World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Netanyahu may fall, but his far-right legacy in Israel is going nowhere
Israel’s opposition is seeking to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prompting debate about whether far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir would remain influential in a new government. The article argues that their legacy is likely to endure because their policies have become embedded in Israeli government and politics, even if they leave office.
Netanyahu brought their parties into his coalition in 2022, giving Smotrich control of the Finance Ministry and parts of West Bank administration, and Ben-Gvir the National Security Ministry. Both backed the war on Gaza and called for annexation and settlement; Smotrich also supported expanding West Bank settlements. Western countries imposed sanctions on the two in June 2025. Analysts caution that their political positions differ: Ben-Gvir may benefit from opposition, while Smotrich could lose influence over policy and settlement programmes.
In short
- Netanyahu’s future is uncertain.
- The far-right ministers’ influence may outlast their posts.
- Analysts say Ben-Gvir and Smotrich face different political prospects.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of this view argue that the ministers’ influence may outlast their time in office because their policies and appointments have become embedded in government institutions and political debate. They point to expanded settlement activity, changes to West Bank administration and broader public support for a harder line as forces that a new coalition could struggle to reverse.
The case against
A change of government could still materially weaken the ministers’ legacy: a new coalition might remove them from key posts, halt or reverse particular policies and reduce resources for settlement programmes. Their influence is not identical, either; Smotrich could lose direct control over policy, while Ben-Gvir might gain politically from opposition, so their continued impact is uncertain rather than inevitable.