Netanyahu: Make a deal with Likud rivals, not Gantz

Instead of passing the mantle to Gantz after 4-6 months, why not do the same with his potential rivals within the Likud? Why not agree to a similar deal, but internally?

By David Rubin, INN

The solution to the coalition crisis afflicting all of Israel is not a disunity government with Benny Gantz and his three partners in Blue and White. Instead, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be reaching out to his potential opponents within the Likud. With them, he should make the consummate deal.

The latest Likud offer to Gantz, although rejected, was quite generous. In a bold concession to enable a broad coalition, Netanyahu agreed to only serve in his current position for 4-6 months, then to hand over the baton to Gantz for two years, with an equal distribution of cabinet seats. Netanyahu could then focus on his trial and refuting the charges against him.

In effect, the government thus created would be, at best, a centrist government that would not be able to implement any of the stated short-term goals of the nationalist camp, such as sovereignty in Jordan Valley and Northern Dead Sea region and the slightly longer-term goal of sovereignty for all of the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Only a strong right-of-center coalition has the determination to accomplish these goals and the chance of withstanding the expected pressure from the Kingdom of Jordan, the European Union, and other international players.

Given that we are on our way to new elections that are likely to lead to another deadlock and given the unfortunate reality that Netanyahu has not succeeded this year at forming a majority coalition, it is clearly time to try something new. Instead of passing the mantle to Gantz after 4-6 months, why not do the same with his potential rivals within the Likud? Why not agree to a similar deal, but internally?

What I am proposing is the following:

INetanyahu agrees that he will serve six months in his current position.

The Likud leadership primaries will be held before the end of those six months, without Netanyahu’s participation. The winner will be Netanyahu’s successor and would serve as Prime Minister for two years after Netanyahu’s initial six months.

If Netanyahu is found innocent of all charges, he will have the option of returning to his position at the end of the two years and will serve until the end of the term. If not, his Likud successor will complete the term.

This proposal would enable a smooth transition and a right-of-center coalition, as well as an honorable exit for Netanyahu. It is also a proposal that would most likely be acceptable to the other members of the right-wing bloc. As for Avigdor Liberman, who still holds the balance of power with his Yisrael Beytenu party, once a clear and smooth transition for Netanyahu is in place, Liberman would likely prefer a stable coalition of the right, rather than a left-wing coalition with the support of Ahmed Tibi, Ayman Odeh and their anti-Israel Union of Arab parties. When the will is there, Liberman will find a way to reach an acceptable compromise with the Haredi parties. And they will, as well.

Now is the time for Netanyahu to make a bold leadership move by reaching out to potential successors, such as Gideon Saar, Nir Barkat, and Yuli Edelstein. The big picture of a stable right-wing government is far more important than any one leader, but the honor of that leader is important, as well. It’s imperative that this plan be implemented as soon as possible.

David Rubin, former Mayor of Shiloh Israel, is the author of the book, “Trump and the Jews” and five other books. Rubin is the founder and president of Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund, established after he and his then three-year-old son were wounded in a terror attack. He can be found at www.DavidRubinIsrael.com or at www.ShilohIsraelChildren.org     

December 9, 2019 | 8 Comments »

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  3. @ Ted Belman:Neither Liberman nor the UTJ/Shas are interested in true compromise with each other. So there will be another election. Unless the dynamics change Israel could be faced with a fourth election.

    Israel needs to change electoral system and government structure.

    Direct Elections of Prime Minister. Cabinet should be chosen by PM and should be set in a permanent size. Ministers should NOT be Knesset Members but Professionals (e.g. Minister of Education should be a professional educator and not a political perk).

    One half of the Knesset should be chosen by direct election from proportional local districts. The other half as it is today by national party list.

  5. @ Bear Klein:This sounds like a good idea but why wait until the next election. Do it today to get Liberman to join today thereby removing the uncertainty.
    We don’t know that Liberman will join the rightwing coalition if Bibi goes. I think Liberman still wants to have some success on the religious issue.

    Do it today to avoid the third election. Whatever it takes.

