“Such a move would block Religious Zionism’s MK Bezalel Smotrich from being able to continue demanding either the Defense Ministry or the Finance Ministry – and render his party unnecessary to the formation of a government.”
If Bibi chooses Gantz, I don’t think Smotrich and Ben Gvir will join the government.
Israelis will call Netanyahu a traitor if he betrays his right-wing partners once again. Smotrich must stand up for his voters Op-ed.
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Smotrich and Netanyahu Haim Tuito
Binyamin Netanyahu, head of the Likud party, may be planning to push Bezalel Smotrich and the Religious Zionist Party to the background of his prospective coalition – if he plans on including them at all.
Since the November 1st elections, there have been constant reports of meetings and negotiations between Likud and the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties about what ministries they hope to receive in the coalition government. Surprisingly, the Religious Zionist Party has not been mentioned in reports of potential appointments and positions. It’s even been reported by certain news outlets that prospective Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu plans to close agreements on budgets, ministries, and positions with the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties and leave what’s left to the Religious Zionist Party after most of the decisions have already been made.
It is Smotrich’s responsibility to push back on these developments and stand firm for the five hundred thousand voters who voted for his party in the most recent election.
The Religious Zionist Party is the second largest party in Netanyahu’s prospective right-wing government. This past election was historic for parties representing the Religious Zionist community in Israeli election history. The party received 516,470 votes which accounted for 14 representatives in the Knesset (800 votes short of 15 seats), and 10.8 percent of the vote.
The previous ceiling for any religious Zionist party in Israeli history was reached in 2013 by the Naftali Bennett led Jewish Home Party when they received 345,985 votes which accounted for 12 seats in Knesset and 9.1 percent of the vote. In the negotiations after that election, Netanyahu moved away from the traditional right-wing parties instead choosing to form a coalition with Yair Lapid and his left-wing Yesh Atid party. As an afterthought, Netanyahu brought in Naftali Bennett to be education minister, a much less prestigious position.
In 2009 Netanyahu campaigned and promised to form a full right-wing government with the National Unity Party playing a key role. After the results came in and it became a possibility, he turned to Tzipi Livni and Ehud Barak and formed a centrist left wing government, leaving the main religious Zionist party led by Yaakov Katz (National Unity Party) on the sidelines.
After Israel’s election a year and a half ago, Netanyahu tried to do all that he could to remain prime minister. This included possibly having Ra’am, an Arab party, which is pro terrorism, support the coalition from the outside. Smotrich stood firm and did not let that happen, and Bennett and Lapid formed a government with Ra’am. This stance by Smotrich saved the right-wing block from a stain that would have been remembered for generations.
In addition, much of the pressure and planning which took down Bennett’s government is attributed to Smotrich who worked behind the scenes to bring MK Idit Silman (a former representative in Bennett’s party) back to the right wing. In the wake of the recent elections, Netanyahu is dealing with a powerhouse in Bezalel Smotrich and shouldn’t underestimate him.
Netanyahu knows this upcoming government will probably be his last. If he wants to be remembered in Israel’s history as a legendary right-wing leader, he can’t turn to the left to form a government. This is the same left that demonized him and built entire campaign strategies against him for years. The Israeli public knows this and will call him a traitor if he betrays his right-wing partners once again. Netanyahu’s future legacy may force him to form a right-wing government.
Because of Smotrich’s integrity, commitment to his ideals and political prowess the right-wing block is where it is today. Smotrich’s devotion to right wing policy moved the Israeli public to vote for the most right-wing government in Israel’s history. The result was a mandate for improved security, Jewish Identity, Judicial reform, and widespread Jewish settlement.
The Religious Zionist party, after its impressive showing in the election has positioned itself to be the beacon for right wing governance in this prospective government.
According to a report on Monday from Israeli journalist Amit Segal, Netanyahu and Smotrich haven’t spoken since last Wednesday about the prospective government, this in order to pressure Smotrich into giving in. Bezalel, for the sake of our future and our values stand up for what this country voted for and hold firm for what we deserve.
