Anti-LGBTQ legislation. Subjugating people of color. Excessive militarization. Forcing his political will on the nation even though he rules with minority support from the public. While these sound like platforms from the Republican Party (if they decide to actually write their first Party platform since 2016), they’re actually the plans for Benjamin Netanyahu’s new Israeli coalition government, scheduled to take office Thursday.
According to NBC News, Netanyahu’s platform, released ahead of his installation as Prime Minister after his Likud Party won just 32 seats in the 120-seat Knesset but formed a tenuous coalition government with Parties like one called “Religious Zionist,” doubles down on the conservative policy of building more Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a policy lambasted by foreign governments due to the subjugation of non-Jewish people who live in those regions. Critics call Netanyahu’s approach modern-day apartheid.
Netanyahu also promises to institute anti-LGBTQ policies, allowing businesses to deny services to gay, lesbian and trans people, claiming such bigotry is biblically justified. Additionally, as with any conservative government, Netanyahu supports an expansion of the military, something Republicans will greatly endorse to help US military contractors and to increase the likelihood of their anticipated war in the Middle East that, they believe, will lead to a glorious apocalypse that will shepherd the Second Coming of Christ, in a completely rational and well-thought out foreign policy.