These are some of the issues not occupying the Israeli electorate in advance of voting on October 27th: the plight of Palestinians, the continued occupation of Gaza and persecution of its people, the conduct of the war against Iran and Lebanon, the continued expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank, apparently with the connivance of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the damage to Israel’s international standing.

Instead, Binyamin “Bibi” Netanyahu – and the prospect of a final curtain on the career of Israel’s longest-serving prime minister – are what matter to most voters. The Opposition, nervous of appearing sympathetic to Palestinians, has made them peripheral to the election debate. This has allowed extremist government ministers to trumpet their ethnic cleansing, greater-Israel agenda unchallenged.

Paradoxically, this is not the case in the US, where criticism of Israel’s conduct has been polarising politics in advance of the vital midterm election. And while Netanyahu described his recent Oval Office meeting with US president Donald Trump as “one of the best we’ve ever had”, the longed-for election endorsement was not forthcoming. Neither was a presidential promise to continue the war until Iran was crushed.

Trump has let it be known that he is seriously peeved with his now-sidelined partner over Netanyahu’s failure to ease back on attacks on Iran........

© The Irish Times