Israel’s New Government Ousts Netanyahu, Launches Airstrikes Two Days Later

Diego Diaz / Staff Writer

For the first time in 12 years a new prime minister will lead Israel. However, it’s new government still faces the decades-old deadly conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

This past Sunday, June 5, marked a historic moment for the state of Israel, with the rise of a new coalition government, and the end of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reign. 

“The time has come for different leaders, from all parts of the people, to stop, to stop this madness,” said Naftali Bennet, Israel’s newly appointed Prime Minister during his first speech.

But, two days later the coalition faced its first challenge: Israeli ultranationalist protests in Jerusalem were met by incendiary balloon attacks from “Hamas affiliated militants” according to the Israeli military. 

Israel retaliated early Wednesday morning with airstrikes targeting Gazan buildings suspected of housing members of the islamic militant group. So far, no deaths have been reported.

 Hamas, an Islamic militant group, has not taken responsibility for the attack.

“Naftali says he hopes to maintain the ceasefire, but then less than a few days later, they’re bombing Gaza,” said Sabha Ali Hammad, an FIU junior majoring in international relations. “They say the airstrikes are in retaliation to the incendiary balloons, but the damage caused by airstrikes is incomparable.” 

Data collected by the United Nations this year from May 10 to the 21 show Israeli airstrikes have devastating effects, with the destruction of 329 Gazan buildings in only 11 days.   

Israel’s newly formed coalition is an unlikely alliance between leftist, centrist, right wing, and far-right parties joined with the shared goal of dethroning Netanyahu. 

Additionally, this would be the first time an Arab party has joined the ruling coalition, a phenomenon once thought to be impossible within Israeli politics. Previously, Israeli parties often avoided allying with Arab parties since it challenged the Jewish nature of the state.

“It shows a lot of hope because you have Arab, Druze, Jewish, and secular Israeli parties all working together,” said Navid Weil, an FIU political science freshman currently studying at Bar-Ilan University in Tel-Aviv.

Notably, the Prime Minister position will be shared between the right wing New Right party, and the centrist Yesh Atid party. The New Right’s Naftali Bennet would hold power for the first two years, followed by Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid.

Bennet’s rise does not come without controversy.

The former Netanyahu defense minister has been criticized for his far-right views, opposing the creation of a Palestinian state, and his 2013 comment in reference to the treatment of Arab insurgents, “I have killed lots of Arabs in my life and there is no problem with that.”

Palestinian’s are skeptical of Neftali’s devisive rhetoric, viewing the new coalition as a new face to the same policies. 

“This coalition is not a step in the right direction… what they criticize Netanyahu for, who’s just as bad, is that Netanyahu will act policies, but stay silent,” said Ali Hammad. “This man [Bennet] basks in it.” 

Other’s, like Lana Shehadeh, a FIU international relations doctoral student residing in the West Bank, still holds out hope for the new coalition even with Bennet’s appointment as Prime Minister.

“I’m hopeful for the coalition government, I think the Arab’s that are in the Parliament are pretty cognizant of Israeli society and Israeli politics and are able to really maneuver, ” said Shehadeh. “I’m hopeful, but only time will tell.”