How did the 1996 Israeli elections influence the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict?

The 1996 Israeli elections intensified the Arab-Israeli conflict by bringing Benjamin Netanyahu, a hardliner, to power.

The 1996 Israeli elections marked a significant turning point in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The victory of Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of the right-wing Likud party, signalled a shift in Israeli politics towards a more hardline stance on the conflict. Netanyahu's policies and rhetoric were markedly more conservative than those of his predecessor, Shimon Peres, who had been a key player in the peace process.

Netanyahu's election was largely a reaction to the perceived failures of the Oslo Accords, a set of agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) that were intended to pave the way for a two-state solution to the conflict. Many Israelis felt that the accords had not delivered the promised peace and security, and Netanyahu capitalised on this sentiment during his campaign, promising a tougher stance on security issues.

Once in office, Netanyahu slowed down the peace process significantly. He insisted on strict Palestinian compliance with the Oslo Accords, which many Palestinians felt was a way to avoid making further concessions. He also approved the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a move that was widely condemned by the international community and further inflamed tensions with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu's policies led to a deterioration in relations between Israel and the Palestinians, and the peace process effectively stalled. This period of stagnation was marked by increased violence, including the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.

In conclusion, the 1996 Israeli elections had a profound impact on the Arab-Israeli conflict. The election of Benjamin Netanyahu marked a shift towards a more hardline Israeli stance on the conflict, which led to a slowdown in the peace process and an increase in violence. This period of Israeli politics has had lasting effects on the conflict, with many of the issues that were contentious in 1996, such as the expansion of Israeli settlements, still being major points of contention today.