Page 42 - Jewish News_may2021

42 May 2021 COMMENTARY

A government or a fifth election? Israel’s election – what now?

By Harold M. Halpern
srael’s election on March 23 for the Accords and standing up to foreign other leaders of the opposition, he has that holds them together is solely their
Knesset’s 120 members, the fourth critics, were acknowledged by all. not ruled out joining a Netanyahu gov- desire to end Netanyahu’s reign.
Iin two years, is front and center on However, the opposition urged that ernment. They are competing with Net-
Israel news. Netanyahu was a morally unfit leader, If Bennett decides that the choice anyahu to secure Yamina and Ra’am’s
All four elections resulted in polit- on trial for bribery and breach of trust, comes to joining Netanyahu or a fifth votes.
ical deadlock. The who divided society and put his inter- election, he may opt to take his party To attract Yamina they will need to
elections in April ests ahead of the country’s interests. into a Netanyahu-led coalition, in turn fulfill Bennett’s desire to be prime min-
2019 and Septem- The election results (61 needed for a receiving an influential role in the new ister. However, Yesh Atid, headed by
ber 2019 ended in majority): government. Lapid, won 17 seats and Yamina only
deadlock without For Netanyahu - 52: Until this election it was taboo to 7, presumptively entitling Lapid to be
the formation of a 30 Likud seek support from Arab Israeli parties. the candidate.
new government. 9 Shas But in this last campaign, Netanyahu A compromise idea has been float-
The deadlocked 7 United Torah switched gears seeking support of Arab ed to resolve both the policy differenc-
third election, in 6 Religious Zionist Israelis, promising them additional es among the opposition parties and
Harold M. Halpern March 2020, end- Against Netanyahu - 51: economic aid, increased social services the competing desires of Bennett and
ed with a government when Benny 17 Yesh Atid and assistance in dealing with rising Lapid. The suggestion is that a coali-
Gantz, leader of the Blue and White 8 Blue and White crime in their communities. tion government be formed for a lim-
party, broke his promise not to be part 7 Labor Ra’am, an Israeli Arab party led by ited period of two or three years with
of a Benjamin Netanyahu cabinet “for 7 Yisrael Beiteinu Mansour Abbas, has expressed a desire Bennett serving for the first half of
the good of the country during the 6 Meretz to be a player in the political sphere for time and Lapid the second half; and
Covid epidemic.” 6 New Hope the betterment of his community and that the coalition agenda be limited to
The decision was not good for Uncertain - 17: not to be merely an opponent of gov- adoption of a budget and implementa-
Gantz. He lost half of his party mem- 7 Yamina ernment, whatever its stripes. tion of an economic recovery program
bers who joined the opposition at Yesh 6 Joint List To secure Ra’am support, Net- from Covid with the status quo govern-
Atid under the leadership of Yair Lapid. 4 Ra’am anyahu must not only satisfy Ra’am ing all other issues.
Netanyahu and Gantz were incom- Yamina and Ra’am appear to be in but also placate members of his coali- Even if the compromise is agreed
patible. The government automatically the catbird seats. Together they have a tion, particularly the Religious Zionist to, Ra’am’s support is required. This
dissolved on December 23, when they sufficient number of members to pro- party, which has publicly stated that might be rejected as taboo by New
could not agree on a budget. duce a majority of 61 votes for either Arab Ra’am support in the selection of Hope and Yisrael Beiteinu, both parties
The campaign in the fourth elec- Netanyahu or the opponents’ designee a prime minister “will not happen on of the right.
tion was not on policy differences but for prime minister. Yamina and Ra’am our watch.” The opposition parties will need
on whether one was for or against Ne- are negotiating with both Netanyahu Recognizing that Ra’am may con- to decide whether ending Netanyahu’s
tanyahu. His opposition came not only and the opposition. tinue to be unacceptable, Netanya- rule is more important than their differ-
from the left and center but also from Naftali Bennett, the head of Yami- hu will try to peel away at least two ences.
his former supporters on the right. na, self-described as right of Netanya- members of the opposition, likely New The bottom line, as I write, is that
His achievements over 15 years as hu, is more compatible with Netanyahu Hope, a right-wing party with former it is unknowable whether the political
prime minister in keeping Israel secure than the center and left parties of the Likud members. game of chess will have a winner (sur-
and economically strong, his foreign opposition. However, he feels it is time Netanyahu is playing a game of prise moves are possible) or if it ends
policy skills in achieving the Abraham for Netanyahu to go. But, unlike the chess with both his coalition group and in a stalemate forcing an unimaginable
the opposition.
fifth election.
unit
y
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community getting 61 votes is no less daunting. Harold Halpern is a retired attorney
The possibility of the opposition
residing in Lakewood Ranch. He is a
New Hope, Yisrael Beiteinu are parties
board member of the American Asso-
alah
vd
ha
havdalah of the right, Yesh Atid and Blue and ciation of Jewish Jurists and Lawyers
White are in the political center, and
and of the West Coast Chapter of the
American Jewish Committee.
Labor and Meretz on the left. The glue
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