The 36th government of Israel, helmed by Naftali Bennett, survived for only a year, but even during that short time it has achieved a number of goals promised to the public during the election campaign.
The complex coalition, however, that includes eight political parties from both Left and Right sides of the political map - Jews and Arabs, religious and non-religious - had poor adds at survival from the start.
The past year has been the quietest in a decade for Israelis living close to the Gaza Strip border; so far, in 2022, six rockets were fired from Gaza - not resulting in any casualties.
The government stopped the containment policy toward Hamas and responded to every incendiary balloon and missile launched from the Gaza Strip, while simultaneously stopping cash transfers for the terror group that rules the Palestinian enclave.
On the Iranian front, according to foreign publications, Israel has carried out several assassinations of Iran's senior officials and key figures involved in the nuclear program. In addition, the IDF increased its raids in Syria to end Tehran's attempt to set up shop in the region and smuggle weapons to its Lebanese proxy of Hezbollah.
Another significant achievement was persuading the U.S. not to remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from its notorious list of terror organizations. Bennett's government has also managed to maintain very good relations with the Americans on the Iranian issue, even restoring relations with the Democratic Party and bipartisan support for Israel. It is reflected in the Congress' approval of a special $1 billion aid package to replenish Israel's Iron Dome inventory.
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Streaks of light are seen as Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercept rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel in 2021
(Photo: Reuters)
The government was also able to strengthen the Abraham Accords, but did not extend it further by signing additional peace treaties with other countries.
During its term, the coalition also faced a murderous terror wave in which 19 Israelis were murdered. The the month of Ramadan, however, went by relatively quiet, both in the West Bank and Gaza.
But, the debacle surrounding the death and the funeral of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed in Jenin during a shootout between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen.
The coalition also worked tirelessly keep the economy stable while facing the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic and its many variants. Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz boosted the personnel at hospitals and accelerated the vaccination campaign to fight the growing morbidity. At the same time, it was also decided to maintain a routine in the education system, focusing on rapid coronavirus testing.
The government also battled the high cost of living and implemented reforms that were meant to lead to price reductions and increased competition in the market, but the result of those changes is yet to be seen. In fact, Israel is currently showing disturbing signs of inflation, while housing prices continue to soar.
For the first time in three years, nevertheless, a state budget was passed, allowing government offices to operate properly after a long period of paralysis. In the first part of the year the unemployment numbers were declining, however, the latest figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics are less promising.
The struggle to fight crime in the Arab sector has also recorded some progress in the past six months, but a series of recent murders made it clear that a great effort is still needed to achieve the goal.
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Israeli government was criticized for not taking a moral stand against Russia, criticizing it more harshly and openly; Israel also refused to provide Kyiv with weapons because of the need to maintain good relations with Moscow and preserve a free hand in the Syrian airspace.
The government also promised to make a change in all that concerns corruption, but in reality, an unprecedented number of MKs joined the Knesset as part of the Norwegian Law in Israel - the amendment that allows ministers or deputy ministers to resign from the Knesset but remain a minister, with their seat taken by the next person on the party's list.