Netanyahu Reaches Agreement With Religious Zionist Party

The Jerusalem Post has reported that Israel, "Prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud [Party] reached a coalition agreement with the Religious Zionists Party (RZP) on Thursday evening."

• The Times of Israel writes that Bezalel Smotrich, the leader of the Religious Zionist Party will become, "one of the most zealous ideologues in an uncompromisingly right-wing, religious government," and says that his role in forming a governing coalition will give "him enormous influence over the country and its future."
• The far-right position of junior coalition members in the incoming Netanyahu administration may imperil progress made in recent years on Israel's regional integration. Smotrich's hardline position on Palestinian rights may obstruct further gains made through the Abraham Accords and Negev summit which have made progress normalising relations between Israel and Arab states.
• Arab News writes, "the incoming government looks to be the most right-wing in Israel’s history, forcing Netanyahu into a diplomatic balancing act between his coalition and Western allies."