Now that he has won a clear majority in parliament, there is no political justification to take a backseat to the Left’s ideology.
Benjamin Netanyahu scored a resounding victory over his detractors on the left in Tuesday’s election, but no less than that – he also settled the score with his rivals on the Right. Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, Gideon Saar, Zeev Elkin, Zvi Hauser, Moshe Ya’alon, Yoaz Hendel, Ayelet Shaked, and all the other right-wing politicians who refused to toe the line found themselves in opposition or at home.
Netanyahu wages ideological war against the Left, but when it comes to right-wing politicians in his bad books it is total warfare. For Netanyahu, a challenge from the Right is a threat to his rule and his very being. This is despite the fact that calls for him to govern in a “full right-wing” manner aren’t aimed at him politically. It is an error on his part and on the part of his family to interpret things in this way. The contrary is true. It is because Netanyahu is held in such high esteem that the right wants to see him fulfill its worldview. Proof of this can be found in the ideological cohesion that currently exists in the right-wing camp.
Neither Itamar Ben-Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Miki Zohar, nor Yariv Levin have any aspiration to replace Netanyahu. All they want is to see their worldview and that of their voters fulfilled:
An overhaul of the judicial system and a return of the balance of power in favor of the Knesset; restoration of governability and personal security throughout Israel and in Area C of Judea and Samaria; and a restoration of the IDF’s deterrence.
These expectations of course come on top of general necessities such as reducing the cost of living and a solution to the housing crisis, and a return to a constitutional situation where there is one prime minister, without a parity-based government, or an alternate prime minister.
On the previous occasions when Netanyahu has been elected prime minister, he hid behind the left, be it in a coalition or by hiding behind the attorney general, to shirk his duty of carrying out right-wing measures.
It is the disappointment in Netanyahu’s behavior that led to criticism from within. Now that he has a broad and secure coalition without anyone to challenge him, and knowing that the opposing camp is just looking for opportunities to bring him down, Netanyahu has to function as a full right-wing leader, without excuses, without dodging, and without sidestepping. And he should do so responsibly without pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes.
At the age of 73 and starting his sixth term as prime minister, Netanyahu is Israel’s undisputed leader. He has the freedom to be who he really is. If he does so, his government will easily last its term. No less important, if he enacts the policies that his voters voted for, he will rectify the impression left by the previous non-right-wing policies that he led. His legacy will be set in stone: A leader of the right.
@Sebastien Zorn
I agree with you completely, however, has ANYONE of our lovely “right-wing” Knesset members said anything about planning to implement this change?
In my opinion, all they will be able to do is change the Law of Return to only permit the proper Orthodox Jews (most of whom would rather stay in the Diaspora) to make aliyah “to preserve the Jewish character of the State”.
For some reason, the Jewish state was largely founded by the “Russian” Jewish socialist atheists and not by the Hareidim most of whom think the Jewish state is not kosher but don’t mind the two million Arabs living side by side with them as citizens.
The rest of their “right-wing” promises is just shaking the air.
@Ted I completely agree. Though absent this divide it would naturally fall along the lines of free market versus welfare state, and if that were the case, I would fall on the left side, for the most part, though I don’t believe in over-regulation or excessive bureaucracy. But nobody should be homeless
@Reader 2 years ago, there were about 100,000 Arabs and about 500,000 Jews in Area C. Now, who knows? They’ve been illegally building towns and cities on state and privately owned Jewish land! With EU funding.
And this article is dated YESTERDAY!
“Supreme Court upholds anti-Jewish discrimination in land sales
Israel’s High Court of Justice rejects petition challenging Defense Ministry’s rule barring land sales in Judea and Samaria to Jews.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/362219
This is the court Shaked successfully reformed with her appointments? Can only be done while the military is in charge. The military goes along with the pretense that this is a foreign occupation, something even a French court denied, and applies the rule that prior laws still apply. So, it applies antisemitic Ottoman and Jordanian legal precedents. Israeli Civil law must be applied.
What is the definition of the left right divide. For me, it depends on whether you want to keep Area C or give it away. I favoured the Trump plan because Israel got 30% up front and had to hold on for 4 years, before getting the remaining 70%. I had no worries that the Pals would make the requisite adjustments to get the 70% so we would get it all in the end.
