By Ted Belman
Bibi is the reason that we don’t have a rightwing government. Bibi is the reason we are looking at a left dominated government in the making. Bibi gambled on doing better in a new election.
All he had to do was resign. Instead he is forcing 45 MK’s to lose their positions of influence and go into opposition.
Its not too late to do the right thing, pardon the pun. He should tender his resignation immediately, assuming such resignation would be effective immediately. Such resignation would put an end to the Lapid-Bennett government which is expected to be presented to Rivlin for approval by late Wednesday.
This would allow Bennett (Yamina) and Saar ( New Hope) to join with Likud, Shas and UTJ in a rightwing government.
Bibi would be much better served by such a government than by the one currently being formed.
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His investment in American debt is a safe investment where the funds could be managed with less scrutiny and almost no risk but also has little return on his investment, depending upon the bear/bull cycle, but that is meant to be a larger topic than what we are discussing here. It is patriotic to invest in one’s own national bonds, but again, conflicts may arise and even the appearance of such things would need to be avoided for the Civil Assassins chasing Bibi. Israel’s debt-GDP places it as 32 from the bottom. This is not so bad when it is recalled that Israel is a speck upon the globe. Still 71.1% is not a low score, but then Israel holds one of the great military forces upon the globe and incursions such as the Hamas Riots and Rockets attacks will cause such debt to escalate should the US not assist in some way as it seems she will not. Wars are among the few items that will cause significant movement of Debt-GDP and though, 71.1% Debt-GDP is not great, it is not in anyway near a defaulting value such as in Venezuela where their Debt-GDP is currently 350% with inflation at 2940% (Israel has inflation currently at 0.8% for comparison). But if the Israeli financial borders were closed, as I sense you might prefer, Israel would be devastated financially. As Edgar noted to me a short time ago, I left out of our previous discussion the fact that foreign investments into the state of Israel were likely exponentially more substantial than Israeli investments abroad and would provide more significance to her economy.
Also if Israel were to be in fear of the US capturing Israeli capital within her financial grasp, as it were, the game would be quite lost already given the dependency Israel has developed with US military goods such as Iron Dome rockets F-35 spare parts while the Arabs desire to murder us all at every moment remains.
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@ Reader:
You have a lot of questions, Reader, but they are very good ones. I will try to keep up with you, but the answers are not so simple as the questions might suggest and some of these answers may actually surprise you. I understand that you wish to compare median income rather than per capita income as you state, but the median income is per household rather than per individual. A preferred standard to both of these is the median-per-capita income which reflects the center of all people rather than a household which would have more randomness based on how many people are in the home. The Median-Per-Capita for Israel from 12yrs ago placed Israel at #21 from the top out of some ~185 countries. That is a very high mark and is likely higher now, but I am not able to locate more recent data than this.
Netanyahu invests in foreign markets with low yields. The obvious reason is that his investments can not be linked to anything he would or would not do within the state that might form a conflict of interest. Believe me, there is a lot that he could do to influence his investments in his own country as is how a lot, though not all, of graft in Western Democracies occurs. The national bonds are a patriotic investment, but again it is a domestic product that could be claimed to some influence with his large portfolio as you have described.
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@ peloni1986:
Per capita wealth doesn’t mean anything because it includes the incomes of multi-billionaires as well as those below the poverty level.
Some of the important indicators are income distribution and the average income without including the super rich, the level of indebtedness, etc.
Free Market has never existed anywhere, all this “deregulation” ever leads to is a takeover of a country and its government by large corporations and the syphoning of the wealth from the population into the corporations’ coffers or abroad.
Israel as a country perennially under siege cannot allow everything to be privatized because business knows no loyalty other than to its profit, and no patriotism, also if the US or EU decide to impose sanctions on Israel, the first thing they will do is freeze the Israeli assets in their banks.
Israell’s debt to GDP level is almost 70%.
Why then Netanyahu ,THE PRIME MINISTER of Israel is investing in the US BONDS and NOT IN ISRAEL BONDS?
Why is he buying the American debt?
Aren’t we all supposed to buy Israel bonds?
At least we were, a long time ago.
Also, how do you know that this money is taxed – it is out of the country.
It is sitting in a foreign bank and is subject to different agreements.
@ Edgar G.:
Good point Edgar. I was only considering to counter Reader’s issues with Netanyahu’s expansion of foreign investments, but your observation does pull the drape back to expose this whole truth that I left half hidden. Thanks for that. Indeed the foreign investments are also a linchpin that also under-wrights the profit aspect of the Abraham Accords as well, as their markets and our markets are now interacting to a further expansion of the tax base and benefit to both nations. It is a very important part of Israels domestic and foreign policies, both.
