Palestinians express indifference to Netanyahu return

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories — The election triumph of veteran hawk Benjamin Netanyahu may usher in one of the most right-wing governments in Israeli history but for many Palestinians it's just a change of brand.

The difference between Netanyahu and defeated centrist incumbent Yair Lapid is like the difference "between Pepsi and Coca Cola", said Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh soon after the result of Tuesday's election was confirmed.

Netanyahu's previous terms in office saw what little remained of the Middle East peace process collapse in a surge of Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

During his brief premiership, Lapid adopted a more conciliatory approach, approving a modest increase in the number of Israeli work permits issued to Palestinians from the blockaded Gaza Strip and using his speech to the UN General Assembly in September to express support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Yet, few Palestinians were shedding tears over Lapid's departure.

"At least, with Lapid gone, we can stop pretending that the Israelis are interested in peace," said Ahmad Saadi, a 31-year-old market stallholder, as he left afternoon prayers in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

"Maybe now the world will see that Netanyahu is not the exception, he represents the true feelings of Israelis, and they are not interested in peace."

In the Gaza Strip, where more than half the workforce is unemployed, the additional work permits were welcome for the lucky few who got them.

But Gazans also remember the three-day war which Lapid launched against the Islamic Jihad group in August, in which 49 Palestinians died, 17 of them children.

"I am afraid that Netanyahu and the right will cancel the permits for workers from Gaza," said construction worker Sohail Mohammed, 54, who recently managed to get one of the 17,000 Israeli work permits made available under Lapid.

"I only just got the permit that gave me and my family hope for a better life," he added.

For Mohammed Al Hindi, 27 and unemployed, it was "a boring repetition of the same scenario".

"The repercussions on us in Gaza are not important, because what matters to them is the security of Israel," he told AFP.

Palestinian analyst Noor Odeh said the differing ideological positions expressed by Israeli politicians over the future of the occupied territories made little difference to policy, which was always dictated by the security fears of Israelis.

“In terms of policy, being opposed to statehood, seeking annexation [of the occupied West Bank], whether de facto or not, they are all reading from the same playbook, because they are all catering to the same far-right public opinion,” he said.

But Odeh did voice concern over the role of the far-right in a future Netanyahu-led government.

The former premier’s return to power came largely thanks to a surge in support for his far-right ally, the Religious Zionism bloc, whose co-leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich now expect to be rewarded with key ministries.

The two men have said they want the public security and defence portfolios, although Israeli analysts have said Netanyahu is likely to resist that.

But even without those ministries, the far-right is expected to wield unprecedented influence.

“These are two sociopaths,” Odeh said of the far-right leaders, whose sights are set on annexing the West Bank and ensuring Israel’s security services use more force in countering Palestinian unrest.

“The amount of cruelty that will be meted on Palestinians is definitely expected to rise.”

“Is the world going to keep Netanyahu on a leash the way they would any other extreme right-wing government, or are they going to cover up for him and whitewash for him and what his Cabinet does?” he asked.