Some argue that the divide is whether you want Israel to be more Jewish or democratic. According to this definition, Area C is not the core issue. I disagree with this as I believe Area C is a core issue.
@ sabasarge
I totally agree. He also admits to purposefully employing an Israeli intelligence asset to undermining the negotiated terms between Bibi and Trump regarding the extension of Sovereignty. Anyone surmising that Gantz is not a Leftist, must surely be caught in some imaginary haze where there are no Leftists at all.
@Sebastien Zorn,
It’s true……pretty hard to get one’s head around the inaction of the Israeli government when confronted with the outright taking over by the “palestinians” of massive swaths of area C.
The EU is participating in this illegal theft to the tune of hundreds of millions of euros, and Gantz *spit* blatantly looks the other way. He is quite content to allow these facts on the ground to continue by either pretending it’s not happening, or worse, by advocating for it. Anyone who thinks Gantz is anything but a confirmed leftist has no business opining on Israeli politics, or at least forfeits the right to be taken seriously……IMO.
@Sebastien Zorn
It’s not the point, the point is that HE said it, and he is supposed to be “properly right-wing virtuous”.
He basically said that his union with Ben Gvir was a calculated political move, this means that he is not a supporter of Ben Gvir (and, possibly, not a supporter of a few of Ben Gvir’s (so wonderfully “right wing”) policies).
I haven’t followed the history of their conflicts.
Nothing.
@Sebastien Zorn
Oh, the poor, naive me – and I thought that we are getting 30% of the whole West Bank!
So, what percentage of Judea and Samaria is 30% of Area C?
Besides, the Arabs have been populating Area C with permission of Israel’s government for years, if not decades.
The whole of Judea and Samaria (100%) are Israel’s Biblical lands, and Jews live pretty much all over, the area was compared to Swiss cheese because of all the enclaves.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-allies-may-fret-over-far-right-gains-but-few-can-afford-to-shun-it/
@Reader My understanding is that it was the 30 percent of Area C where all of the Jews live and all the Jewish historical/holy sites are, and the remainder of Area C would remain under the IDF until the Arabs fulfilled their obligations, which they never would, of course. And after 4 years of non-compliance, the Arabs would get nothing.
@Reader
a) Who was saying otherwise in Feb. 2021?
b) I’ve always wondered what the substantive conflicts were between Ben Gvir and Smotrich? Can you or anyone tell me?
c) What does this have to do with Dermer?
@Sebastien Zorn
It certainly does but grabbing 30% of Judea and Samaria like a piece of cheese in a mousetrap equals, in fact, to giving away 70% of Judea and Samaria to the Arabs with the subsequent expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Jews from Judea and Samaria which might actually destroy Israel.
It is the Arabs who are establishing facts on the ground with the Government of Israel aiding and abetting the process (including the 15 years of “Bibi’s” rule).
Why no one understands that after the wars didn’t work, the “world community” is trying to destroy Israel piece by piece “peacefully”?
If they succeed, they will start the next stage, namely, the worldwide Holocaust of the Jews.
It looks like the Israelis dearly wish to get rid of their state and the people in in it (and outside of it).
Here is your “right wing” (this is from February 2021) – enjoy:
@Reader @Peloni @ Ted
I agreed with you at the time, but now I think I agree with Ted. Bibi and successors on behalf of Israel had already given lip service to a “Palestinian” state on condition it be friendly and demilitarized and that Israel remain in charge of security and the Trump plan just put a. 4 year limit on Israeli obligations but look at the way the Pals have changed the facts on the ground in Area C in the interim. That’s the only thing that’s changed.
“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” as the saying goes.
First reclaim any part of the land as the opportunity presents itself.
In practice, de facto wins out over de jure every time in international law.
