For an Arab world still bitter at Israel’s huge offensive against Gaza, the Israeli election results seem set to exacerbate an already bleak outlook, with many Arabs gloomily weighing up the prospects of a more rightwing government taking office in the Jewish state.

Arab analysts say the spectre of a rightwing administration has further dashed any slim hopes of movement in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict, with some suggesting it could increase the chances of more violence.