If one major story dominated Israel’s 2022 Knesset election, it was the surging popularity of the Religious Zionism Party. The party’s leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, claim to have moderated their extremism, but their party platform reflects their racist, supremacist, homophobic, and theocratic views. 

On this episode of Haaretz Weekly, which was recorded hours before Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday, Professor Jonathan Rynhold joins host Allison Kaplan Sommer to explain the reasons behind the rise of the party and why he holds Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for mainstreaming it. 

In a wider context, Rynhold does not see believe that the surge in popularity of the far-right in Israel means that the country is following behind the trend of strengthening right-wing populist and xenophobic parties in Europe or Christian nationalism and Trumpism in the United States. 

Instead, he says, “I think the rest of the world has become more like Israel.”

Follow live coverage of Israel's political drama today on Haaretz.com. 

If one major story dominated Israel’s 2022 Knesset election, it was the surging popularity of the <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2022-11-01/ty-article/.highlight/for-the-first-time-since-1984-a-new-political-constituency-has-been-created-in-israel/00000184-32ac-dda1-a58f-3abf7e630000">Religious Zionism</a> Party. The party’s leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, claim to have moderated their extremism, but their party platform reflects their racist, supremacist, homophobic, and theocratic views. 
On this episode of Haaretz Weekly, which was recorded hours before Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday, Professor Jonathan Rynhold joins host <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2022-10-26/ty-article/.premium/israeli-parties-are-finally-targeting-the-countrys-largest-constituency-women/00000184-1446-d655-a5ec-1c4f551b0000">Allison Kaplan Sommer</a> to explain the reasons behind the rise of the party and why he holds Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for mainstreaming it. 
In a wider context, Rynhold does not see believe that the surge in popularity of the far-right in Israel means that the country is following behind the trend of strengthening right-wing populist and xenophobic parties in Europe or Christian nationalism and <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2022-10-30/ty-article/.premium/far-right-gop-candidate-mastrianos-wife-we-love-israel-more-than-most-jews/00000184-28b9-d777-a7ed-6ff97f9a0000">Trumpism </a>in the United States. 
Instead, he says, “I think the rest of the world has become more like Israel.”
Follow<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2022-10-27/ty-article/israels-fateful-elections-heres-how-to-keep-up-to-date/00000184-18ba-d7a2-a7a5-18fa77eb0000"> live coverage</a> of Israel's political drama today on <a href="http://www.haaretz.com">Haaretz.com</a>.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

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