Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alliance with the white far right is a dangerous gamble, argues British-Tunisian writer and Middle East expert Soumaya Ghannoushi.
Across Europe and the US, Netanyahu has embraced far-right leaders whose politics are built on racism, nationalism and deep-rooted antisemitism.
“These are not just hard-right parties with controversial views,” Ghannoushi says. “These are movements with deep roots in fascism – parties that trace their origins to Nazi collaborators, Francoist loyalists and white supremacists.”
From France’s National Rally to Spain’s Vox and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, Israel has lifted diplomatic bans on groups once shunned for their antisemitic past. In return, these movements use their pro-Israel stance to whitewash histories of Holocaust denial and Nazi nostalgia.
But Netanyahu’s realpolitik comes at a cost. “The far right does not change,” Ghannoushi warns.
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“Their hatreds do not disappear – only temporarily redirect. And when their knives are no longer needed against Muslims, when the political winds shift, when they look for a new scapegoat, who will be left to stop them?”
Produced by: Middle East Eye
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