Benjamin Netanyahu's Enduring Impact: How Israel's Institutions Were Reshaped Under His Premiership

During his extensive tenure as Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, often called "King Bibi" by supporters and criticized as a "king of security failures and corruption" by opponents, has undeniably left a significant imprint on the nation's institutions, political landscape, and social attitudes, largely characterized by a shift to the right. As he vies for re-election, analysts suggest his most lasting domestic legacy might be the right-wing, militaristic opposition he helped foster and now confronts. Netanyahu entered the political arena in the early 1990s, capitalizing on public discontent with potential peace agreements with Palestinians and Syria. He has faced accusations from Israeli political figures of inciting the 1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was engaged in peace negotiations, by an ultranationalist Israeli. Reports indicate that Netanyahu led rallies where Rabin was depicted in a Nazi SS uniform and with a gun sight, with participants shouting "traitor." While Netanyahu denies responsibility, former security officials reportedly warned him to moderate his rhetoric prior to the assassination, a request he allegedly ignored.

Netanyahu's populist strategies proved successful in the 1996 elections, elevating him to the position of Israel's youngest prime minister. His leadership style, focused on transactional politics, elevated the influence of far-right and religious parties, which are now integral to his right-wing coalition. Under his leadership, religious courts saw their powers expanded, encompassing civil and business matters. State institutions were adapted to accommodate religious agendas, with substantial funding allocated to ultra-Orthodox schools and institutions. Netanyahu embedded his political ideology into law, particularly concerning the state's identity and the status of Palestinian citizens of Israel. The 2018 passage of the Nation-State Basic Law, which declared Israel the exclusive state of the Jewish people and prioritized the advancement of illegal settlements, was a significant legislative achievement. Human rights organizations challenged this law in the High Court, but their petition was dismissed. International observers and rights groups cite this law as evidence of Israel's alleged apartheid practices against Palestinians.

Furthermore, Netanyahu restructured state institutions, including security agencies, by appointing loyalists and political allies to key positions, and he reportedly clashed with security chiefs he perceived as uncooperative. Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, which precipitated Israel's extensive military campaign in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu deflected blame onto the security establishment. This led Ronen Bar, the Shin Bet chief in 2023, to file a defamation lawsuit against him.

A pivotal transformation within Israeli institutions during Netanyahu's multiple terms in office involved the judiciary, which is currently scrutinizing corruption charges that could lead to imprisonment if he is convicted. Netanyahu, facing three separate corruption cases filed in 2019, maintains his innocence. Under his premiership, legislation was passed to alter the composition of the Judicial Selection Committee, granting the governing coalition greater political sway. Netanyahu framed this as "judicial reform" to counter what he termed a "judicial dictatorship" over elected officials, while opponents decried it as a "coup" that ignited widespread protests aimed at diminishing the High Court's independence and increasing political influence over judicial appointments. He also made repeated, though unsuccessful, attempts to dismiss the attorney general, aligning with his efforts to undermine independent oversight.

However, he succeeded in dismissing the military's advocate general after a video surfaced showing Israeli soldiers allegedly committing sexual assault against a Palestinian detainee; the soldiers were subsequently released and cleared of charges. Concurrently, Netanyahu remains embroiled in corruption cases dating back to 2019, which carry the potential for a prison sentence. The prime minister, who is also sought by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges related to Gaza, asserts that his work is unfinished, promising supporters to finalize judicial review reforms and advance other contentious policies. Supporters and allies view Netanyahu as an effective leader who accomplished what others could not. Conversely, opponents are committed to reversing the perceived damage caused by his rule, citing corruption, societal divisions, and growing international isolation. However, reversing deeply ingrained changes, many of which are now law, may prove challenging.