@ Edgar G.:
The article I linked in view is substantially correct. It is not a matter of left or right but a matter of truth.
So if a leftist says something that is true I can accept it. Only label here that matters is truth or lie!!!!
Yes on the Israeli political spectrum I am a nationalist which is considered right-wing or far right-wing.
@ peloni1986:
You could also add that due to the free flow of investment it is a 2 way street, and hundreds of billions have been invested in Israel over Netanyahu’s terms making jobs for Israelis and again further, enlarging the tax base.
Likely a much higher inflow than outflow.
@ Reader:
Reader, I did not say I didn’t believe he invests large amts of money in US G-Bonds. I said that his investment was earning a shallow return, i.e. his money was poorly invested in these safe but low earning bonds. G-Bonds have lower rates of return, relatively, and if he was going to make a killing as you suggest with changing the law for himself. This safe but low earning bonds would not be worth these efforts as he could have likely matched this return in any market as long as the market did not fail(i.e. crash).
I also stated that he has many books(over a dozen) and this income could be substantial explaining whatever income scandal concerns you. But the key point that alarms you, I believe(and correct me if I am mistaken) is that he made foreign investments after reforming the financial infrastructure of the nation and
I told you in an earlier comment, there are two separate and contrasting views of money relative to a country’s borders. One approach – based on free market standards – allows money to be invested in foreign markets and investment properties. This approach increases the wealth that the public earns and by doing so increases the tax pool that the Israel can tax – i.e. they can tax earnings from a foreign nation that Israel would otherwise not have taxing rights to. This is the Free-Market Approach.
There is a second more restrictive approach. In this scenario, Israel prohibits its citizens from investing their earnings in foreign markets or foreign lands. This means the cash is trapped in Israel and only gets invested in projects or markets native to Israel. But the taxing pool is much smaller because the earnings in foreign lands can not be taxed by Israel’s taxing authority due to the investment restrictions. This consequently places a greater tax burden upon the Israeli public. This may be referred to as a more Restrictive-approach to foreign investments.
Netanyahu took Israel from the Restrictive-approach to the Free-Market-Approach. The great increase of the per capita wealth that Israel has experienced over the past 25yrs can be related in no small part to the state allowing for foreign investments and other such free-market reforms made by Netanyahu.
Given the new laws, you can not expect that he would not invest his money as any citizen might. And as I say the investment he chose is not even a very successful investment – meaning he purposely chose an investment that had low returns on his investment.
Given these facts, I don’t see anything amiss with his transactions and obviously neither did Mandleblit.
@ Bear Klein:
Bear, the guy is a reporter working for a very Left wing rag. Why do you put so much faith in it. You’re not a lefty..and normally very doubtful of ant report from such a source..
@ Reader:
Forbes also estimates 11 Mill, and that many times, all over the pages. The 14 mill is a singular anomaly. Besides it isn’t so much for such a prolific writer, as Peloni pointed out, and, I’m sure he’d command a huge fee for a speech. I don’t know if he gives any or has done in the past. Forbes has been recognised as being notoriously inaccurate, depending largely on guesswork and what it gets from news reports.It certainly doesn’t see his tax returns.–or those of anyone..
Publishers offer sums in the millions for the rights to a book by Netanyahu, as well as those of others. You must know this, and yet you keep hammering away at a steel wall of a very ordinary net worth of a many year, world famous figure.
The guy is 72 years old, and had been productive for most of his adult life. His family also were/are wealthy. Bennett is worth about $300 mill, yet you leave him severely alone. Barak also is wealthy according to Israeli reports, but Forbes says $600,000………..How???
Typing in Net Worth for Netanyahu the first thing you see is $11 mill multiple times, then ONE of 14 mill, then many of 100,00-1 mill.
And that is his FAMILY worth, not his alone.So stop with your cockamamy nonsense -I should say obsession. When did he last don a mask and hold up a bank..You are sure to know all about it.
I’m closing this ridiculous subject Reader, I hope you don’t mind.
@ Edgar G.:
Please, don’t start this again!
His fortune is estimated by Forbes to be 14 million $$.
He can afford NOT to have a monthly salary, he could afford to donate it.
BTW, $50,000 a year is NOT miserly for most people, especially for Israelis.
