Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is used to weathering storms over almost three decades in and out of power — and is starting to flex his muscles again after a recent run of adversity.

Bolstered by a right-wing ruling coalition that’s held firm throughout the war in Gaza and simmering tensions with Iran, the Israeli leader has returned to an old quest to weaken the judiciary and moved to sideline top officials — including the attorney general and head of the domestic security service.

Emboldening the prime minister has been the return to the White House of long-term ally Donald Trump, who has urged notably less restraint than the administration of predecessor Joe Biden. With the U.S. President’s backing, Israel has returned to fighting Hamas after a near two-month ceasefire — shrugging off international pressure to strike a deal to end the war — and expanded the military’s presence in Lebanon and Syria.

“Netanyahu is very influenced by the U.S.,” said Gayil Talshir, a political scientist from Jerusalem’s Hebrew University. “Unlike President Biden, who restrained the government’s attempts to overhaul the judiciary, Trump fully backs the prime minister.”

Netanyahu became the first foreign leader to visit Trump following last week’s tariff announcement that upended markets worldwide, with the Israeli shekel slumping to five-month lows. And while he didn’t appear to win an immediate respite from a new 17% levy on Israeli goods at the Monday meeting, the pair discussed the potential to negotiate.

Street protests

Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to protest against Netanyahu’s recent moves, expressing fears for the health of the country’s democracy. The latest demonstration on Monday night came ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on Netanyahu’s firing of Ronen Bar, the head of Israel’s domestic security service, known as the Shin Bet.

Bar’s dismissal was immediately challenged by Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara — who is also in the process of being ousted by Netanyahu’s government — and multiple petitions to the Supreme Court.

The petitioners — including four opposition parties — say Netanyahu has a conflict of interest, given the Shin Bet has been investigating ties between his close aides and Qatar. The government’s official reason for axing Bar was “misunderstanding of the subordination of the service and its head to the political echelon.”

“In America and in Israel, when a strong right-wing leader wins an election, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people’s will,” Netanyahu posted on X last month, echoing a theme of Trump’s. “They won’t win in either place!”

As well as the Qatar case, Netanyahu and Bar have quarreled over responsibility for the failure to prevent the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that triggered the war in Gaza, and the subsequent handling of hostage negotiations with the U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

The Supreme Court suspended Bar’s dismissal on Tuesday after a heated 10-hour hearing, and urged the government and attorney general to come to an agreeable solution by April 20. Netanyahu called the decision “puzzling” and said he’d continue to interview replacements for Bar, which the court said he could do.

“If it becomes possible to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet in such an irregular manner, due to claims of distrust, without a proper factual basis, other senior officeholders in Israel’s public service could be dismissed in the same way,” said Suzie Navot, Vice President of Research at Israel Democracy Institute.

That would have far-reaching implications for the independence of the entire public service, she said.

Orban visit

The court hearing took place as Netanyahu returns from the hastily arranged trip to Washington and a visit to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over the weekend.

In Budapest, Orban made a point of hosting Netanyahu in defiance of an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The right-wing Hungarian leader announced his country would be quitting the ICC, calling it a “political court,” with a triumphant Netanyahu standing beside him.

Netanyahu’s alliances with Trump and Orban, argue many Israelis, are a major inspiration for his recent assault on democratic establishments — and he may be growing bolder.

“As we’ve learned from other countries that have experienced democratic backsliding, appointments and dismissals in security agencies can be a tool for taking control of them,” said Navot. “This is particularly true in countries led by populist leaders who were democratically elected but dismantle democracy to remain in power.”

A majority of Israelis — 55% — think that attempts to oust the Shin Bet chief and the attorney general are politically or personally motivated, according to a Channel 13 survey.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who is expected to challenge Netanyahu in elections scheduled for October next year, polls ahead of the incumbent on the question of who’s more fit to serve as the country’s leader — by 40% to 35%, according to a Channel 12 survey.

Yet flagging support does not necessarily indicate a weakening of Netanyahu’s grip on power.

Israel’s leader strengthened his ruling coalition in recent weeks, with the far-right political party led by Itamar Ben Gvir agreeing to return in support of the return to fighting in Gaza.

That preceded the passing of a crucial budget vote, which could have toppled the government had it failed to pass.

Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox allies are still threatening to overthrow the government in coming months if there are no agreements on whether their men should retain an exemption from the military, but analysts think that’s an empty threat.

“As long as Netanyahu’s in power they’ll be by his side,” said Yair Ettinger, a political analyst at Israeli public broadcaster Kan.

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