The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Netanyahu’s far-right allies could escalate West Bank crisis, critics fear

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December 2, 2022 at 8:10 a.m. EST
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, center, Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu, left, far-right Israeli lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich and leaders of all Israel’s political parties pose for a group photo after the swearing-in ceremony for Israeli lawmakers at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem on Nov. 15. (Tsafrir Abayov/AP)
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TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu has finalized a deal with his far-right coalition partners granting the ultranationalist parties sweeping authority that could, critics say, herald new levels of bitter conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

On Thursday night, Netanyahu announced an agreement granting Bezalel Smotrich’s extremist Religious Zionism bloc oversight over the civil administration and COGAT, the Israeli agency for Palestinian civil affairs, which until now were under the Ministry of Defense.