@ peloni1986:
The KEY ISSUES HERE which you didn’t believe is that HE INVESTS LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY IN US GOVERNMENT BONDS after he enabled the movement of capital out of the country and investing that capital in other countries.
This was LEGAL. Because he had made it legal.
The article is about a report on his earnings.
@ Reader:
That’s clear enough Reader. He is making a sufficient income to keep up his status, beyond the miserly PM $50,000 odd. And that’s a good thing. Nothing secret, nothing illegal, and, even though the return ismuch lower. specifically making sure that there is NO conflict of interest
I think we all do the same, I know I do. My family does……Thank you for the information…..
I still don’t see why you have been making such a fuss, I mean, about Netanyahu’s financial affairs….>???
@ Bear Klein:
Why are you so fervent to put Netanyahu down. You have descended to the insult of calling me a liar. I do NOT have to supply “proof” as you call it. I can give you a pint of my blood..will that do???
All you need for proof is to look carefully at every edition of Arutz 7 for the past week, and that “proof” that you insult me about, will be there.
I’m sorry you descended t such a low standard . Not like you at all. Do you also have the “neverBibi” virus…?
@ Reader:
Reader, these great returns sound like great investments but they are actually quite shallow returns unless there is not much principle involved. I presume that you are aware that Bibi has incomes beyond his meager gov’t pay including many books – I stopped counting his many titles on Amazon at 12. A single best seller can bring proceeds of nearly $350,000 in the first year with subsequent yearly sales of between $50,000-100,000, conservatively speaking.
Recall that someone(I think it was Churchill) once stated the only reason to write is to make money, and it is not a bad reason I am told by a friend who openly admits to writing a great collection of trash for a bundle. But. beyond his authorship, I am not sure what other incomes he has, but it is reasonable that he does have other incomes.
Regardless of any of this, though, if the lawfare assassins could not find grit to grind on this point of financial creativity, it doesn’t exist. And if they did find such grievous plots, they would not have discussed it in the tabloids. The would have far preferred charging a good ole case of embezzlement or money laundering than the creative charges they finally settled upon as they moved to indict and remove him with the help of Saar and company.
@ Edgar G.:
[emphasis mine]
Before you start screaming about the vile TOI – David Shimron is
https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-made-hundreds-of-thousands-of-shekels-from-overseas-account-report/
@ Edgar G.:
Bottom line is you have no proof! Edgar I simply do not believe it at all!
@ Reader:
Netanyahu’s terms in office have provided many of these civil assassins to prevaricate upon ‘evidence’ that is questionable enough or absent enough to prevent any possible trials but but such nonsubstantial claims still may provide enough illusionary evidence to dazzle the hordes of fake press masquerading as journalists. Such deceitful tactics are based on non-evidentiary claims and are never intended to enter the court but still cost massive legal fees to the defendants that could easily break a wealthy man.
These legal campaigns are tried on the bylines of journalists and act to replace legitimate journalism. These campaings are intended to spoil and libel a political figure such as Netanyahu in the eyes of the public while having little to no substance. Such dithering topics as this formed the basis for the terrible Ice Cream Scandal in recent years.
This worked in 1999 with the full support of the Clinton machine which moved into Israel in 1996 with the stated intent of unseating Netanyahu. But such nonsense has since failed to influence the public to abandon Netanyahu in recent years. So, as is necessary when the means to an end fail to provide the desired effect, it was decided by these same civil assassins to move these non-sense cases forward to trial. Hence, today we have the travesty of justice being played out in the court room dramas including such props as managed leaks and half-truth testimonies before biased courts.
But I would ask you and any who supports these law-fare tactics to consider, if they can enact this ruining charade with impunity to a man of power and wealth such as Bibi Netanyahu , what could they achieve with full public ignorance or concern to you or I.
The law is all that separates man from his more savage tendencies and it should not be plied as a flammable mechanism towards mendacious goals when honest means fail to gain traction. Otherwise, Israel could soon become a center of chaos characterized by legal malfeasance as is familiar in any failed state or fiefdom.
It is such a fate as this that the mighty USA is currently fighting to escape from. We should not herald these methods bur scorn them regardless of the political figure involve.
@ Bear Klein:
I’m surprised you did not know this. ‘I’ve read it several times over the past year or more, and just last week Netanyhu laid out in detail exactly why he disavowed Gantz. It was in A7. My post reflected this item.because I was reminded by it.
