Benjamin Netanyahu's apparent win in the Israeli elections has been making waves not only domestically but internationally as well, with world media describing his right-wing bloc winning the majority of Knesset seats as a “dramatic comeback.”
In the same breath, international media outlets also warn that a government headed by Netanyahu and is backed by the Religious Zionist party co-chairs, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, may lead to confrontations with the American government and diminish the support of the U.S. Jewry.
Media outlets like CNN and BBC published articles comparing Israel’s election results to the victory of Brazil’s Luiz Inácio da Silva, who won the country’s recent elections despite in the past facing severe corruption charges.
“Netanyahu appears to edge towards victory,” the Reuters news agency reported Wednesday, saying the Netanyahu’s supporters celebrated by chanting “Bibi, king of Israel.”
The Associated Press news agency reported: “The initial results pointed to a continued rightward shift in the Israeli electorate, further dimming hopes for peace with the Palestinians and setting the stage for possible conflict with the Biden administration and Israel’s supporters in the United States.”
Most of the international media coverage focused on the success of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich. Foreign media run piece elaborating on the two’s background and how they may influence the political system.
The Associated Press news agency reported that Ben-Gvir’s celebratory party was attended by only men. “Ben-Gvir is a disciple of a racist rabbi, Meir Kahane, who was banned from parliament and whose Kach party was branded a terrorist group by the United States before he was assassinated in New York in 1990.”
The news agency also reported that Kahane called for outlawing marriages between Arabs and Israelis, revoking citizenships of Israeli Arabs, and deporting many of Israel’s Palestinian population.
“But while Kahane was seen as a pariah, Ben-Gvir is one of Israel’s most popular politicians, thanks to his frequent media appearances, cheerful demeanor, knack for deflecting criticism and calls for a harder line against Palestinians at a time of heavy fighting in the West Bank,” Associated press added in their report.
Associated Press also mentioned that Ben-Gvir and Smotrich announced that as part of Netanyahu’s government they would push reforms to decrease the autonomy of Israel’s judicial system, and give the Knesset authority to reverse rulings made in courts. “That could clear the way for the dismissal of criminal charges against Netanyahu,” the report added.
“Smotrich and other members of the party have also made repeated anti-LGBTQ comments. Such positions could put a future Netanyahu government on a collision course with the Biden administration, which supports a two-state solution with the Palestinians. It could also alienate Israeli allies in the U.S., particularly the predominantly liberal Jewish American community.”
The Reuters news agency also reported on the election results. “Netanyahu's alliance with far-right firebrand Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose Religious Zionism bloc is on course to become the third-largest party, has drawn concern among some allies, including the United States.”
Reuters’ report added: "Ben-Gvir, who advocates expelling anyone deemed disloyal to Israel, is a former member of Kach, a group on Israeli and U.S. terrorist watchlists, and was once convicted for racist incitement.”
The Italian “Corriere della Sera” described the alliance between Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich as “extreme-religious and homophobic,” writing that if Netanyahu receives approval to form a government, he’ll have to give the couple what he promised - the defense and public security portfolios.
The BBC described Netanyahu’s victory as a “dramatic comeback," writing that should he win, “such a result would mark a dramatic comeback for Mr. Netanyahu, toppled last year after 12 straight years in power.”
The BBC quoted Gayil Talshir, a political scientist from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, as saying that if the polls reflect the election’s result, “Israel is on its way to become ‘Orban's Hungary’, recently branded an ‘electoral autocracy’ by the EU.”
Hungary is a member of the EU, but officials in the country have been battling Orban’s government, media coverage and judicial system for over a decade, warning that Orban’s actions are slowly crumbling Hungary’s democracy.
CNN wrote on Netanyahu's victory that if “it’s the season of political comebacks, and don’t think ex-President Donald Trump isn’t watching.”
CNN's report added: “Twice in as many days, in Brazil and Israel, former world leaders who just can’t give up that tantalizing taste of political ambition have moved to the cusp of a return to power. Past scandals, their own legal nightmares and treacherous politics aren’t stopping them from recreating that dream of a past glory.
“Both former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio ‘Lula’ da Silva and ex-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have shown that time out of power could be a springboard for unlikely political rebounds.”
The U.S. midterm elections are set to take place next week, with many Trump supporters participating in what is considered a showcase of his influence. Trump has also been hinting for a long time that he intends to run for presidency in the 2024 U.S. elections.
“Netanyahu, one of Trump’s closest friends on the international stage, would love to get the band back together with Trump,” a CNN report said.