Israel: new government, old problems – MENAFN.COM

Israel: new government, old problems – MENAFN.COM

(MENAFN - Asia Times) When Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan phoned to congratulate newly elected Israeli President Issac Herzog, the outreach and talk of future cooperation marked a stark shift in diplomatic tone. Two months earlier, Erdogan had described Israel as"murderers" who"kill children" and are"only satisfied by sucking their blood", harsh comments made in the heat of Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. But Erdogan's new, upbeat attitude towards Turkey's traditional adversary reflects certain hopes that Israel's change in government will lead to an overhaul of its regional relations, too. Herzog's election on June 2 came the same day as an eight-party coalition ousted long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form an entirely new government. The new administration – led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett until August 2023, when he will hand over to coalition partner Yair Lapid – is now seeking to break the deadlock on a range of domestic issues. In the process, they have also created an opportunity for a wider reset in Israel's foreign relations. "For the first time in 12 years, Netanyahu is no longer in charge," Jerusalem-based Jonathan Ferziger, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council, told Asia Times."The world,