Much goes on in politics, the interior reasons and machinery we never get to know , or even if known, not understood, but this was clear, treacherous, non-ambiguous behaviour of a major coalition partner. I recall that when I first readit quite a while ago, I immediately thought…”Peres and the Oslo Accords”…… I have no doubt of it’s truth. I have seen no ispute in opposition to it. The timing gives you the idea, unwarrented in my opinion, that Gantz was conned because his P< tirne was coming up. But I can see that it was not the case. .
He'd have been a rotten PM anyway. At least we were saved from THAT.
@ Edgar G.:
Edgar offer proof of what you said? I have heard nothing of from the Hebrew Media or English Press.
Bibi conned Gantz and brought about new elections because Gantz would have Prime Minister in November if the government had continued according to the coalition agreement which was singed into law. People told Gantz Bibi was not going to keep his agreement and this what happen pure and simple.
@ Reader:
I discount most of what you say except the last. 12 years is fine, but the especially dangerous circumstance that Israel is now in, warrants a Netanyahu, who can work political miracles, not a midget Bennett, Sa’ar, Lapid nor other aspirants…all of whom, I hope should expire at least politically, before such a disaster might occur.
During the Napoleonic Wars William Pitt the Younger was PM for about 20 years, including a minor absence, because he was NEEDED in that position as no other, even with much political talent assembled.
There is of course, no cpmparison, but I mention this just to show that such a tenure is not uncommon. A main Israeli characteristic is jealousy of one of it’s own who excels…regardless of the admiration and respect of the rest of the world, in fact that often spurs it on.
I blame Mandelblit and his puppet-masters for thesordid whole matter. Until he interjectd himself into affairs a few days before an overwhelming electoral victory seemed assured ………Previously to Mandelblit, there was another carabuncle on the PM’s neck – Mazuz, later and now, a Supreme Court Judge, likely payment for his role in badgering Netanyahu.
I recall that Ben Gurion who had retired aged 79, was, in his 80’s, recalled to government, when his dogged firmness was needed.
@ Reader:
Sounds like Ha’Aretz….. So what has that to do with Netanyahu personally…. I certainly did wonders for Israel, ALL Israel. I don’t see any mention that he benefitted personally, although he surely had as much right to do so as any citizen.
Please cite sources, reliable I hope, but suspiciously not mentioned.
@ Edgar G.:
Peloni told me I was uninformed about netanyahu’s financial laws.
I responded that I was and gave proof.
You started ranting.
Is Peloni your relative or something?
I don’t hate Netanyahu but he is not what you, Peloni, and the rest of the Bibi the Savior Cult think he is for which there is ample documentation.
Besides, 12 years in a row as a PM is enough for anybody.
@ Bear Klein:
Netanyahu id not deceive Gantz. Gantz sought to deceive Netanyahu and the whole Right Wing. The PM had noted the B&W polls fallen heavily,, but the REAL crime of Gantz was to be secretly negotiating with the Arabs behind the Govt. back.
To counter this, Netanyahu felt he HAD to uncouple himself from Gantz, so he called a new election. I’m sure you already know this, but disregard it so as to be able to blame the PM for “cheating” Gantz. Also, Maybe Gantz is your cousin or brotherr- in law, so …a further insult……Just kidding.
@ peloni1986:
[emphasis and comments mine]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu
@ Reader:
Stop prevaricating Reader. Why not admit (as you did earlier when demanding that Peloni reduce his linguistic flow) that you don’t read even half of his post, nor understand or accept any of it. For you he’s just a new poster to get your claws into. His forbearance is magnificent..
Don’t misunderstand..PLEASE. I read your exchanges thoroughly, mainly because I enjoy Peloni’s lnguistic sklls =, but also to see what firther nonsense that you have doubled and quadrupled down on, being so adamant against admitting that you are even slightly wrong-on anything.
It was only a matter of time before you felt INSULTED. I wonder it took so long, it being your natural condition. Listen to nothng, undertand lttle, but insulted by EVERYTHING.
I had a very good long-tme friend, many years ao-Cecil Hayes- whom I have mentioned on this site before, dogmatic to the extreme- nearly always wrong, but likeable nevertheless in his earnestness. You remind me of him.
Cheer up. Netanyhu may yet go to prison for 25 years, chained and shackled, and then you will be happy…..until the next subject for baseless hatred arrives. .
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Obama failed to defeat the forces that Netanyahu brought into play that day. And this was in spite of Obama heralding support from within Israel’s own border to counter against Netanyahu’s efforts. Lapid was among the many who opposed Netanyahu in this effort.
