Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has worked in recent weeks to put his government coalition in order, reintegrating Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and his Official Right (HaYamin HaMamlakhti) Party into the ranks of the Likud Party, as it joined the governing coalition. Netanyahu also resumed the war on Gaza, sacked the head of the Shin Bet, initiated the process of dismissing the attorney general, and brought back Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir —who had resigned from the government earlier— and his Jewish Power Party into the coalition.
This position paper examines the main challenges still facing the Netanyahu government, despite the aforementioned "successes." These successes do not mean that Israel has overcome its economic crises, or that the government has been able to implement all the provisions of its plan to reform the judiciary, or to extend its full control over the security services— including the appointment of a new head of the Shin Bet who would cater to Netanyahu's wishes.
Right-wing attempts to resolve domestic political issues may fuel a serious protest and opposition movement within Israeli society, especially in light of escalating of tensions between the authorities and the decline in confidence in governing institutions. In addition, the Haredi parties again threatened that if, in the next Knesset summer session, a law is not enacted to arrange for the exemption of seminary students from military service, and if budgets are not allocated to seminaries and ultra-Orthodox community institutions, they might withdraw from the governing coalition.
Thus, the cohesion and stability of the government coalition cannot be considered inevitable. There remain internal, judicial, and political opposition challenges that may hinder the implementation of the government coalition’s desired projects.
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