VOL. XXXIX

No. 39

24 June 1996

The Political Scene

The Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu has succeeded in putting together a coalition government and has become the new prime minister of Israel. His government, which includes parties representing Soviet immigrants and the ultra- orthodox Jews, is hawkish in appearance. And judging from its published guidelines its policies will be equally hardline, despite calls by Mr. Netanyahu for peace talks with the Arabs without preconditions. The...