# Netanyahu’s legacy: Personality politics reshapes Israeli democracy

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/netanyahus-legacy-personality-politics-reshapes-israeli-democracy/
- Published: 2026-11-12T06:49:45+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T07:23:23+00:00
- Original publisher: Al Jazeera (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/12/netanyahus-legacy-personality-politics-reshapes-israeli-democracy?traffic_source=rss
- Topics: Government, Middle East, Politics, World

## Key points

- Netanyahu urged unity as opponents seek to form a government.
- The opposition holds a parliamentary majority but coalition talks remain uncertain.
- Leader-focused politics may endure beyond Netanyahu’s time in office.

## Summary

Benjamin Netanyahu called for a national unity government at the new Knesset’s swearing-in, as the opposition, which holds a majority of seats, seeks to replace him. His appeal, which included accusations against Palestinian citizens’ representatives, was met with heckling and walkouts, and the opposition’s Gadi Eisenkot cancelled planned talks with Netanyahu and called him “unfit for office”. The confrontation highlights how strongly Israeli politics has come to revolve around individual leaders.

Netanyahu’s political future depends on whether Eisenkot can form a viable government; if he loses office, his corruption trial will continue and an inquiry into his government’s handling of the 7 October 2023 attack is likely. University of Essex specialist Roi Zur said Netanyahu helped turn Likud into a populist party and made voters more likely to identify with leaders such as Netanyahu, Naftali Bennett or Eisenkot than with parties. Pollster Dahlia Schneidlin also observed that campaigns have become more personalised, despite elections being based largely on party lists.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.