Much of the media’s attention has focused on the inclusion of less liberal and more unsavoury characters in the new Israeli government. However, now that it has finally been sworn in, it seems clearer that when it comes to foreign and security policy, the country will be led by a small cohort of more moderate Netanyahu loyalists.
At the first cabinet meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his government’s top four priorities, two of which relate to foreign and security issues: preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and expanding the circle of peace. (The other two were to restore security and governance, and deal with the cost of living.)
In the peace and security realms the most significant figures are likely to be Yoav Gallant, Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegbi.
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Tzachi Hanegbi
Mr Gallant is the new minister of defence. A decade ago his candidacy as IDF Chief of Staff was rejected due to allegations of irregularities relating an extension of his family property in Moshav Amikam.
Instead, it was Benny Gantz who became Chief of Staff, whom Mr Gallant now replaces in the defence ministry. Mr Gallant originally entered politics with the centrist Kulanu party (along with new Foreign Minister Eli Cohen), which merged with the Likud under Moshe Kahlon’s leadership in 2019. Similar to Mr Netanyahu, Mr Gallant is considered militarily risk-averse and a serious strategic thinker.
Mr Gallant, who still has good personal relations with many on the IDF general staff, will play a pivotal role in combatting Iranian aggression, both conventional and nuclear. He takes on the job at a fateful moment: despite Mr Netanyahu’s longstanding warnings, the Iranians are now on the cusp of reaching the nuclear threshold.
Mr Netanyahu will relish picking up where he left off when he signed the Abraham Accords and will probably make a first official trip to the UAE, possibly next week. Despite signing the accords, he was denied becoming the first prime minister to make an official visit by Covid restrictions (and subsequently losing the election). He is very keen for another foreign policy achievement to add to his legacy.
A normalisation agreement with Saudi Arabia is the jewel in the crown, but diplomatic breakthroughs with other Arab and Muslim states are also on the agenda.
Conventionally the road to peace with Saudi Arabia was thought to run through Ramallah.
The 2023 version has a crucial stop in Washington. The working theory is that the Saudis no longer prioritise the Palestinians but are more motived by the shared threat of Iran and advanced military aid they can receive from the US, including advanced stealth F-35 fighter jets (the planes the UAE also coveted in 2020).
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Ron Dermer
In forging these agreements Mr Netanyahu will be assisted by two old allies, Mr Dermer and Mr Hanegbi. Mr Dermer, a long-term adviser and former ambassador to the US referred to by some as “Bibi’s brain”, was for a while touted as the next foreign minister, but that appointment was quashed by rivals in the Likud.
Mr Dermer is unique among the 31-person cabinet as he is not an MK. He takes on the opaque role of Minister for Strategic Affairs (a role cancelled by the outgoing government). The advantage is that it gives him the discretionary remit to pursue Mr Netanyahu’s regional agenda, unencumbered by ministerial bureaucracy.
Similarly, Mr Hanegbi, another long-time Netanyahu confidant placed too low on the Likud list to make it into the Knesset, was instead given the pivotal role as head of the National Security Council.
In the past Mr Netanyahu has used the holder of this role to carry out sensitive diplomatic missions. One can expect both Mr Dermer and Mr Hanegbi to deal with the most sensitive and significant heavy diplomatic lifting in the months ahead.
Richard Pater is Chief Executive of BICOM, based in Jerusalem. bicom.org.uk
