Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Oct 25: A new Israeli government could create opportunities for meaningful change for Palestinians, although major progress should not be expected immediately, according to Yossi Mekelberg, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House.

Speaking to reporters, Mekelberg criticised the current Israeli administration, alleging that its policies were making life increasingly difficult for Palestinians while allowing violence by Israeli settlers to continue without accountability.

He said the government was protecting settlers rather than victims of attacks, pointing to incidents of settler violence during the ongoing olive harvest in the occupied West Bank.

Mekelberg suggested that a coalition involving political figures such as Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett could adopt a firmer approach towards settler violence and take steps to improve conditions for Palestinians.

According to him, such a government would be less tolerant of attacks against Palestinians and could reconsider controversial settlement expansion plans, including the E1 project in the occupied West Bank.

“I think there will be more rational conversation and not the performative that we see right now, especially from the far-right and, to a large extent, also from the prime minister,” Mekelberg said.

However, he cautioned that a change in Israel's leadership alone would not resolve the Palestinian issue. Lasting progress would also require changes within the Palestinian political system, he added.

While acknowledging that meaningful improvements would take time and that a new government would not solve every problem, Mekelberg said a change in leadership could at least create an opportunity for progress.

“We shouldn’t expect miracles, even in the Holy Land,” he said.