For Israel’s new government, security begins at home

There’s little evidence Israel’s new government is going to prioritise the Palestinian issue

Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops in Bethlehem on Tuesday (EPA)

The last thing Naftali Bennett’s new administration would want is to launch Israel into all-out war merely three days after being sworn in – but on Tuesday night that was put to the test.

Overnight the Israeli military bombed Hamas targets in Gaza following the release of incendiary balloons which started several fires in southern Israel.

The spark that ignited yesterday’s violence was an Israeli nationalist flag march on Tuesday throughout Jerusalem’s old city. The annual flag march is highly contentious as both Palestinian and Jewish people see Jerusalem as their capital and religious city.