Forming a coalition government in Israel is a difficult and unpredictable process, made much more complex by the radical proportionality of the electoral system. Israeli voters, nonetheless, were faced with a fundamental choice in yesterday’s election.

They could enable Binyamin Netanyahu to retain office with right-wing allies determined on a course of expansionism and rejection of a two-state solution. Or they could elect a Knesset with a majority open to a strategy of peace and implementation of the two-state solution favoured by the great majority of UN member states. The outcome of the voters’ choices is one of profound international consequence.

US media have reported that Netanyahu attempted to persuade the Israeli military to stage some form of pre-election military spectacular against Iran. The motive was clear – it was to escalate Israeli citizens’ apprehension of an external threat. The election ploy was one that seems to have been frustrated by the refusal of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to become involved. Their refusal, apparently, was based on the argument that any such Israeli attack would result in a counter-attack against Arab states’ infrastructure, and would further isolate Israel.

Such an attack would also have driven oil and gas prices further upwards with potentially serious consequences for Donald Trump’s efforts to retain control of the United States Congress in next week’s midterm elections. Although Netanyahu........

© The Irish Times