This campaign against the JPOA was conducted during the 2015 Israeli election campaign and became a major issue of the election. Obama even dispatched many of his minions to Israel to help unseat Netanyahu and defeat his efforts against the JPOA. But such efforts were met with a similar result to Bill Clintons attempts to unstage Netanyahu in 1996.
Regardless, though, the treaty was not ratified and carries only what weight as the US cares to give it. The Congress passed a law, not a treaty, and laws are not binding between nations- that would stately require a treaty.
Trump did treat things as if the treaty had been passed, likely due to satisfy the deep-state characters advising him in the early part of his administration, and, so, cited the violations the Mossad-captured documents released by Netanyahu at the UN as the basis of breaking the treaty.
But the treaty was not ratified, and while the proof of the violation was a great PR windfall, it was not necessary within the standards of US legal code to break a treaty un-ratified. The treaty did also bind the other signatory powers who did ratify it so the evidence was well used with those powers to uphold sanctions. /2
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@ Reader:
The battle within the US Congress to stop the passage of the JPOA – Iran Deal. The ratification of this treaty would have cemented a new reality which, even a new president would not have been sufficient to change on his own. The ratification of this treaty would have required that it be broken by one of four maneuvers to render it void. These are the four legal maneuvers to break a treaty:
1. Mutual consent resulting in dissolution(not likely)
2. Destruction of one of the cosigners of the treaty(this could have been a happy thought)
3. Violation(this would require proof of violation and a debate would still result upon the level of proof and violaiton in question)
4. Expiration(self-explanatory)
As it turned out Israel was able to supply ample evidence of the violations of the Iran-Deal, but Iran didn’t need to violate the treaty and in violating it, none could conclude that proof of such violations would be able to be placed before the world as Netanyahu did at the UN.
So Netanyahu, as we will all recall, moved in concert with his bipartisan allies in Congress as well as the grass roots support of the Evangelicals and Jews(whose support was waning at the time but not as far extinguished as it is today) against Obama in a joint cession of the US Congress.
He had repeatedly referenced a theme regarding an often used refrain of his that ‘it is 1936’, a reference to the betrayal of Czechoslovakia, He repeated this in speeches he gave all across the globe in a growing crescendo of attack aimed at the US Congress and Obama in the months preceding the March 2015 joint session.
At the Joint Session Speech, Netanyahu spoke with eloquence and care while expending glowing praise upon Obama and applauding his efforts and support for Israel and her people. But the true picture of the enmity between the two men was, by this time, well established in every corner of the globe, as was Obama unmasked intent.
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@ peloni1986:I have admired Bibi’s talents and his accomplishments. However, he is a man and men are flawed. He is very flawed and I believe what I wrote.
He is no longer doing what is best for the State of Israel. Israel is a democracy that needs mending. It will not mend or improve while Bibi is Prime Minister. That is my view! I care far more about the State of Israel than any one individual. Elegant arguments can be made on his behalf and you have made some. Some on the right have also made some, However, I know many right wingers who did not vote for him any longer because he is no longer trusted and the election results reflected that.
He has created tremendous ill will by former Likud Members with his Machiavellian
behavior towards them.
Bibi has unable to muster 61 seats of right wingers from the Knesset after four elections. Even though there 70+ right wing (and religious) members in the Knesset. He simply can not get it done anymore. He refused to step-aside even though some loyal party members like Israel Katz (who are all scared of King Bibi) have politely asked him or hinted that this would be the best way for the country to obtain a right-wing government.
@ Reader:
Sorry Reader, not your opinions, I apologize for the insult you took from my mis-statement. As I read many of the citations you provide, I did read most of those cited sources you listed for Edgar.
My intention was to have actually side stepped this conversation, but given my unforced-error hear we are. I don’t believe your antagonism towards Bibi is well based, of course, this is only my opinion.
And where I recognize your concerns for the state as they are my concerns as well, I do not draw a like conclusion that Netanyahu would allow what you believe he had planned. Regarding the change in the financial legal code, your beliefs are likely honestly based but insufficiently informed.
If Mendleblit and the Civil/Judicial branches could find a hair of illegitimacy to have charged him for such financial malfeasance, they surely would have. So I judge such a financial wizardry as likely routine in nature, and most likely the availability of such opportunity from this change in the legal code would not be limited to himself alone.
So, many if not all Israelis could likely profit from such a change in investment laws – recall his restructuring the financial sector of the state was a great success to all of Israel disproportionate to her per capita standing. And it should be noted further that, from an investment perspective, these foreign investments provide a great source for further tax collection within the state and broaden the financial pool from which Israeli taxes are drawn.
