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THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND ISRAEL ELECTIONS

Gil Hoffman

Israel’s Quest for Stability

he happy ending of the Purim on his leadership, in which he faces four elections, Trump took steps that helped
story is that instead of the disadvantages he did not have in the Netanyahu politically.
Twicked Haman, King Achash- previous three.
verosh’s new viceroy was Mordechai 1. He lost part of his political bloc when Despite these disadvantages, Netanyahu
HaYehudi. also has three new advantages:
he left the right-wing Yamina Party
But even then, after Haman and his out of his current governing coalition. 1. He can celebrate his peace agree-
sons are dead and the Jews are no longer Yamina leader Naftali Bennett now says ments with Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan
at risk, the last verse of the Megillah he is running against him for prime and the United Arab Emirates. The
recounts how Mordechai still did not minister. agreements reinforce the Likud’s mes-
please everyone: sage that Netanyahu is by far Israel’s
That leaves Netanyahu’s bloc with only most experienced and worldly leader.
“For Mordecai the Jew was viceroy to his own Likud, Haredi parties and the
King Achashverosh, and great among Religious Zionist Party, which may not 2. His success in making Israel the
the Jews and accepted by most of his cross the 3.25% electoral threshold. “Vaccination Nation.” The Jewish State
brethren, seeking the good of his people Unless those parties obtain a majority has vaccinated a much higher percent-
and interceding for the welfare of all of the Knesset’s 120 seats, Netanyahu age of its people than any other country,
his kindred.” would need the support of the angry helping ease the health and economic
One can look at this verse with frus- Bennett to form another government. crises caused by the coronavirus.
tration and think how ungrateful the Netanyahu also faces New Hope, a new 3. The final advantage is that his chal-
Jewish people were to Mordechai, who party led by former Likud minister lengers are more divided than ever. The
kept them alive in exile. Much like the Gideon Sa’ar. Unlike past alternatives “anyone but Bibi” camp has parties in
complaints of the Israelites to Moshe to his leadership, Netanyahu cannot the right, left and center of the politi-
after their liberation and the parting of disparage either New Hope or Yamina cal map. The leader of the largest party
the Red Sea, the Jews of Persia appear by calling their leaders leftist. running against him, Yair Lapid, has
petty.
2. Netanyahu cannot campaign by been ruled out by the Haredi parties,
Nevertheless, the fact that Mordechai warning about dangers from Israeli so he would have to unite a very wide
was even accepted by most of his breth- Arabs, as he has successfully in previous spectrum of parties to build a coalition,
ren is impressive by today’s standards. races. In a gamble, Netanyahu instead which could prove very difficult.
Amid hyperpolarization, on March 23, built an alliance with United Arab List
Israel is going to its fourth election in leader Mansour Abbas, placed Arab If Netanyahu, Lapid, Sa’ar and Bennett
under two years, because no leader has educator Nael Zoabi on the Likud list, cannot form a government, Israelis
obtained the support of a majority of and promised he would appoint Zoabi would have to endure yet another elec-
Israel’s nine million citizens. a minister. tion in the fall.

Like Moshe, Prime Minister Benjamin 3. Netanyahu’s trial on charges of This instability will continue until
Netanyahu is from the tribe of Levi, fraud, bribery and breach of trust is in Israel finally has a leader who – like
and like Mordechai, he boasts of his full swing. Having to face the charges Mordechai – is accepted by most of
successes in saving the Jewish people in court shortly before the election his brethren.
from enemies in present-day Iran. could either harm him politically or
boomerang and strengthen him among Gil Hoffman is the chief political correspon-
Netanyahu is the longest serving prime
minister in Israel’s history after winning his political base that views this trial as dent and analyst of The Jerusalem Post, and
the only speaker in history to have lectured
elections in 1996, 2009, 2013 and 2015 a witch-hunt. about Israel in all 50 states.
and remaining in power after the three 4. The final disadvantage is that Net-
inconclusive elections of 2019-20. The anyahu no longer has Donald Trump A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
current race is yet another referendum as US President. Ahead of recent Israeli mizrachi.org/speakers

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