@Reader
This is unfair. Dermer has been an enormous asset in opposing the anti-Israel positions by the Americans, spanning from Obama’s first two administrations to his current one. He refused to support the lie that Bibi was taking advantage of the Trump plan, as what Bibi was doing is included in the letters exchanged by Bibi and Trump as confirmed by both Dermer and Friedman, the two ambassadors from the two nations involved. I would suggest that he has been a stalwart advocate of the Right and should be rewarded for his successful tenure as ambassador in such a precarious and sensitive period as he served. More than this, I would suggest further that Dermer has proven himself a capable leader, and his talents should not be left on the bench, but utilized once more in the current govt.
@Sebastien Zorn
Objections to what?
Dermer said Kushner was lying.
Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t, there is no way for me to know.
I do know that Netanyahu was promoting the poisoned trap in the form of the 30% sovereignty (that he, allegedly, had been working on for 3 years) but the settlers were awake enough to fight it off.
I also know that Netanyahu has promoted the TSS starting (at the latest) a couple of weeks after his father, a staunch Zionist, died.
@Peloni, Reader @Reader Bibi refused Obama’s demand to replace Dermer
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/netanyahu-not-replacing-dermer/2015/03/26/
@Reader and this https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/222310
Oh, Boy, and this!
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/government-israel/ambassador-dermer-annex-before-biden-becomes-president/2020/05/19/
@Reader Bibi refused Obama’s demand to replace Dermer
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/netanyahu-not-replacing-dermer/2015/03/26/
@Reader and this https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/222310
Oh, Boy, and this!
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/government-israel/ambassador-dermer-annex-before-biden-becomes-president/2020/05/19/
@Reader and this https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/222310
Oh, Boy, and this!
https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/government-israel/ambassador-dermer-annex-before-biden-becomes-president/2020/05/19/
@Reader Just found this.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/358483
What are your objections?
@Peloni
As before when I tried it a long time ago, the link button doesn’t work. I just copy and paste it directly. But, I see it’s red.
While sitting in the opposition, Netanyahu boasted how many times he was on the phone with the Americans.
He wants to give a ministry to Ron Dermer in gratitude to Dermer’s acting as his great (American) campaign advisor.
In my opinion, he doesn’t care for any “wings” or for any loyalty to the “right wing” because he is already 73 years old and this term is likely his swan song.
As far as his reputation is concerned, he is great at making it excellent – his supporters will always blame the “awful pressure he was under” for any and all of his betrayals.
I wish those Knesset members were concerned with the good of the country and the people rather than with fighting each other like the bitterest of enemies.
@Peloni as well as the way he ran this election. And thank heaven for that. Now, once again in the opposition, he will undoubtedly concentrate on frustrating judicial reform as he has done for many years. In that department, he was a formidable opponent. I’ve had my eye on him since.
@Peloni One thing we know Bibi will continue to do is make Israel less reliant on Western markets through diversification, creating and strengthening ties with third-world countries. Lapid also had some successes but was coasting on the inroads that Bibi had already made. I think coasting pretty much describes Lapid’s weak administration and his electoral
@Edgar
Yes, and as Sebastien notes, he might well find himself facing a revolt within his own party for involving Gantz in the coalition. Gantz is not just anti-Bibi, he defines everything that represents the Left, weak, duplicitous, and untrustworthy. He has populated Samaria with so many Arabs that they might just rename it Gantzistan in recognition of the unilateral, unauthorized and unconditional surrender of Jewish lands to the Arabs, even while the Arabs are increasing their violence against Jews in Samaria as well as from their strongholds in Area A. I find it to be simply inconceivable and untenable on every level that Bibi might include this vile nemesis within the coalition.
@PELONI_
Just the other day Gantz said that he will never sit in government with Netanyahu. Although a proven liar and Arab lover, he was so emphatic that surely he must stick to this. In the meantime I don’t believe hat Netanyahu would invite his party to join a unity govt. Too much of the “Trojan Horse” complex there.
@Sebastien
You are quite correct, and I could not agree more.
@Peloni “
@Sebastien
@sabasarge
Yes, I have to agree with Sebastien’s witty arguments. If Bibi wanted to betray the right, he is truly between a Gantz and a Hard Right. Phrasing this differently, he has no choice but to support the movement which brought him this electoral victory, and I believe he will be quite happy to do so, but others will differ on this point, but he has little choice in the matter.