So, though the investments were based beyond Israeli borders, the investor would be supplied with not just more wealth but a greater tax burden and lighten the tax load upon the wealth generated within the state and those not investing among foreign shores(think of it as a rising ocean[taxes] lifting all ships[reducing individual taxes]). This is a consequence of employing the free market over more statist-type agendas where finances are trapped within the state’s borders for investment.
The windfall from the flow of assets can be quite significant. Hope you could follow that quick summary but I believe this is the reality of your stated distrust in his finances.
And also the conspiracy sites, as reliably unreliable as they are, are actually not the worst sources as more legitimate sites are commonly motivated with unstated political agendas and toxified with knowingly-told half-truths while claiming the virtue of not being a conspiracy site[think of any MSM news site as an example of my meaning here].
Again, sorry for the suggestion you took that your reports were fantasies. Though there may be many things we do not agree upon, it was not my intent to mis-characterize your research as whimsical in nature.
@ peloni1986:
Could you be more specific, please?
@ peloni1986:
It is NOT my opinion.
I sourced it before responding to Edgar, and not from “conspiracy” websites.
Netanyahu is a multi-millionaire (yes, Sharon was wealthier), he came up with a law that permitted Israelis to move unlimited amounts of money out of the country, and he invests very heavily in American treasury bonds (I hope I got the term right).
I would like to point out that I am always extremely careful NOT to get emotional and NOT to post my personal opinions.
At least, even if it looks to you like merely my opinion, it is always based on data and not on my personal illusions or fantasies.
@ Bear Klein:
Bear, why do you believe that he places the charges against him as being of greater import than the state. I think this is a fair question. If you believe 5yrs ago, he would have left his position given the current circumstances, not including the indictments, I believe you misjudge his willingness to be unseated. Or is it just that he has been charged so he should go to maintain the good symbol of the PM. But if this is the case, such a reward to these illegitimate accusations, poorly supported in law both in Israel and elsewhere, would simply lead to a greater non-elected oligarchal/judicial fist about the elected elements of the gov’t. This would lead to the realization that the electorate has no power beyond what the civil/judicial branches allow.
Also, the hanging onto power by his fingernails comment is unfair. Netanyahu stood for election in his party and won their support. The party stood for election and won 30 seats – 1/4 of the Knessett. Should he quit his office to suit the other parties? That would be a novel election process. While his quitting would solve the great difficulties that are possible with what Bennett has proposed, but his leadership of the right is due to him being the only MK in all of Israel to be able to gather as much support as has placed him in this position. And the Right-wing members are not massing to support Bennett in the formation of this terrible project. Bennett has 14 members of the Right supporting his moves towards this devilry. Netanyahu holds 52 supporting his moves to new elections. And yet the 14 should rule. No, this is neither balanced nor reasonable. And while you and others feel his day has past, the Right are not of this mind.
@ milhouse:
Yes, Milhouse, I thank you for your point that Mendelblit is both neither “his” nor even an “AG”. But both of these points not withstanding, it has been a perversion of the legal precedent exercised by Mandleblit for political motives.
Furthermore, the legal standards he has created with charging these terrible slanders before the courts serve as a legal contest specifically and exclusively against Netanyahu, alone. He will not pursue any similar charges against Lapid or others who I have read would succumb to such prosecution as well under scrutiny.
And the resulting illegitimate indictment is the legal tool that Saar clings to while refusing to form a Right-wing gov’t citing his great fear for the state. So Saar’s claims are as illegitimate as Medilblit’s Netanyahu only charges and we all know this to be the case.
@ Bear Klein:
Agreed.
@ milhouse:
You are a welcomed addition to the Israpundit family. Your post is very informative. Thanks.
Bibi, has spent years making enemies of those who were in his party and his close allies. His wife and son interject themselves into the politics of the Likud and the country. It is as was the Royal House of Netanyahu and he was not an elected official.
He is in trouble legally and being Prime Minister on behalf of the State of Israel has become secondary in importance to getting out of his criminal charges.
The right thing for the country would to have allowed the Likud to pick another MK to head the party. Israel would then have had a solid strong stable right wing government. All Bibi had to do was do the right thing, step aside. Four elections have proven he is incapable of leading a right wing government because so many other right wing leaders do not trust him and will not join him in a coalition. Gantz got suckered into believing Bibi would allow him to become Prime Minister in a rotation but just he was warned Bibi would deceive him, hence the last elections.
