ASSESSMENTS

How Israel's Elections Will Shape Its Regional Strategy

Feb 20, 2019 | 10:00 GMT

Retired Israeli general Benny Gantz mingles with people during an electoral campaign tour south of Tel Aviv in February 2019.

Benny Gantz, the center-left challenger to current Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, greets supporters on the campaign trail ahead of the election in April 2019.

(THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

  • Israel's April 9 general elections could potentially end the Benjamin Netanyahu era, ushering in new dynamics for the U.S.-Israeli relationship, the Israel-Gulf rapprochement and Israel's relationship with the Palestinians.
  • But whoever leads the next Israeli government will still face rising tensions in Gaza, the West Bank and Syria that threaten to escalate into large-scale violence or even conflict between Israel and Iran.
  • The next Israeli government will also have to contend with a less-friendly United States due to rising bipartisan concerns about Chinese-Israeli ties, as well as increasing skepticism of Israeli strategies among some Democrats in Congress.

Rising discontent with incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu and his ruling center-right coalition has created a path for his center-left challenger Benny Gantz to take power in the upcoming April election. But regardless of who wins, the next prime minister will be forced to grapple with brewing regional threats that could easily escalate into major conflict, as well as a U.S. government critical of its ties with China -- and increasingly critical of Israel's strategies as a whole....

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