As to sabasarge’s concerns about Americans, they certainly do pose a great threat to Israel, and defying them is neither an easy thing to do, nor an action which is likely to come without consequences. Hence, I do not know how Bibi will stem the likely reckless actions which we will soon see wielded against the new govt by these American devils. With this in mind, though, one thing is certain. These Radicals have made it quite plain that they did not want Bibi back in power, and they didn’t want him back because he was far less likely to do as they dictate than any other likely Israeli leader, as we have seen was the case when comparing both the ‘leadership’ pursued by Bennet and Lapid to that of Bibi. Beyond having the personal gravitas and seasoned swagger, each conveyed with the most diplomatic skill while simply saying NO, Bibi currently has something which Bennett, Lapid and even he himself previously lacked. He has a Nationalist Right wing govt, which will not likely bend to the will of these reckless Americans, and this is something which Bibi did not have when facing Obama in his first two terms in the White House.
He won and he will do whatever he wants, as usual, while making beautiful “right-wing” speeches to put the public to sleep.
and that’s assuming other MKs and parties in the coalition wouldn’t bolt if Bibi were stupid and suicidal enough to pull a Bennett, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
If there’s one thing we know about Bibi, it’s that he’s a stupid and suicidal politician right?
Of course. That’s why he’s Israel’s shortest serving Prime Minister, just 3 years back in the 90s, right?
😀
And that’s assuming he really doesn’t believe in anything but himself which I don’t. I’m half way theough his memoir. Its inspiring
@sabasarge @Peloni Well, let’s see, the right got 64 of which 14 was religious zionism. Ganz got 12. If Bibi swaps the one for the other, the unity government, couldn’t really call it right anymore, would go down to 62, so it would be unstable both ideologically and in mandates.
And of course, Bibi has a history of kowtowing to the US, so even though it’s not necessary and his constituency would never trust him and even though Ganz wants to ge PM but they just want ministries,
Ben Gvir and Smotrich want to reign in the courts and end Bibi’s legal nightmare. Ganz wants to nail him to the wall.
Of course, he’ll go with Ganz. Wouldn’t you? 😀
@peloni1986
I agree with most of your post, however, the one tangible you chose not to mention is the American angle. Bibi talks tough, now we’ll see if he will stand up to the significant pressure already coming from the Biden administration (read: Obama, Susan Rice, Ms. Powell, et al), or will he fold, akin to the Temple Mount metal detectors fiasco. Of course in this instance we’re only talking about the nature of, if not the future of the nation.
@sabasarge
As Bibi forms his govt, his actions will finally serve to put to rest, one way or the other, the many doubts regarding his fidelity to the agenda of the Right as you seem to support. For my own thoughts, such as they are, I am not conflicted with the fears you hold. Gantz has been Bibi’s greatest nemesis since he first entered the political arena when he helped Lapid to provide the US Dems with enough political cover to support Obama and the passage of the JPOA. Should Bibi prefer to go with Gantz, he would necessarily and voluntarily be providing this member of the Anyone-But-Bibi clique with complete leverage of the coming govt, and the likelihood that Bibi will do something so obviously limiting to his ability to largely control this coming govt lacks any reasonable basis, IMO. Further than this, Bibi would be undermining his own legacy by so blatantly pulling a Yamina two step, promising to form a Right wing govt and then forming an alliance with the Left. Perhaps I have a mistaken perspective on the man, but IMO, Bibi is quite sensitive to both History’s reflection upon his record as well as his ability to finally resolve the Iranian threat, both of which would be rendered quite undone by the inclusion of Gantz. Additionally, recall furher that it is not just Gantz who would be included in this govt if your fears were to be realized, as it would also include Saar, Eizenkot and Kahana. This fine collection of anti-Bibi allies will serve to be an insurance policy which will keep Bibi from doing as you suggest, even if my measure of the man were to prove to be overstated. Again, IMO.
I don’t trust Bibi. My biggest fear is that he will, partly due to pressure coming from the Biden administration and partly due to his own propensity for duplicity, elect to go with Gantz in lieu of Ben Gvir.
I sincerely hope my distrust is misplaced.