Bibi has done many good things for Israel but one way or the other it is time to go. He unfortunately has refused to do what is good for the country and hangs on with the last fingernail clutching the Prime Minster’s chair.
peloni1986 Said:
This reflects a complete misunderstanding of Mandelblit’s position. Mandelblit is in no way Netanyahu’s own anything.
Part of the problem is that for reasons I completely fail to understand, the common and official English translation for Mandelblit’s position is “Attorney General”. That is just a mistranslation. An AG, by definition, is a politician, a member of the government, who is appointed for political reasons. He needn’t be a lawyer, just as a health minister needn’t be a doctor and a defense minister needn’t have served in the military (in a country where not everyone serves). In Israel the person who currently fills that role, and who ought to be called the Attorney General, is Benny Gantz.
Mandelblit’s position best translates into English as a combination of Solicitor General and Director of Public Prosecutions. But even that is not all. In a normal country such as the USA, such top-level positions are filled by political appointment. Each incoming president appoints his own person, and politics is expected to be a factor in the appointment. But in Israel this position is filled by a career civil servant, and the government has almost no say in who fills it.
Mandelblit was chosen by Netanyahu’s government, sure enough, but it had to make the choice from a short list of three career civil servants, which automatically means leftists, prepared by a committee dominated by leftists. And if/when a new government comes in, it will not be able to fire him; he will go when he’s good and ready, regardless of who’s nominally in charge of him.
Yet another thing you have to understand is that this position, which in most countries is purely functionary, in Israel is effectively dictatorship. Not only does he give the government legal advice, but the government must accept that advice and act on it. He does not take Gantz’s or Netanyahu’s orders, he gives them orders, which they are required to obey, or he will charge them and haul them up before a court for daring to think they are the elected government and are entitled to their own view of the law.
This is the sad state into which Israel has fallen, which is why reform is so needed. Unfortunately the task of judicial and legal reform has fallen by the wayside and there seems no prospect of it happening any time soon.
r@ Ted Belman:
Not it’s not in the PM’s hands Others have siezed the reins. I’ve looked through Peloni;s comments and see only amidst a paen of the highest praise, that he “should not have to sacrifice himself, but he would ask him for this great sacrifice”.This is almost allegorical and not a real demand that he should resign.
“Another point was that “””you demand him to make this sacrifice for the country, or shame him for the actions of those around him, and I don’t find this to be a balanced statement but a loaded deck. :::(I think this refers to your on-again-off again opinions. Of course I coul be wrong, often am, but not by intent)
This is not exactly Peloni agreeing ith you. Rather protesting against you in flowery language to take away the enclosed bite. I understand it and read his prose with pleasure. Smooth, accurate, flowing English is rather a strong interest of mine.
It’s quite obvious that Peloni does NOT WANY Netanyahu to resign, and thinks it’s a toal injustice to him to expect him to “fall upon his sword” is the picturesque way he put it.
@ Edgar G.:
I am glad it isn’t so. My focus on blaming Bibi has a very narrow lens. I was simply trying to say that its in Bibi’s hands to correct this outcome and one should blame Bibi for not doing it. My purpose was to raise the issue for consideration.
Ronn Torassian did the same after me.
What Peloni did was praise Bibi for what he has accomplished for Israel. And with that I agreed. In the end Peloni agreed that my highlighting that Bibi should resign was also right.
@ peloni1986:
Every post Ted makes seems to take a position opposite to his previous one.
TED, I was going to make the remark a couple of days ago already, that sitting on the fence (post) will only result in it eventually being stuck up your rear) end. I’m surprised st your opinions both for and against,,depending on the weather I suppose ;and of course you legal training.
Te…you’ve really surprised and disappointed me….and that’s hard to do.
@ Ted Belman:
Yes, this is true.
@ Reader:
The word ‘paid’ here, Reader, refers to the devastating benefits bestowed upon him among which include being publicly libeled by his own AG and charged with creative license of black letter legal statutes while demonized and cast into a state of political pariah and all for being a successful civil servant to the state. I am aware of your opinion of Netanyahu’s finances(as I have read your many exchanges with Edgar[I think] upon this point), such as they are, and though I don’t agree with your stated opinion on this point, it was not the intent of my reference.
Apparently, during the next 2.2 years, 6 HC judges will have to be replaced. Bennett will be able to replace some of them with rightwing judges but not enough to cause a judicial revolution.
All the more reason for Bibi to make way for a rightwing government, so all of them can be replaced by rightwing judges.
@ peloni1986:
What do you mean?
