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The international community laments the end of ‘liberal’ Israel — but it was never a democracy
The howls of outrage over the new far-right ministers are a form of whitewashing of Tel Aviv’s long anti-democratic history, writes RAMZY BAROUD
Israel's new Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, (right) speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Israel's new right-wing government is sworn in at the Knesset

EVEN before the new Israeli government was officially sworn in on December 29 2022, angry reactions began emerging, not only among Palestinians and other Middle Eastern governments but also among Israel’s historic allies in the West.

As early as November 2, top US officials conveyed to the Axios news agency that the Joe Biden administration is “unlikely to engage with Jewish supremacist politician, Itamar Ben-Gvir.”

The US government’s apprehensions surpassed Ben-Gvir, who was convicted by Israel’s court in 2007 for supporting a terrorist organisation and inciting racism.

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