Benjamin Sipzner was the Anglo coordinator for outreach and events for the Religious Zionist Party in Israel’s last two elections. He is an Oleh from New York, and recently completed his service as a lone soldier in the Nachal Brigade of the IDF. He can be found on Facebook and can be reached at sipznerbenjamin@gmail.com.
“Otzma Yehudit MK: Americans should be happy that Ben Gvir will be Public Security Minister
MK Yitzhak Wasserlauf: Smotrich deserves the position of Minister of Defense as well as other positions. The right wants change, and we need to do it.”…Despite the Likud’s announcement about progress in the talks, Ben Gvir does not intend to sign a coalition agreement without Smotrich, as he also made clear to the Likud representatives.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/362936
Under Trump.
“…Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu and Otzma Yehudit head Itamar Ben Gvir agreed Wednesday to a series of legislative initiatives that the extremist lawmaker has been pushing for, Netanyahu’s Likud party said, as coalition talks appeared stuck with two of his other allies.
Those bills include retroactively legalizing dozens of illegal West Bank outposts, sometimes known as “young settlements,” within 60 days of the government being sworn in, changing the 2005 Disengagement Law in a way that would allow the legalization of the controversial Homesh outpost and yeshiva in the West Bank, and a minimum sentence for agricultural crimes.
Likud said they also agreed to accelerate the expansion of Route 60 — the main north-south highway through the West Bank — the building of bypass roads, and a broadening of an existing law that prevents criminal charges from being brought against someone using force to protect their home to also apply to anyone defending an IDF army base…Along with reportedly agreeing to nearly double monthly stipends for yeshiva students, Channel 12 said Wednesday that Likud okayed UTJ’s demand to advance a law allowing hospitals to bar visitors from bringing leavened food products into medical centers during Passover..”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-agrees-to-ben-gvir-demand-to-partially-roll-back-disengagement/
Bibi sedms to be getting along with Ben-Gvir but is having problems with Smotrich because Smotrich wants defence. I can see Bibi’s dilemma; the IDF was incorporated into CENTCOM under Obama and the Americans under Biden might refuse to talk to Smotrich.
If love of Israel is not enough to rule from the Right, openly and with purpose, then the consequences of dealing with an intractable US while staving off Iran, a US that has an FBI case opened against the IDF and that just conned Israel out of some of its territorial waters and that is hellbent on JCPOA2. Those consequences head toward mounting diplomatic attacks and threats to dissuade Israel from defending itself and buying time for the Iranian bomb. A true statesman would take the deal for portfolios with the two parties that brought him to the dance. Any maneuvering to dismember the natural coalition squanders a great opportunity to neutralize the American interference.
Well, I hope that Smotrich and Ben Gvir (at least) learn from this bitter experience.
Gantz and Lapid have been too silent. This isuggests they’ve been assured they’ll be part of the government if they’re patient.
Bibi signed all of us up to be lab rats in a giant World Economic Forum World Health Organization operation whose goal is to reduce global population to 500 million.
Bibi’s actions were in defiance of the main post-Shoah Nuremberg Law.
The Supreme Court nullified the Basic Law – Human Dignity and Liberty.
We have a bigger problem than just Bibi. Our problem is the cowardice and opportunism of the majority of us. Deal with that aspect and our problems will be resolved.
Don’t you just LOVE watching “Bibi’s adroit tricks”?
BTW, when you open the link, take a look at these dear facelekh.
Netanyahu has a difficult task ahead of him – to get rid of Smotrich and Ben Gvir as potentially powerful officials but not before they’ll make him safe from the law!
Don’t you just LOVE watching “Bibi’s adroit tricks”?
If Bibi does actually go with Gantz it will confirm once and for all that the man cannot be trusted.
Not that it wasn’t already obvious that he is a double dealer. I voted once for Likud but not this time. if he doesn’t take in the two leaders who got him back into power then I’m done with politics in Israel. Voting will be seen to be completely useless. just like it is now in Canada and the US and other Western so-called democracies. It’s disgusting what’s going on.