@ peloni1986:
Really, beautifully written. I agree with your sentiments. Bibi should not be blamed for the creation of the anybody but Bibi crowd. The charges against him are trinkets compared to all the good he has done . They are merely a tool to bring him down.
But here we are at death’s door, so to speak. Only Bibi can save us again. He would go out with a roar by resigning rather than a whimper in opposition.
Ronn Torossian is on the same page.
Perhaps Bennett’s time has come
And perhaps had Netanyau moved over and allowed another Likud member to be PM, there would be a right wing gov’t today. Op-ed.
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This is a beggars diet to place before such a man whose creativity has made the state a financial superstar amongst nations, though we are barely a speck upon the globe. He fought and won against the terrible leviathan Obama in his own tent while armed only with his unique diplomatic skills and a bold voice reinforced with the truth and his alliances.
And his allies across the Mideast who have looked to him for leadership have come to trust him with their many offers of peace. So let us not blame him for a move of selfishness. If this is to be the end of King Bibi as he was often ridiculed, it should be his choice of his own destruction and though their is much celebration at this we are all the less for it coming to be.
The blame for your anger and my own should not lay with a man who has sought every means possible of forming a gov’t, every means but his own destruction to appease his many enemies. That blame lies with them and their own oaths of ego and pride.
For they are, it is claimed, men of the Right or men of the Left not based upon their philosophical conjectures but upon the realities that they cause into being. I hold them to the very standard I would hold any man. And that standard shows that they stole votes from the Right to empower the Left. They stole votes from Zionist Jews to embolden the Muslim Brotherhood Palestinians.
They are to blame, they are beyond the pale. This is why their infamy is so great. They are destroyed beyond this election cycle. Such liberty from their base makes them bold, but it also makes them dangerous. If their betrayal is so unguarded and so destructive as to create this abomination as they now do, how can we not agree as reasonable men, that the blame here is their own and no other.
And perhaps Netanyahu will survive this moment, it would be a crowning feat for it does look too bleak, but if he does or not, there should be no blame that a man wishes to choose his own fate. And though the hour is late and I think this die is past casting, I would ask him for this great offering, for while his resulting ignominy will necessarily reward this wicked cast of rogues, it is in the best interest of Israel – and I know this too is your intent.
But I can not blame him for a desire to chase the justice of Medea. But I do ask him to set this vengeance aside and act in the interest of the State, for if we are not to have a Bibi at the helm in these troubled times, we should at least have a Zionist gov’t to stand in the wake of his fall and temper our fate such as it is.
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Ted, I just don’t see how you can honestly lay this blame on Netanyahu. You demand him to make this sacrifice for the good of the country or shame him for the actions of many about him. I don’t find such a demand to be a balanced statement, but a loaded deck.
If Katz or Barkat, or Bennet or Saars were asked to resign the PM they would move from PM to MK and this would be a tall ask at that. But with Netanyahu this is not the case. When you ask that he step aside, he not only would give up his PMship, he would would be out of the Knessett and likely never to return to power.
Furthermore, since all his enemies would be empowered by his leaving he would have no influence over his fate regarding the fake charges against him beyond the likely false hope that the Judiciary will take a day off of dishonest rulings and judge his case fairly.
So when you ask him to throw himself upon his sword, it is not a figurative ask, as the blade will cut quite deep. And what you say is true, namely that he will get a better deal from a Right wing gov’t than from those who make up the Left-Arab dominated abomination – but dead is dead and you expect him to do this and reward these many villains as they are allowed to walk away untainted by the toxins they pour upon the state.
Despite this dilemna though, I do happen to agree with you that this is what he should do. But in so doing, who will bear the burden of this. Bennett and Saar will likely rise to dominance and no one will suffer but Netanyahu. It is a lot that you ask and yet you blame him for not destroying himself to save us all.
In fairness to all parties, the blame can not rest but where it lies. Netanyahu was elected by Likud to be its leader. The many supporters of Likud elected Likud with Netanyahu as their MKs. They did not vote for Likud with Katz or Barkat or Bennet or Saar as leader but Netanyahu and Netanyahu alone. Netanyahu has done much for the state and, yet, we ask much more, perhaps too much, now again.
But there should be no blame laid upon a man who has done as much for the state as he and been so poorly paid for his services as to blame him for the treacherous ocean that seems to be swallowing him whole as we speak.
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For many years, Bibi is all that has prevented a complete takeover by the Left. Now that takeover is a fait accompli. As the classic Doors song has it, “its too late, too late . . .