Cairo – Israel’s upcoming elections are being followed closely by its regional neighbors, who are aware that any outcome will have ramifications far beyond the country’s borders.
In his Likud party’s campaign launch this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated his refrain that he “has changed the face of the Middle East” and vowed to continue doing so.
He has been unapologetic about keeping Israeli troops in neighboring Lebanon and Syria, while his ministers tout plans to displace Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza, creating a refugee crisis for Jordan and Egypt and making a future Palestinian state impossible.