Critics on both the right and left have taken issue with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's decisions regarding his coalition government. On the right, critics believe that including an Arab party in the coalition has weakened Israel's ability to police its Arab minority and respond effectively to recent attacks carried out by Arab citizens. Meanwhile, critics on the left have accused Bennett of making minor concessions to Palestinians while ruling out peace talks and the formation of a Palestinian state, which they argue has only increased Palestinian despair and led to violence. Bennett's coalition, made up of a diverse group of parties including right-wingers, centrists, leftists, and an Arab Islamist party, has faced challenges in responding to the recent violence due to their differing ideologies. Despite their efforts to work together, the recent attacks have highlighted the deep divisions within the coalition. The attacks have also served as a stark reminder that the Palestinian issue remains unresolved and a potential source of conflict, despite the desire of many Israelis for peace and stability. Bennett, similar to Netanyahu before him, has chosen to put the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on hold, viewing it as a problem to manage rather than solve. The most recent peace talks came to a halt in 2014. The Palestinian leadership, split between Gaza and the West Bank, has been unable to establish a unified position for negotiations, while key Israeli figures, including Bennett, openly oppose a Palestinian state. However, the recent increase in violence has led some Israeli experts to acknowledge the inherent instability of the current situation, although this realization has only reinforced existing opinions on the conflict. Ofer Zalzberg, director of the Middle East Program at the Herbert C Kelman Institute in Jerusalem, described the ongoing debate as lacking new perspectives. He noted that people tend to stick to their positions based on where they are situated rather than changing their views based on events. The recent shooting in Bnei Brak, Israel, by a West Bank Palestinian that resulted in five deaths reinforced the belief among witnesses and survivors that Israel does not have a viable peace partner among the Palestinians and that the establishment of a Palestinian state would increase the risk for Israelis. Despite Bennett also opposing Palestinian sovereignty, he faced backlash for his collaboration with Ra’am and for issuing more work permits to Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank. Signs urging residents not to hire Palestinian workers have appeared in the city, with one poster demanding Bennett's resignation. In neighboring cities, one mayor closed construction sites that usually employed Palestinian workers, while another urged contractors not to hire Palestinians. Moshe Waldman, an accountant in Bnei Brak who witnessed part of the attack, expressed the need for severe punishment for the families of terrorists. He suggested destroying their homes and implementing true acts of deterrence, rather than relying on negotiation which he believes is not effective in the current situation. We are facing severe criticism for our policies towards Arab Israelis and Palestinians. Some believe Prime Minister Bennett is being too accommodating, while others argue he is not doing enough. The Israeli government has taken steps such as granting work permits and legal status to Palestinians, providing financial aid to the Palestinian Authority, allowing visits to Israeli jails, and engaging more openly with Palestinian leaders. However, critics claim that these efforts do not address the underlying issues of Palestinian life under occupation, with the Israeli army still conducting raids and a two-tier justice system in place in the West Bank. The Palestinian hope for statehood is still far off, with no political progress in sight. Israeli analyst Mairav Zonszein notes a sense of hopelessness among Palestinians and a lack of consequences for Israelis maintaining the status quo. This could lead to a rise in violence. Israeli Prime Minister Bennett faces the challenge of improving security and satisfying his right-wing supporters without worsening tensions or alienating Arab lawmakers. The Israeli military has increased presence in the West Bank and Gaza border, while police focus on counterterrorism efforts. Bennett has also urged Israeli civilians to carry licensed firearms, a move that has caused concern among many Arab citizens of Israel, according to Bashaer Fahoum-Jayoussi, co-chair of the board of the Abraham Initiatives, a group that advocates for equality between Arabs and Jews. Fahoum-Jayoussi described this as alarming and a call for citizens to militarize, which could exacerbate the recent increase in hate speech against the Arab community in Israel. In an effort to ease tensions, Bennett has praised his Arab coalition partner, Mansour Abbas, leader of the Ra’am party, as a brave and important member of the government. Despite this, the government continues to permit tens of thousands of Palestinians to enter Israel from the West Bank and Gaza daily. There has been no change to the plan allowing retirees from the West Bank to enter Jerusalem during Ramadan, starting this weekend. Bennett's office did not comment, but his ally Micah Goodman, who popularized the concept of "shrinking the conflict," stated that it is too early to assess the government's approach in the West Bank and Israel. Goodman believes that achieving the gradual liberation of Palestinians in the West Bank and their gradual integration within Israel will take years, not months. He also mentioned that fear is the dominant emotional experience for Israelis in the conflict, while humiliation is the main emotion for Palestinians. Reducing the conflict involves decreasing fear and terrorism for Israelis and reducing humiliation and occupation for Palestinians. This process takes time and cannot be evaluated in just nine months of the current government. If the recent wave of violence subsides, it could be seen as a success for the Bennett government. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas criticized an attack in Bnei Brak, which Israeli officials interpreted as a result of increased engagement with him. If the violence diminishes, it could show that cooperation with the PA is beneficial in fighting against Israel's enemies, potentially leading to more empowerment for the PA. However, these incremental steps may not alleviate the occupation but instead provide political cover for its continuation through the growth of settlements and settler violence. She stated that the occupation is still happening and it is actually deteriorating.