The general election ended in an impasse between Benjamin Netanyahu's governing bloc and an opposition unable to take power on its own. Although Palestinian citizens turned out in unprecedented numbers and secured a record number of legislative seats, Jewish opposition parties remain unwilling to partner with them. Critics contend this standoff dismantles claims of a liberal democracy, particularly since millions of Palestinians subject to military rule cannot vote.
Key points
Jewish political factions across the spectrum continue to reject Palestinian lawmakers as…: Jewish political factions across the spectrum continue to reject Palestinian lawmakers as legitimate governing partners.
The opposition bloc cannot unseat the prime minister without forming an alliance with ele…: The opposition bloc cannot unseat the prime minister without forming an alliance with elected Palestinian parties.
Critics argue democratic claims are undermined because the majority formed only after abo…: Critics argue democratic claims are undermined because the majority formed only after about 750,000 native Palestinians were expelled in 1948.
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Israel’s general election last week unmasked beyond question the West’s much-cherished fiction of Israel as a "Jewish and democratic state".
That Israel’s democratic pretensions are taken seriously should in itself be astounding. For decades Israel has been given a free pass - revered even - as the "only democracy in the Middle East".
Western establishments have agreed to turn a collective blind eye to Israel’s brutal treatment of millions of Palestinians forced to live under an illegal military occupation.
Those Palestinians have no say in electing the government that rules over them, one that abuses, ethnically cleanses, imprisons, tortures and now subjects them to what every major legal, human rights and expert scholarly body deems to be a genocide.
In Israel’s defence, supporters contest that its belligerence in the occupied territories is necessitated by security considerations. Supposedly, it is unfair to judge what is going on there as reflective of the robust "Jewish and democratic" state inside Israel’s internationally recognised borders - even as Israel refuses to define those borders.
An Israeli drone strike west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza has killed three Palestinians and wounded several others. The strike occurred amid wider regional developments, as Iran issued warnings to the United States of a "harder and broader" response following American strikes in southern Iran.
The national team has received a major personnel boost ahead of crucial UEFA Nations League fixtures against North Macedonia and Switzerland. Alongside the 29-year-old midfielder, Kieran Tierney and Che Adams are also rejoining the roster following recent injury layoffs. These returns provide vital experience as the squad attempts to improve its standing in Group B1.
Recent military operations across the Gaza Strip have resulted in rising casualties, heavily impacting educational institutions and shelter zones. Medical officials report that the lethal operations have increasingly targeted university students and displaced populations in southern areas like Khan Younis. This surge in localized strikes coincides with the formal commencement of the region's new academic school year.