This time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no excuses. The administration being built by the elected president Donald Trump in the USA is even more right-wing than Netanyahu's fully right-wing government.
Foreign Minister Rubio, Defense Secretary Hegseth, CIA Director, and even the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Huckabee– they are all right-wing, some might say religious-messianic right-wing. For illustration purposes, the evangelical Akabi supports the annexation of Judea and Samaria and opposes any recognition of same-sex relationships; he could easily and comfortably sit in a faction meeting of Otzma Yehudit or even the Noam party.
The question "Why do you vote right and get left?" Netanyahu justified himself by saying that he had to fend off pressures from hostile administrations towards Israel, such as Clinton in his first term and Obama in both of his terms. When Trump was elected in 2016, Netanyahu was still dependent on the Kulanu party and Moshe Kahlon. He did move the ship a bit to the right, but not enough. Netanyahu, who promised to annex the Jordan Valley, and then all of Judea and Samaria – backed down and signed a fragile agreement with the United Arab Emirates, and then Biden came along and the pressures returned.
Two years to implement all the dreams of the right.
This time, Netanyahu has no excuse. A fully right-wing government that will even initiate moves in Judea and Samaria. The Palestinian issue exploded on October 7th in the massacre, and Iran's northern front is also no longer exactly existent. Israel has two years (until the midterm elections for Congress) to initiate and implement a real right-wing policy:
Applying sovereignty in Judea and Samaria (what's wrong with the Jordan Valley/Gush Etzion plan first?), encouraging the emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank to countries willing to accept them (sounds like they would be happy in the Netherlands), removing the Iranian nuclear threat, after Iran – weakening the centers of Islamic terrorism encouragement, like Turkey and Qatar, peace agreements with other Sunni countries like Saudi Arabia, maybe even a peace settlement with the moderate elements in Lebanon.
Netanyahu, whose procrastination is his trademark, will need to work quickly and efficiently this time. But from my acquaintance with him, he will again drag his feet and will not do anything historic that will forever determine the status of Judea and Samaria, as was done with the Golan Heights and Jerusalem. It's not just that history won't forgive him if he squanders another opportunity; it seems that this time, the voters will also want to see results.
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