Page 42 - HaMizrachi #10 Yom Yerushalayim - Shavuot 5779

ISRAEL INSIGHT

Gil Hoffman

Reflections

ON THE ELECTIONS

f there was ever an election where a flourishing economy. 2018 was a allow that. This means that any peace
Binyamin Netanyahu ran the record year for tourism, the security process similar to those attempted
Irisk of losing, it was this one. situation is not as bad as it could have in the past will not call for major
Netanyahu faced two sets of three – been, and our diplomatic situation concessions on the Israeli side.
three former IDF Chiefs of Staff and in the world is far from the isolation
three criminal investigations that had previously predicted. 2. The government will largely stay the
all resulted in indictments pending a same as the last government. We will
hearing. One would have thought this In Israeli society, one of the worst likely have the same Finance Minister,
combination would have meant the things you can be is a frier, a sucker. Defense Minister, Interior Minister
end of his political career. Israelis see Netanyahu as the opposite and obviously the same Prime
of a frier. Netanyahu did a very good Minister.
If you look back over the last 40 years, job taking the wind out of the sails of
the only time Likud has lost elections the criminal investigations. WHAT THE RESULTS MEAN FOR THE
was to former IDF Chiefs of Staff
– Yitzchak Rabin and Ehud Barak. His voters also believe in the concept DIASPORA
The anomaly was the 2006 election, of “innocent until proven guilty.” If The overwhelming majority of Jews
when Ehud Olmert was elected on the you compare the polls from before in the United States are left-wing
coattails of Ariel Sharon, who had a and after the announcement of the progressives who are not religiously
stroke. People were really voting for indictments, Netanyahu did not observant. This election will distance
Sharon, another general. go down at all. Those who were
disgusted by the investigations had them. It says that Israel is moving
Netanyahu surviving these two sets of already decided long ago not to vote towards the right – the Ultra-
three meant that Likud did very well. for Netanyahu. Those who thought Orthodox parties increased their
They increased their representation the investigations were ridiculous influence from 13 seats to 16 seats. A
from 30 seats to 35, which is a great and in any other country would recent Pew survey found that while
accomplishment and shows that the barely be a topic of discussion, had there is still a majority of Americans
Israeli people have great confidence already decided they would vote for who view Israel favorably (64%
in their leader. The Right won a Netanyahu. This implies that the compared to 28%), when asked about
solid victory over the Left – 65 seats investigations had no real impact upon the Israeli government only 39% gave
versus 55 seats. Netanyahu was the elections. positive feedback versus 51% negative.
recommended by enough parties to be Netanyahu is also a talented and This is not likely to change in the
entrusted by President Reuven Rivlin skilled campaigner who understands immediate future.
to form a government. This shows his political base very well indeed.
that the Israeli public is moving more Additionally, the Modern Orthodox
towards the Right. Having rockets fall Most Israelis apparently need a leader community lost Naftali Bennett,
on Tel Aviv and the poor treatment we who has experience. They did not their best representative in the
have received from the Palestinians want to risk putting Benny Ganz, Israeli government. There is now no
and by much of the international someone with no political experience, Religious Zionist English speaker who
community will do that to a people. into power. understands the American Jewish
community. I think Bennett will be

WHY DID NETANYAHU DO SO WELL? WHAT THE RESULTS MEAN FOR ISRAEL missed.
Gil Hoffman is the chief political
People realized that the economy has 1. Any future peace plan will not call correspondent and analyst of The Jerusalem
been growing under Netanyahu. We for Jewish people to evacuate their Post and the only speaker known to have
only have 3.9% unemployment and homes. A right-wing coalition cannot lectured about Israel in all 50 states

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