Israel’s new parliament most divided yet
Multitude of parties and internal division are a sure recipe for a chaotic 24th Knesset.
What will stand out most about the 24th Knesset, when it is sworn in April 7, is that it will be the most divided Knesset in all of Israel’s history.
There were 13 parties elected to this Knesset, as opposed to eight parties in the previous one. This is the result of internal divisions within the two main blocs, but also within the individual parties themselves. These weren’t the result of ideological disagreements either. In most cases, these were personal feuds. These were centered mainly around whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can be a partner in the next government, even though he heads the biggest party in the Knesset, the Likud, with 30 seats.
What these divisions really mean is that there will be a basic problem in forming a stable government that can remain in power for any significant amount of time. Each of the parties has its own agenda. They all want to stand out by proving to their electorates that they can push their agendas through effectively. And they want to have tangible results before the next election, which most people think is right around the corner.
All of this is a recipe for a chaotic Knesset. Even if somehow a governing coalition is formed, the Knesset will still have to deal with ideological, sectoral and ethnic tensions from within.
