Palestinians in Gaza See Little Difference in Israeli Parties

In Gaza, Israel’s general elections have been one of the most heatedly argued topics over the past few days. Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc lost a considerable number of seats — winning 31, down 11 from the previous term — while other center and left-leaning groups, most notably Yesh Atid and Labor, won a combined total of 59 of the 120 parliamentary seats.

Despite most in the media noting Netanyahu's weakened position in the next Israeli government, many Palestinians in Gaza seem to agree that the results will not effect their situation on the ground. The next Israeli government, many believe, will not bring about any change with regard to Palestinian issues such as the occupation, settlements, the right of return and recognition of their own state on the 1967 borders. The Israeli government will only pursue the “extremist and discriminatory” policies of its predecessors toward the Palestinians.

Al-Monitor started by asking Said Mhanna, the owner of a bookshop in Gaza City, about his opinion of the results of the Israeli elections and how that might affect the situation of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The next Israeli government, Mhanna said, will go on with its “belligerent policies” against the Palestinians, such as the marginalizing and punishing of the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas, its blockade of the Gaza Strip and uncurbed lethal attacks by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank.

“The center-left camp are not as extremist as those in the right,” Mhanna said, “but despite this and despite the fact that negotiations are more possible when they’re in government, all Israeli factions have one and the same goal, which is to secure as many Israeli gains as possible at the expense of Palestinian basic rights, even if that requires pursuing extremely hostile policies, including killing them and expropriating more of their lands.”