  6. Now is the time for Netanyahu to make a bold leadership move by reaching out to potential successors, such as Gideon Saar, Nir Barkat, and Yuli Edelstein. The big picture of a stable right-wing government is far more important than any one leader, but the honor of that leader is important, as well. It’s imperative that this plan be implemented as soon as possible.

    I agree with the above statement of David Rubin. If the Likud had a new leader it could potentially get some of the voters of Blue/White. One poll had Saar getting 17% of these voters as they preferred Saar to Gantz. Many of the Right-Wing voters who have chosen Blue-White in the last two elections is due to the fact that they no longer want Bibi as PM.

    So the right-wing camp could grow and a coalition would be far easier to achieve. This is best for Israel. Hopefully Bibi does not run in the upcoming Likud Primary. If he does not run my estimate is either Barkat or Saar will carry the day. Many of the loyal Bibi voters might vote for Barkat as Saar has angered some of them. Barkat also has broad experience as Mayor of Jerusalem, successfully running a high-tech company. As a man worth 100s of millions of dollars he also will not be subject to bribe temptation.

  7. This is truly outrageous political meddling. The “Suprems” assumption of powers not given them by Israel’s laws, and its use of its power for partisan political ends. Must end if the state will be able to survive and have a functioning government.

    Presuming there will be a third election, the High Court of Justice on Monday pushed Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit closer to having to rule imminently on whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is eligible to run to keep his office.
    Dozens of hi-tech officials had opened a new front on Sunday in the legal battle to oust Netanyahu, filing a new petition to the High Court.
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    The new petition runs parallel to one already filed by the Movement for the Quality of Government in Israel to the High Court and an expected future petition by the Labor party.
    However, this petition has already achieved getting the High Court to order Mandelblit to go into further depth about his legal views regarding Netanyahu’s eligibility by December 18, should a third election be set by then.
    Justice Ofer Grosskopf did give Mandelblit wiggle room, by technically only asking him if he thought he needed to give a concrete opinion before Election Day, but the bottom-line is that the court has ramped up the pressure on the attorney-general to take a side on the issue.
    Grosskopf also asked Mandelblit if he believes the High Court must rule on the issue pre-election.
    What chance does a group of even top officials in the hi-tech industry of turning the dial on this issue?
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    Mandelblit has already made it clear that he is not interested in personally being that hand that forces Netanyahu out of office.
    He has made legal arguments protecting Netanyahu from being forced out by two legal grounds of attack, while postponing indefinitely analyzing whether Netanyahu can form a new government now that he has been indicted for bribery.
    Mandelblit had previously ruled that the issue can be kicked down the road because it is only theoretical.
    Until Netanyahu is actually in a position in which he has the support of 61 MKs – something which may never happen, or in any event, is three months off given that a third election is imminent – Mandelblit said there is no reason to rule on it.
    What is unique about the latest petition, besides that it involves a group of generally apolitical hi-tech officials, is that they specifically have attacked this theoretical argument.
    They say that the issue is concrete, and not theoretical, because voters should know whether Netanyahu has the legal capacity to form a new government before they decide how to vote.
    Though the High Court has not said yet that Mandelblit must rule now, so he might still be able to wait until post-election to see whether Netanyahu can rally the support of 61 MKs, Justice Grosskopf’s ruling put the attorney-general back on the hot seat he has worked hard to dodge.
    Some of the leading hi-tech officials involved include: Dr. Orna Bari, Shai Weiningar, Pinhas Buchris, Dov Moran Eyal Gora, Yehoshua Sobol and Prof. Dani Tzidon. They are represented by Daphna Holech-Lechner, who has been involved in other large High Court cases.

  8. From today’s Jerusalem Post. More outrageous political meddling by Israel’s Supreme Court. Israel has no law that prohibits someone accused of a crime from running for Prime Minister.

    High Court to A-G: Say whether Netanyahu can run for PM before elections
    Avichai Mandelblit has already made it clear that he is not interested in personally being that hand that forces Netanyahu out of office.