than the current Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Since Benet announced that he is teaming up with Lapid to expel Netanyahu from his residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem, the security department in charge of top officials has strengthened his physical protection, as far-right demonstrations near the homes of his party members represented a clear threat, including to their family members. Anything can be expected from fanatics.
Argaman called on political and religious leaders to show responsibility and do everything in their power to stop incitement to violence in the press. Lapid and Benet, for their part, stressed in special statements that they hope that the "unity government" will eliminate deep political divisions between Israelis and put an end to the waves of hatred circulating in society. A poll conducted on Saturday by Israeli TV Channel 12 showed that 46% of Israelis support the Benet-Lapid government, 38% would prefer a new election - the fifth in about two years - and 15% did not declare their preferences.
Tensions could escalate next week, when the "march of the right" with the flags of Israel, canceled for Jerusalem Day, is expected this time to take place in the Old City of Jerusalem, through its Palestinian neighborhoods. Last month, an armed conflict broke out between Israel and Hamas, as we know, and fierce fighting lasted 11 days before the intervention of Egypt and the United States led to a ceasefire. The march, which was then re-routed at the last minute, coincided with the riots on the Temple Mount. The Israeli government did not heed the ultimatum of Hamas, which led to violent rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, destruction and death of a total of several hundred people on both sides.
What is the coming day for Israel?