Blinken begins visit to Middle East amid upsurge of violence

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The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken started this Sunday in Cairo the first stage of a lightning tour of the Middle East that should take him on Monday and Tuesday to Jerusalem and Ramallah to meet with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities. This long-scheduled visit coincides with the recent rise to power of the most right-wing government ever formed in Israel, the upsurge of violence in the region and fears of a third Intifada.

The Head of US diplomacy, a country that is Israel’s main ally, arrives in the Middle East at a troubled time. Indeed, on Thursday, Israel shot down 10 Palestinians in the West Bank, as part of an operation whose invoked objective was to prevent an attack that was allegedly being prepared by the Palestinian side. Soon after, on Friday, 7 people died in an attack against a synagogue in Jerusalem and, on Saturday, 2 other people were injured in another attack in the same city.

In response to the attacks that took place in Jerusalem, the Israeli authorities initially announced the reinforcement of their military presence in the West Bank, the Hebrew State military having today killed a Palestinian in that area, arguing that the individual was armed.

On the other hand, last night, the Israeli authorities also announced measures aimed at depriving “the terrorists’ families” of certain rights, such as the right to social security. The Israeli executive also informed that he is considering discussing a bill to deprive this category of people of their Israeli identity card. “A serious violation of human rights” from the point of view of Maria João Tomás, an expert on the Middle East, for whom the policy pursued by the Israeli government could provoke a third ‘intifada’, that is, a new uprising of the Palestinian population.

Recalling that the government installed a few weeks ago by Benjamin Netanyahu is made up of ultra-religious and far-right parties, the researcher linked to the University Institute of Lisbon says that “everyone knows that the plan of the parties that form a coalition with Netanyahu is to make Israel only for the Jews” and that the purpose “is to expel the Muslim Arabs”.

In this sense, the Middle East specialist says that this is happening in an already volatile context, with Netanyahu trying to carry out a reform of the judicial system, aiming to ensure that a law rejected by the Supreme Court can still be validated by the Knesset to the be submitted again to parliamentarians. “If the judicial reform goes ahead, Netanyahu has carte blanche to do what he wants and democracy will end in Israel”considers the researcher.

One of the battles of this authentic trench war between the executive and justice took place recently with the dismissal this month of Arié Dery, Israeli Minister of the Interior and Health belonging to the ultra-orthodox Shas party, after the Supreme Court invalidated his appointment because the latter had been convicted in court of corruption. “Netanyahu managed to replace him with another Shas member”refers Maria João Tomás who nevertheless underlines that “the possibility is also on the table that the Supreme Court will say that Netanyahu is unable to govern because of the proceedings against him in court”.

In this delicate situation, Antony Blinken will have very little room for maneuver to lower tension in the region, according to the researcher. “I hope it’s who can stop this (Israeli government policy)”declares Maria João Tomás before underlining that the course of the country has changed since Netanyahu returned to power and formed his government. “It’s been another Israel since December”considers the Middle East specialist.

It should be recalled that the leader of Likud, Benjamin Netanyahu has recently returned to assume the position of prime minister, a responsibility he has already held in previous terms. Last November, his party won its fifth early legislative election in the space of just over 3 years, Netanyahu having formed a coalition executive spanning ultra-religious formations and parties even further to the right than the Likud.

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