Did UK pressure on Israel help Netanyahu, or bring his opponents closer to power? - analysis

The recent Israeli elections have left many wondering about the impact of international pressure on the outcome. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced new sanctions and bans on Israeli settlements just weeks before the polls, insisting that Britain was not trying to influence Israel's election. However, concerns arose that the timing of these measures could help the campaigns of Israel's far Right.

While the exit polls showed Netanyahu's bloc falling short of a parliamentary majority, the overall votes for Likud surpassed those of the change bloc. This suggests that while international pressure may have played a role, it was not a decisive factor in the election results. The timing of the sanctions announcement was notable, as it came during a deterioration in relations between Britain and Israel, rather than being an isolated attempt to intervene in an election campaign.

Brief written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.