Benjamin Netanyahu’s victory is good for India
Mr Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy of aggressive nationalist sabre-rattling in the weeks leading to the election has paid off. He is set to return for a third term as Israel’s Prime Minister after his likud party secured the most number of seats in the Knesset, pushing the main rival, the Zionist Union, to the second spot. While Mr Netanyahu has always had the reputation of being a ‘hardliner’, he had gone out of his way in the run-up to the poll to strike an even more belligerent posture in a bid to garner the support of the Right and the ultra-right nationalists who are opposed to any kind of concession to the Palestinians.
He also reversed his earlier support for the establishment of a Palestinian state and took a stronger than ever line on the issue of settlements. As part of his campaign to win over the more orthodox elements and project an image of being a leader who will not compromise on Israel’s security interests despite facing criticism from across the world, including from friends such as the US, Mr Netanyahu delivered a controversial address to the US Congress at the invitation of Republican members, which was cold-shouldered by President Barack Obama and his Democratic colleagues.
The Israeli Prime Minister had made those hawkish moves in the backdrop of popular opinion that he was losing ground to the Centre-left Isaac Herzog-led Zionist Union. Now, as before, Mr Netanyahu will have to stitch together a coalition to govern, since the likud does not have a majority on its own. But that should not pose a problem; Israel has always had an alliance Government and the likud leader has managed a coalition in the previous two terms. All that will happen is that the alliance can have some new faces. The pro-settlement Jewish Home, the Kulanu led by Moshe Kahlon, and the hardline nationalist party, the Yisrael Beiteinu, could be part of the ruling group. Mr Netanyahu’s victory can mean different things to different people.
For the Obama Administration, it will mean dealing with a leader with whom the US President has failed to connect and dealing with a tense situation in West Asia that is unlikely to ease with the Israeli’s Prime Minister’s renewed mandate. For Mr Netanyahu’s opponents in Israel and abroad, it will mean a fresh round of confrontations with no solution in sight. But for many Israelis, the election result will be seen as a reiteration of their country’s stand of not compromising on matters of terrorism and on threats from Iran’s nuclear programme. While it is easy to assume that Mr Netanyahu will take an even more hardline position than he has, now that he has won, there is also the possibility that the victory will make him more accommodating.
From India’s perspective, Mr Netanyahu’s win is welcome. The Israeli leader has been an unabashed India supporter, and his country has walked the talk on every single occasion that has demanded evidence. New Delhi has been openly going about strengthening its robust relationship with Israel. Mr Netanyahu’s victory ensures continuity in that process. Cooperation between the two countries in the areas of defence (especially in cutting-edge technology), modern irrigation methods and tourism is already being scaled up. With Mr Netanyahu at the helm, there is no fear of these initiatives running into rough weather.