Lebanonupdated 57m ago2 min read
Lebanon And Syria Residents Expect Little Change In Israeli Policy After Netanyahu Ouster
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Lebanese and Syrians expect no change in Israeli policy after the election. Ouster could shift policy toward Palestinians, but substantial gains are unlikely.
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Lebanon expects no shift
Residents in Lebanon and Syria expect little change in Israeli policy after the election, amid concerns about continued Israeli military activity and the risk of renewed conflict. The expectation of continuity is tied to fears that Israeli military activity will continue after the vote, rather than producing a clear policy reversal.
The ouster of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could provide Palestinians some relief, but is unlikely to improve their prospects for statehood. Gaza residents are watching the Israeli Knesset elections because the vote will influence their future, even as many doubt any change in Israeli policy will follow.
Arab parties and coalition
Israel’s election is a contest in which voters choose parties for the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset, and coalition bargaining begins after election day for at least 61 lawmakers. Exit polls projected Netanyahu’s supporters would win 50 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, as opposed to 52 or 53 seats for his opponents, and it projected Arab parties at 17 or 18 seats.
The Times of Israel also said the Arab-led parties oppose giving Netanyahu another term, leaving a clear majority of 70 seats opposed to the premier, while Jewish-led opposition parties ruled out joining a coalition with Arab parties. Lebanese and Syrians expect no change in Israeli policy after the election, even as the election outcome is treated as a potential pivot point for regional expectations.
What changes, what stays
A Netanyahu defeat could bring some changes to the lives of the 3.4 million Palestinians on the West Bank, 2.1 million in Gaza and 1.9 million in Israel, including policy shifts on settler violence, economic pressures and the fight against crime.
A change in the Israeli government may rearrange political calculations, but it does not guarantee an end to the war, the lifting of restrictions imposed on the Strip, or the launching of a comprehensive reconstruction process.
Academic and political analyst Dr. Ayman Youssef said the election results will determine the shape of the next government and its ability to handle security and political file issues that are still pending.
Lebanese and Syrians expect little change in Israeli policy after the vote.